All You Need Is A Leather Jacket To Master These 5 Last-Minute Halloween Costumes

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

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If you're anything like us, you likely haven't decided on a Halloween costume yet, let alone actually purchased one. But before you give up on the holiday altogether — and opt for a night of Hocus Pocus and half-priced Kit Kats instead — let us show you the art of the last-minute costume. After years of trying and failing to give Halloween the time it deserves, we've become masters at creating the best costumes in the worst of circumstances. Our trick? Using what you already have.

Start with one of the hardest-working items in your closet: the leather jacket. Usually, its role is merely utilitarian, a stylish way to avoid freezing while you bop from one soiree to the next. But what most people don't remember is how many of your favorite pop-culture icons make the leather jacket their signature. From Sandra Dee's skin-tight pants and cropped moto to Michael Jackson's red leather 'fit for the “Thriller” music video, there's no end to the costumes you can create around a leather jacket.

Ahead, check out how we used nothing more than our leather jackets and a trip to Party City to win this year's costume competition in two days or less.

Credits: Photographer: Stefen Pompee. Hairstylist: Seto McCoy. Hairstylist Assistant: Raven Vincent. Agency: Slick Creative Group. Maleficent Makeup: Nick Scalzo, and Lashes: Tracy De Leon.

Last-Minute Halloween Costumes,

Channing Hargrove as Michael Jackson "Thriller"

No one, in my humbly honest Black ass opinion, wore a leather jacket like Michael Joseph Jackson. He wasn't just the king of pop, he was also the king of leather jackets. He gave us a classic leather one on the "Off The Wall" album cover, a powerful badass leather in the "Remember The Time" music video, and an occasion-ready offering with the red jacket in the "Thriller" video. So it was only right to style my Zadig & Voltaire red leather jacket with matching red pants from Topshop, my take on a standout MJ look.

Channing wearing a Zadig & Voltaire Lennis Cuir Metal Jacket ($848.00).Photographer: Stefen Pompee.

Last-Minute Halloween Costumes,

Jessica Andrews as Janet Jackson "Rhythm Nation"

Janet Jackson is one of my all-time favorite artists, and her looks are just as timeless as her music. This particular outfit from Rhythm Nation has served as inspo for many a Halloween costume (even Beyoncé wore it one year) because who wouldn’t want to channel Janet in her bag as the Queen of her own dancing nation? With the military-style jacket, custom silver pins, a flirty ponytail created by Seto McCoy, and that signature key hoop earring, this look just epitomizes cool — and it will for many generations to come.

Jessica wearing Veda Max Classic Leather Jacket ($958.00) and Homie I Adore U Rhythm Nation hat ($45.00). Photographer: Stefen Pompee.

Last-Minute Halloween Costumes,

Eliza Huber as Freddie Mercury

While we could never come close to Freddie Mercury's talent level IRL (let alone Rami Malek's impersonation of him), dressing up as the late Queen frontman is far easier than we imagined. Throw on a tank top, a pair of vintage jeans and your trusty leather jacket; find a black, cropped wig at your local beauty supply store; and stick on a $2 mustache from Party City. Trust us, people will be mistaking you for the music mastermind in no time.

Eliza wearing an AllSaints Estella Leather Biker Jacket ($585.00), a Hanes tank top (3 for $9.37), and Party City mustache ($4.99).Photographer: Stefen Pompee.

Last-Minute Halloween Costumes,

Jessica Andrews as Maleficent

This was one of my favorite costumes to wear this Halloween simply because it’s bold, instantly memorable, and super easy to recreate. I just threw on a leather jacket with a Maleficent headband and channeled Angelina Jolie with my most villainous stare possible — done and done! The star of this look, of course, is the makeup. And according to artist Nick Scalzo who created the look, you can totally skip those thrilling but hard-to-find cheek prosthetics and go for a killer contour instead.

Jessica wearing a Veda Max Classic Leather Jacket ($958.00) and a Party City headband ($19.99). Photographer: Stefen Pompee.

Last-Minute Halloween Costumes,

Jen Mulrow as Sandra Dee

To master Sandra Dee, or as we like to call her, Bad Sandy, you can basically take everything out of your own everyday wardrobe. A black off-the-shoulder bodysuit? Check! Black skinny jeans? Check! Red sandals? Check! Now throw on that greaser jacket and head to the nearest Hallow's Eve soiree.

Jen wearing an ASOS off shoulder top ($19.00) and AllSaints Bales Leather Biker Jacket ($498.00).Photographer: Stefen Pompee.

Last-Minute Halloween Costumes,

Jess and I would be remiss if we did not take advantage of MJ (me) teaming up with his baby sister Janet (her) to recreate a pose from the iconic "Scream" video. I'm actually screaming just looking at how good it looks.

Channing (left) wearing a Zadig & Voltaire Lennis Cuir Metal Jacket ($848.00) and Topshop pants; Jessica (right) wearing Veda Max Classic Leather Jacket ($958.00) and Homie I Adore U Rhythm Nation hat ($45.00). Photographer: Stefen Pompee.

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