Last-minute Total Solar Eclipse Halloween Costume

Halloween is less than a week away, and I've got the perfect #easycostume sure to spark STELLAR conversation!

Total solar eclipse is a fun costume to do with a colleague like these educators or as a couple. (Shared with permission!)

You can pull a version of the total solar eclipse and/or the eclipse chaser costume off with things you probably already have on hand thanks to the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse.

Plus, it meets all the critical Halloween costume criteria:

• Clever #clevercostume

• Cheap #cheapcostume

• Timely #releventcostume

• Last-minute #fastcostume

• Conversational #funcostume

• Comfortable #comfycostume

• Car-friendly #travelcostume

• Adjustable based on temperature #warmcostume

Back in 2017 my pregnant friend was the star of her Halloween party in a solar eclipse costume while her husband's eclipse chaser get-up served as the perfect complement. (Shared with permission!)

Be sure to pick up my book (available with super fast shipping via Amazon Prime) for an easy accessory that can also help entertain young ones. Be sure to fill out the memory page in the back with your real total solar eclipse experience or your Halloween one. All eclipses are worth remembering!

Costume Parade in action at a Lincoln, Nebraska, elementary school! Shine bright!

Whether you pull it off as a pair or rock this stellar theme solo, please share it with us in the comments or over on Instagram at @SolarEclipseBook.

Solar Eclipse Costume Ideas for Couples

Total Solar Eclipse

One person is the Sun, the other is the Moon.

Sun :

• Cardboard cut out and painted like the Moon

• Or buy it online with speedy shipping

Moon:

• Cardboard cut out and painted like the Moon

• Or buy it online with speedy shipping!

Prop:

• Total Solar Eclipse: A Stellar Friendship Story book

Instructions:

Dress up as your respective stellar objects and stick close to one another! Holding the book in front of you will help people understand what you are. It's also great for a book-themed costume party or for a book parade. Together you SHINE!

Chasing Totality Costume

One person is a total solar eclipse and the other person is an eclipse chaser.

Eclipse :

• Black clothes

• A cardboard circle painted like the Moon

• Lanyard to hang Moon around your neck at correct distance to cover Sun (optional)

• Yellow or orange circle on the shirt slightly smaller than the Moon

• Yellow or white tutu (optional)

• Cut out stars (optional)

Eclipse chaser

• Solar viewers like these or these (required)

• Total Solar Eclipse: A Stellar Friendship Story book (optional)

• Hat (optional)

• Solar eclipse t-shirt (optional)

• Eclipse Road Atlas or map (optional)

Instructions:

The person being the eclipse wears the shirt with the Sun on it and hangs the Moon from a lanyard so it's the same height as Sun. Pin or tape optional stars on the rest of your clothes to look like the sky. Put on the optional tutu because it can represent the solar corona and also because tutus are always a good idea.

The person being the eclipse chaser dresses up with the eclipse accessories available and enthusiastically follows the eclipse around.

Total Eclipse of the Heart Costume

One person is the Sun, the other is the Moon. The Moon should be slightly larger than the Sun so when you stand in front of each other, you make a total solar eclipse.

Materials:

• 2 large cardboard circles with one slightly larger than the other

• Paint (Sun colors, Moon colors)

• Black Sharpie® (optional)

• Lanyard (optional)

• Mini speaker to play “Total Eclipse of the Heart” at opportune times, like when someone asks what you are and you dramatically eclipse (optional)

Instructions:

Cut out the cardboard circles. One will be the Sun and the other will be the Moon. You can decide how big you want them to be, but make the Moon is slightly larger than the Sun so it can fully eclipse it when you put them together.

Paint your Sun. Paint your Moon. If you want to get fancy, create a solar corona around the sun by gluing or stapling coffee filters or tulle all the way around the outside of it. The coffee filters or tulle should be visible behind Moon when Sun and Moon are stacked together.

After the Sun and Moon are dry, label them with the Sharpie so you don’t have to answer as many questions all night.

Short on time? Short on energy? Don't want to look like you tried too hard? Dress the smaller person in an orange or yellow t-shirt labeled Sun. Dress the bigger person in a gray or black t-shirt labeled Moon. Tell people you’re a solar eclipse and watch them roll their eyes while they secretly wish they were wearing a comfortable t-shirt instead of riding their inflatable horse (always a classic).

Going. going, gone! A minimal effort couples costume for eclipse fans who want to save their energy for the party games.

Solar Eclipse Costume Ideas for Individuals

Eclipse Chaser Costume

Materials:

• Solar viewers like these or these (required)

• Total Solar Eclipse: A Stellar Friendship Story book (optional)

• Hat (optional)

• Solar eclipse t-shirt (optional)

• Eclipse Road Atlas or map (optional)

You can be a solar eclipse chaser using a few simple props you probably already have on hand.

What's your go-to, last-minute Halloween costume for your kids or yourself?