15 Vintage Halloween Costumes for Retro Women — Emily Retro - Vintage and DIY Home Design (2024)

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If you love vintage fashion or have an affinity for old fashion outfits, dressing up for Halloween is a great way to let loose and have fun! I have women’s Halloween costumes ranging from antique to vintage to retro from many different decades. This list doesn’t just have to be for women either but anyone that likes to dress feminine!

Groovy ghost

By far the easiest costume on this list is dressing up as a groovy ghost. Order yourself a 1970s flower power vintage sheet and throw on a pair of groovy sunglasses and you’re all set! You won’t be able to see unless you cut eyes out but it makes for a great photoshoot, especially if you can get a whole group of groovy ghosts.

Mad Men

Mad Men has plenty of female characters to dress up as for Halloween. Betty Draper, Joan Holloway, Peggy Olson, Megan Draper and Sally Draper have completely different styles. Pick your favorite character and order some go-go boots!

Good 50s Housewife

Pull out your fluffy 1950s dress and throw on a vintage apron to be a “good” 50s housewife. You can dress up as an every day housewife or a Halloween version like I did above.

Evil 50s Housewife

I dressed up as an evil 50s housewife on my Instagram reel “What I’d wear to my husband’s funeral” (You can watch the IG reel here). You dress up as an innocent 1950s housewife but you carry a knife and bonus points if there’s fake blood involved!

Rosie the Riveter

Find any ol’ denim shirt and a red bandana and you are Rosie the Riveter. Don’t forget to strike a pose!

Good or Bad Sandy from Grease

I dressed up with my friend Saraid as Good and Bad Sandy from Grease. You can be either or dress up as one of the pink ladies! You can read all the details and see more photos on my Grease costume post.

Haunted bride

As someone who still has her wedding dress in her closet, I’m always looking for ways to get another use out of it. One of those ways is to be a haunted bride. My dress is vintage 1950s and I don’t want to ruin it so I’ll wear it as is. But I can buy a secondhand veil and rip it to shreds. I’ll carry a spooky candelabra and wear makeup that makes me look like I rose from the dead.

Keiko Lynn did an amazing haunted bride costume on her blog.

Land Girl

Land girls were women that worked on farms during WWII when men were fighting during the war. If you haven’t seen the show Land Girls you definitely should! The outfits are adorable and have a very cottagecore feel to them.

Hippie

Don’t go the cheesy and standard hippie route by buying a premade new costume. Actually thrift or buy authentic 1970s vintage clothing for this costume! Buy a wide collared 70s top and some bell bottoms. Or find a gorgeous 1970s maxi dress and have your hair blown out.

Anne of Green Gables

I dressed up as Anne Shirley when I went on my East Coast Canada Road Trip and I visited Prince Edward Island. It’s another cottagecore loving outfit! You can easily find a straw or beach hat to be Anne and get any long dress or skirt to work. Be sure to carry a book because Anne loves to read!

Mrs. Maisel

If you’re lucky enough to have a 1950s dress then you can easily be Mrs. Maisel. Or if you have a plunger ready and a leather jacket, go as Susie!

Suffragette

An appropriate and timely costume for sure! Be a suffragette and stand up for women’s rights. I dressed up as a suffragette a few years ago and I thrifted everything for my suffragette costume except the sash which I made myself. I used craft stencils to paint “Votes for Women” on the sash and that worked great.

Madeline

I loved Madeline as a little girl and dressing up as her would be pretty simple and easily recognizable. You could even wear the same hat that you work as Anne Shirley!

Kitsch Witch

Be a retro witch by wearing a vintage black or orange dress with a witch hat. Maybe wear some black pearls or vintage Halloween jewelry. I’m wearing a black lace collar I got on Etsy. Don’t forget your spell book and black cauldron!

Mouseketeer

If you have a plain blue or red skirt then this costume will be a snap! Remember to wear a pair of vintage Mickey Mouse ears.

Mary Poppins

Mary Poppins is an icon and when her umbrella is unfurled she’s easily recognizable. I thrifted my entire costume to be Mary and I’ve worn it multiple years because it’s unique but still identifiable.

There are my favorite feminine retro costumes! I hope you found this list inspiring so you can create your own vintage costume. If I left any good costumes out please leave them in the comments. For a fun couples costume idea check out my Sleepy Hollow costume.