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You can find – or make – terrific Halloween costumes without buying new. Whether you want to get crafty, find the perfect used outfit, or snag a free costume, we’ve got you covered.
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Reusing and sharing costumes avoids waste that would otherwise haunt the landfill. It's budget-friendly, fun, and keeps materials circulating rather than becoming clutter or trash.
I want to make my own costume
Get creative, keep materials in use, and have a frightfully fun time building your look from reused supplies.
SCRAP Portland: Head to inner SE Portland to find a treasure trove of donated fabrics, trims, foam pieces, and quirky odds and ends for frightfully fun DIY crafting—no hex-tra waste included. Create masks, capes, creature ears, and more using inexpensive, reused materials from this fantastic creative reuse nonprofit.
ReClaim It is filled with salvaged materials like wood scraps, metal hardware, and wire for unique costumes and props. Combine pieces to craft robot parts, witchy details, or monster accessories without conjuring up new materials.
DIY Costume Tips
- Combine thrifted clothing with add-ons from SCRAP or ReClaim It to create unique costumes.
- Invite friends over for a crafting night; DIYing together is frightfully fun.
- After Halloween, pass your costume along via Buy Nothing or local swaps.
I want to find the perfect secondhand costume
Buying secondhand helps keep perfectly good costumes from becoming ghosted in storage bins or trash cans. Plus, they're less expensive than buying new.
Resale shops—including thrift stores and consignment shops—are terrific sources for affordable costume clothing for kids and adults. Find tops, skirts, pants, capes, as well as funny glasses or wacky hats.
Here are a few shops for inspiration, but check out the Resourceful PDX map and directory or do a web search for "used clothing stores near me" to find more:
Resale shops for kids
- Northeast: Beanstalk Children's Resale
- Southeast: Sweetpeas, Pinwheels Resale, Beanstalk Children's Resale
- Westside/Southwest: Hoot-n-Annie Resale, Katelyn's Closet
Thrift shops for adults and kids
Find over 20 thrift and consignment shops in our directory or use our map to find ones close to you.
Is our directory missing a local thrift shop? Let us know!
Online marketplaces
- Facebook Marketplace – Local pickup makes it simple to grab costumes, props, wigs, craft supplies, or clothing basics right in your neighborhood. Great for last-minute finds.
- NextDoor Portland – Neighbors often list gently-used costumes or materials, and you can search by neighborhood to avoid long drives.
- National marketplaces like eBay, Poshmark, and ThredUP offer a huge selection of used and vintage items.
I want to score a free costume
If you've got a little more time to hunt for the perfect costume, you can probably get one without spending a thing.
Buy Nothing Groups: Find costumes, props, wigs, makeup, or craft supplies offered by your neighbors. Need something specific? Post an "ask" and you might be surprised what great stuff people have and want to share.
Host Your Own Costume Swap: Use our guide to hosting a kids' clothing swap to organize your own neighborhood or school costume exchange.
Attend an upcoming swap event
These events let you scare up something new to you for no cost:
- Arleta Costume & Athletic Gear Swap, Friday, October 2, 2026, 2:15 - 3:30 p.m.: Hosted by the Arleta PTA Green Team, featuring gently used costumes and gear.
- Fall Clothing Swap, Saturday, October 3, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m., Limelight Salon, 2145 NE MLK Jr Blvd
- Rae Loft Costume Swap, Monday, October 5, 2026, 5 - 7:30 p.m., 2222 NE Oregon St., A free, all-ages swap event.
- North Portland Free Clothing Exchange, Sunday, October 18, 2026, 2 - 4 p.m. Held monthly at Kenton Church (2115 N Lombard St), offering adult and kids' clothing with no donation required.