Halloween is a struggle. Avoidance, if at all possible, of a fancy dress party on the October bank holiday weekend is golden. As a child, dressing for Halloween was easy. A black rubbish bag, fake fingers, witches hat and a plastic mask from the Pound Shop was all you needed. Nowadays, its optical illusions and a Picasso painting on your face. For the lazy, this amount of work leads to sweat and heart palpitations. We look at them in awe and admiration; secretly wishing we could be the same, but knowing deep-down we never will.

Realistically, if you aren’t artistic or overly imaginative, a white sheet over your head is the go-to. Time is of the essence, so ironic costumes from obscure cult films or intricate face make-up won’t be your forte. The least effort for the maximum effect is the Halloween fancy dress promise land.

Related: These will be the most popular Halloween costume ideas of 2018

For my Halloween excursions this year, I feel I could go as my morning self and could scare the nation. With chapped lips, purple bags under my eyes, and electrocuted hair, I look like the female version of Jack Nicholson in The Shining; a modern day horror show.

However, if you don’t wish to go to such personal lengths like me, we have put together a list of the best Halloween fancy dress ideas for the lazy.

Witch

Witches Hat, €3.99 @ H&M

An undeniable classic, the witch costume is one of the easiest looks to recreate. Simply get a fake nose, pointy hat, broom, stuffed black cat and black rubbish bag and you are good to go.

Sims

This Sims-inspired costume is the loophole to wearing your own clothes to a fancy dress party. Some effort is needed to make the Sims hat, but once that’s done, your own personal sartorial taste is allowed to take flight. No make-up and no frills, it’s a simple idea, yet so effective.

When life gives you lemons

As the saying goes; ‘when life gives you lemons, make a costume from it’. So if you like lemons, life, and a touch of irony, then this is the costume for you.

Janis and Damien from Mean Girls

All you need are clothes, cardboard, sunglasses and a friend. It’s quick, easy and there is the minimum effort required.

Identity Theft

If you have a penchant for puns then this is for you. All you need are sunglasses, a hoody and some sticky labels with random names. Voila, you are well on your way to pun paradise.

Ghost

And if all else fails, and no fancy dress outfit can be salvaged, there is nothing wrong with the trusty white sheet. An old reliable and Halloween stalwart, you can scare the kids, the neighbours and the barmen by being an inconspicuous ghost.

So go forth and embrace the festivities, but no matter which creation you decide to replicate, you will be one thing and one thing only; effortless.

Images: Pinterest