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Many adults hesitate to dress up for Halloween because they don’t want to spend their hard-earned money on a costume that they’re only going to wear once. Most people won’t reuse the same costume for more than one Halloween, while others may get to use it one or two more times if they’re invited to a costume party. Either way, Halloween costumes can often feel like a waste of money.
A smarter way to shop for the holiday is to search for something that you’re naturally inclined to wear, such as a dress. If you can find something that you think you can get a lot of use out of beyond just that one day, you can make a stylish costume out of it for Halloween. In fact, you might even be able to wear the dress on its own! Here’s a list of some of the top-rated halloween dresses of 2024 for you to pick from.
Comparing the Finest Halloween Dresses of 2024
Chang Yun Halloween Dress — Best Overall
This Halloween maxi sweater dress by Chang Yun is made of a combination of viscose, polyester, and nylon. It features a tie closure, bat sleeves, and a v-neck. This bodycon dress is backless and offers a super flattering fit. Plus, this particular design features Halloween pumpkins all over the fall-colored fabric. This Halloween dress is suitable for a variety of casual occasions because of how comfortable it feels to wear and how simple it looks.
This maxi dress is super soft, warm, and comfy to wear, and it’s available in a number of different colors and patterns, which is why we’ve chosen it as our best overall choice.
Pros
- Soft, warm, and comfortable material
- Fit most shapes perfectly
- Features a tie closure and v-neck
- Available in various colors and patterns
Cons
- Shorter than advertised
Wellwits Halloween Dress — Most Stylish
The Wellwits Halloween Dress is made of 95% cotton and 5% spandex. It features a zipper closure at the back for a perfect fit. The design features a spider web shaped collar with a keyhole in the front, a high waist, and an embroidered spider web and bat design on the skirt. The fit and flare of this dress makes it fit snugly at the top and flare out at the skirt for an overall flattering look. This dress makes for a great Halloween-themed dress, but can also double as a fun dress to wear throughout the season.
Pros
- Flared skirt offers a vintage look
- Embroidered Halloween-themed pattern
- Features a zipper closure
Cons
- Must be hand washed
Topdress Halloween Dress — Best Vintage Look
This gorgeous Halloween dress by Topdress features a classic Audrey Hepburn style. Made of 95% cotton and 5% spandex, this dress features a zipper closure at the back for a nice fit. Plus, the cotton material feels super comfortable on the skin. The sweetheart neckline is attached to thick straps that go over the shoulders in a halter design, which tie at the back of the neck. While the top fits snugly around the chest and waist, the skirt flares out beautifully.
The pattern of this dress features little silhouettes of spider webs, carved pumpkins, stars, bats, and grim reapers. All of these are set against an orange background, a color that fits the Halloween theme perfectly. As an added bonus, this dress features a tie around the waist.
Pros
- Features a tie-around waist
- Flared skirt provides a classic look
- Includes a halloween-themed pattern
- Fabric is comfortable and soft
Cons
- Wrinkles very easily
Oten Halloween Dress — Most Formal
This unique Halloween dress is comfortable to wear and incredibly stylish. It’s made of 95% rayon and 5% spandex. A zipper at the side is well-concealed and super easy to reach and pull up and down. The sweetheart neckline adds to the overall vintage look, while the halter makes this dress very attractive. Plus, this Halloween dress has a removable black satin ribbon that can be tied any way you wish.
The skirt flares out beautifully with a lace hemline to complete the look. Thanks to the lacey hem, this dress is a cut above rest and well-suited for a formal occasion. The print features images of carved pumpkins, bats, branches, and the moon.
Pros
- Elastic at the back for a perfect fit
- Concealed, easy-to-use side zipper
- Includes a lace hem under the skirt
- Extremely breathable, lightweight, and comfortable
Cons
- Sizing may be confusing
ZENNILO Halloween Dress — Most Casual
The ZENNILO Halloween Dress is a great choice for those who are looking for a dress with a looser, more comfortable fit, and for a more casual overall look. This t-shirt dress is made of 95% rayon and 5% spandex and features a pull-on design. The material is super soft, skin-friendly, and breathable. It comes with a scoop neckline, is roughly knee-length, has pockets, and features a swinging hem.
This dress is ideal for casual Halloween parties or for wearing at home. It’s available in a bunch of different colors and patterns, with the Halloween-themed one being perfectly suitable to throw on for the festivities.
Pros
- Soft and breathable fabric
- Loose fit with a scoop neckline
- Features pockets and a swinging hem
- Available in various patterns and colors
- Easy, pull-on design
Cons
- May not be long enough for some
Buying Guide: Halloween Dress
Over the years, Halloween has developed a reputation of being an opportunity to go all out with a costume, particularly if you have a party to attend. When you see people around you coming up with creative costume ideas, you may feel pressured into feeling like you need to do the same. Many people start working on their Halloween costumes months in advance! With Halloween dresses, you can take a more minimal approach to the festivities. These dresses allow you to take the stress out of the costume-planning process, while saving you a ton of money. You’re going to get a lot more use out of a regular dress than you will out of a costume. Here’s everything you need to know about how to choose the right Halloween dress for your next costume party.
The Benefits of Halloween Dresses Over Costumes
With just a few statement pieces, you can easily save yourself a lot of money this Halloween. Looking for, planning, and buying a costume can take up a lot of time and money. Considering that the costume is something you won’t be wearing more than once or twice, it doesn’t make much sense to spend an entire paycheck on it. Halloween is a day on which you should experiment with your looks and be able to dress up however you want. If you’re someone who wants to take it easy, you should be able to!
Choosing to buy a regular dress — whether that’s a t-shirt dress, a vintage dress, a bodycon dress, or any other type of outfit — means that you’ll be able to wear that dress or outfit for years to come. Ultimately, you’re making a smarter decision for yourself and your savings.
Mixing and Matching With Halloween Dresses
If you still want to cosplay as a character, you can make that happen by purchasing a Halloween dress that you can use on days other than Halloween. For example, if you’re choosing to dress up as Morticia Adams, all you need is a plain, all-black, full-length dress, paired with a sleek hairdo, and some black heels or ankle boots. You can even throw in a black purse if you have one lying around. This is going to be a dress you can easily wear to formal and semi-formal parties outside of Halloween.
Another smart costume choice could be dressing up as the Corpse Bride. The Corpse Bride is a classic animated movie, and the lacy bridesmaid look of the Corpse Bride’s dress is a beautiful choice. You don’t have to copy the look exactly. All you need is a white dress, a pair of white stockings, and a pair of stilettos. This will create the perfect look that will embody the essence of the character. With the right makeup, you can play the part for Halloween, but you can regularly use the dress beyond just the holiday as well.
When it comes to coming up with a fun costume with pieces of clothing that you can use regularly, there’s an infinite number of possibilities you can explore. You’d be surprised with the ideas you can come up with when all you have to buy is a fancy dress and use the accessories you already own to complete the look.
