50 Work-Appropriate Halloween Costumes for Your Office Party

Halloween may still be months away, but if you know your office is big on the holiday (a costume contest with prizes to win, an annual office costume party, or a tradition of employees dressing up to celebrate Halloween), then it's not too soon to start thinking about work-appropriate Halloween costume ideas for 2022. When it comes to dressing appropriately for work during the Halloween season, there are a number of factors to consider. Obviously, you probably shouldn't wear anything too revealing in an office setting. It's also important not to wear a costume that could offend your coworkers, customers, or clients. While you should do this when choosing any Halloween costume, it's even more important that you consider others' backgrounds, groups they belong to, and identities before picking a costume that you'll be wearing in a professional setting. In general, you should stay away from anything that may be deemed as cultural appropriation.

You also want to think about comfort: Try to pick a costume that you can still sit and work in. After all, you'll still need to get your job done, even though it's Halloween. Similarly, we would stay away from any costume that is too distracting to your coworkers. Fun can be had, of course, but you might want to rethink a giant inflatable dinosaur outfit that doesn't fit in your cubicle. In addition to these "don'ts," though, DO have fun! You can even dress up with other coworkers for a fun group costume. Here are 50 ideas for work-appropriate costumes to inspire you — including both store-bought and DIY costume options.