24 Fall Essentials from H&M That Are So Good for Halloween (and Start at $14.99)

October 31 is decidedly my holiday. I’m Who What Wear’s
resident expert when it comes to chic Halloween costume ideas that
do not require the purchase of anything particularly costume-y. My
qualifications: I’ve been working in fashion for years, all of my
style icons are delightfully OTT, plus I’m definitely the person
you’d want on your team for any and every horror movie–themed
trivia night.

At first glance, what we have here are 24 truly excellent
additions to any fall wardrobe. However, I can attest that every
(surprisingly affordable) item from
H&M below is also the perfect inspo for your 2019 Halloween
outfit—especially if you’re the kind of stylish person who is
somewhat obligated to dress up but isn’t exactly into costumes.
Read on for the items worth snapping up before Halloween (and that
you should continue to wear long after).

For
that Blondie costume you’ve been carefully curating while
listening to Parallel Lines on repeat, especially if you scoop up
some oversize sunglasses and a pair of bold ’80s-style earrings.
(Will look just as great in a few months’ time with a pair of
relaxed vintage jeans for a Sunday morning flea market run.)

Add
this faux fur jacket, to complete the glam rocker–groupie look.
(Bonus points for strategically smudged eyeliner.)

If
you’re gonna get a leather look involved, you can’t go wrong
with these pants. They’ll see you through all manner of
rocker-chic Halloween ensembles for sure, but given F/W 19’s
penchant for the head-to-toe leather trend, they won’t be
banished to the back of your closet come November 1.

Jewelry
that’ll look just as good with your ’80s Madonna costume as it
will with your 2019 night-out looks.

I’m
not going to lie—I’m firmly Team Spike when it comes to my
all-time-favorite TV show. But I can’t imagine walking into an
H&M and not scooping this soft fleece sweatshirt, especially
ahead of Halloween and with ’90s nostalgia at fever pitch.

If
“celebrity off-duty” is your Halloween inspo (or just your
everyday style), this captain’s cap is your ideal accessory.

Chunky
boots with pronounced tread are perfect come October 31 as part of
your Daria costume; later on, let them anchor all of your
cold-weather looks.

Have
I bragged yet about how I used to live around the corner from the
real-life Nightmare on Elm Street house? I consider this an ideal
pick for scary movie night no matter where you live (or what time
of year it is).

I
live in relaxed straight-leg jeans, so this pair is bound to see
serious wear, even if I don’t wind of wearing them as part of the
admittedly far-too-niche ’90s-supermodel-off-duty costume I’ve
been mulling over.

I
see a Little Mermaid costume in your future—and thanks to the
shell jewelry trend’s continued popularity, these can also be the
finishing touch to a whole lot of vacation looks.
Sha-la-la-la-la-la…

A
twist on a fashion-girl staple… Whether you choose to use it for
a Cher Horowitz costume or prefer to dress as one of the Heathers
(from, well, Heathers), you’ll get serious cost-per-wear out of
this piece. Make sure to also nab the matching miniskirt for the
full effect.

Just
layer a short-sleeve Hawaiian shirt over this nostalgia-evoking
T-shirt and you’re halfway to looking like Leo (aka Romeo) circa
1996.

So
many ’70s costume possibilities with this very on-trend fringed
jacket. (Personally, this is the topper that’ll be seeing me
through fall and winter here in Southern California—seriously,
the Western trend shows no sign of fading.)

There’s
a good chance I’ll be a farmer this year for the sheer
convenience and comfort of wearing these polished overalls, my
favorite flannel shirt, and the cowboy boots I’ve barely
taken off since last winter. (Try these!)

The
perfect piece to ground a good punk-rock costume, but also ideal
with a big chunky knit. Win-win.

In
case you’d like to show off your adoration for Stephen King’s
horror franchise rather than dressing up like a full-on scary
clown. (Kind of you to be mindful of my coulrophobia—yes,
that’s a real term I didn’t have to google at all.)

I
see a Josie and the Pussycats–inspired group costume moment in
your future. Leopard print continues to reign supreme for fall, and
this coat’s as cozy as they come.

Rosie
the Riveter called—she said you can rewear this pivotal costume
centerpiece long after Halloween (when you’ll need a paisley
bandana to wrap around your hair, obviously). Affordable
boilersuits are right up H&M’s alley.

So
many options you can take with this sheer dayglow dream of a
top.

Very
Spice Girls circa ’99, but also very NYFW circa, oh, F/W 19
(especially if you layer a pair of rainbow-striped metallic socks
underneath—just saying).

A
vital layer to keep around this time of year. Just make sure to
grab some black fleece-lined tights…

The
perfect grounding piece for you and your friends’ Grease-themed
costumes. See you around Rydell High, Sandy (or Rizzo or
Frenchie).

I
see a very Austin Powers–era look in your future (just add this,
this, and this). Also easy to rewear come New Year’s Eve, or for
that girls’ Vegas trip you’ve got on your event horizon.

We’ve
established that the nineties are well and truly back, so you
don’t really need a Halloween-adjacent excuse to pull on a bucket
hat. (Still, we’re pretty sure you’ll think of a killer costume
this could be a part of.)