Easy and Affordable Costumes From H&M to Inspire the Whole Family This Halloween

Between spooky decorations, pumpkin carving, and loads of fun costume ideas, Halloween is a unique time when children can explore, create, and transform into anything they want and adults can instantly become kids again.

For lifestyle blogger and mom of two (soon to be a mom of three!) Aenny Chung, October is an extraspecial month filled with fun family traditions including trips to the pumpkin patch, mugs of apple cider, and, of course, dressing up. “We go all out and celebrate in full force,” Aenny said. “My kids love dressing up in their favorite characters and seeing their friends and family members dress up in their respective alter egos. We make it a family affair so that everyone has fun.”

Any parent can agree that seeing your kid’s vision come to life is half the magic of Halloween. And no matter what your little ones dream up — or how indecisive they are — H&M has the key pieces you and your family need to create truly memorable costumes.

Since H&M offers a full range of wardrobe essentials at an unbeatable price, Aenny says it's her go-to for family shopping. "We love the versatility of H&M costumes, as many of the pieces you can wear beyond just Halloween," she said. "I also love that it has something for everyone so that you can pick up a costume for all members of the family in one fell swoop."

Ahead, discover a few of our favorite H&M Halloween looks, brought to you by Aenny and her adorable children, 4-year-old Dannica and 18-month-old DJ.

When thinking of costume ideas, Aenny always keeps the unpredictable October weather front of mind. “I like to think about how a costume can be layered in case it gets cold or hot,” she said. “It’s nice to have cloaks, tights, boots, and gloves all set aside just in case the weather turns.”

These bat costumes in particular are easy to layer and ultra comfy for kids of every age. “They’re fun and whimsical, and I love that they aren’t too matchy matchy,” Aenny explained. “Sometimes twinning looks are taken too literally and end up looking contrived. It’s more fun when costumes reflect your individual child. Does she like ballet? Then why not add a little black tutu?”

No matter what costume your youngster wants to wear, Aenny advises not to look at it as a one-time-use outfit. “We have a separate dress-up play area for our children, and once Halloween is over, we put all of our overly costume-y pieces in their dress-up drawer — it’s well-loved and used for years,” Aenny said.

This princess dress will get plenty of mileage during playtime, and these dainty lace shoes can be worn again for a special occasion or even with jeans and a cute top at school.

Another costume trick Aenny’s learned over the years is to have your children try their costumes on immediately once you have the entire look in hand. “I can guarantee you that if it fits poorly or if it’s not comfortable and too fussy, they will not wear their costumes no matter how much they loved the idea in the first place,” she said.

Essentially, the less zippers, buttons, and itchy fabrics, the better! This Ghostbusters jumpsuit and ghost cape are super low-maintenance and simple, but look intricate — they're especially impactful when worn as a set. “I love that these looks are playful and tell a story,” Aenny said.

In the Chung household, the family costume currently revolves around what Dannica wants to be for Halloween. “My husband and I let our daughter decide first. Our son is only 18 months old and so he’s just in it for the fun! Once he’s older, we plan on alternating years or just having multiple family costumes,” Aenny said.

Aenny loves this family skeleton costume particularly because “it isn’t too costume-y and can be mixed and matched to be worn separately.” Dannica loves it because the pink touches in her outfit speak to her personality. “This is an example of how little details can elevate a look — with the skull beanies and sneakers, the looks are fresh and modern,” Aenny said. “Costumes are taken to the next level when all the pieces come together.”

Photography by Aenny Chung