For many of us the same question arises when October hits every year: ‘What should I wear on Halloween?’

Coming up with a cute and cost-effective costume is quite the challenge when you wait until the last minute. Although there is nothing wrong with a black cat or a lustrous angel get-up, a lot of the Halloween magic lies within these spooky films that embody the holiday.

Plenty of mystical, mythical characters we know and love can spark costume inspiration and are more easy to replicate than you think.

If you are a movie nerd, saving money as a college student or in a pinch and need a last-minute costume idea, these options could be perfect for you.

Beetlejuice

A costume that will be sure to catch any Halloween goer’s attention is the iconic white and black vertical striped suit from the classic 80’s film, Beetlejuice. Beetlejuice, the titular character of the film, is selfish but funny with a big personality.

In the movie, he is called on by a couple to help scare away spirits in their house that were left from the deceased world. The main goal of Beetlejuice throughout the movie is to protect the innocence of the community.

Anyone would be able to easily create a Beetlejuice outfit with an old white button-up, a crazy wig, white pants and a can of black paint.

Coraline

If you are like me and your favorite Halloween film is Coraline, you might consider dressing up as the feisty, ever-so-curious main character Coraline Jones or her geeky friend Wybie Lovat.

An easy yet eye-catching costume: a short blue bob wig, dragonfly hair clip and yellow raincoat with boots to match. If you have a partner or friend to dress up with, Coraline’s neighbor-turned-best friend, Wybie is also a good choice for a quick costume.

His slouchy appearance, curly hair and midnight blue raincoat are just some of the few things that stick out about him and make him Coraline’s unlikely friend.

If you don’t already have some of the elements to these costumes in your closet already, they are easy to find on Amazon or through the links on the graphic below.

RELATED: Only the brave shall enter Heartstoppers Haunted House

Corpse Bride

Although the characters in the Corpse Bride are married, you can surely do this costume solo or with a platonic relationship.

In the film, Victor was originally arranged to be married to a young girl named Victoria until he became nervous and ran away into the woods. When he begins talking about his worries in the forest, a spirit pulls him into the land of the dead where he meets Emily.

Emily has a gothy-blue complexion with dark, sunken eyes and innately long eyelashes which can be replicated with a Halloween makeup kit.

Both her and Victor have calm and quiet demeanor and their outfits can be easily duplicated with a trip to the thrift store and search through the formal section.

Hocus Pocus

If you need costumes for a trio, the villainous sister trio of witches from the Halloween flick, Hocus Pocus, are a great idea.

The Sanderson sisters outfits are pretty consistent from the original 1993 release or the 2022 sequel. The movie takes place in Salem, Massachusetts where witch sisters; Winefred, Mary and Sarah are resurrected by a teenage boy.

The sisters wear long renaissance-esque dresses in colors purple, burgundy and green. Each outfit, along with the hairstyles, represents the sister’s personality well. One intelligent, one brainless and one observant but all equally as witchy.

There are many kits for these costumes on Amazon and some individual dresses could be personalized to create the outfits from this fantasy-comedy.

Nightmare Before Christmas

Sally is the main protagonist and ragdoll from the iconic Tim Burton film, Nightmare Before Christmas.

Sally was created by Doctor Finklestein, who sewed her body together. She is known for her tattered, patchwork dress, the visible stitches on her body and red hair. Her love for Jack Skellington is intense as her kind actions towards him express.

Sally’s costume is more moderate on the scale of re-creation and could be a potential DIY project for those who enjoy sewing.

The movie follows Skellington, the Pumpkin King, who could be a good costume for those who are looking for a duo costume.

Jack’s costume could be easily purchased on Amazon, the Halloween store or through the links above.

I hope these ideas gave some inspiration for Halloween. Make sure that you tune in for the next Stinger Style and tag me if you recreate the costumes!