If the perfect Halloween costume idea is evading you, never fear: Chicago is here to inspire.

We’ve got a list of 22 costumes you can put together yourself on the cheap — inflation’s no laughing matter, even for the spookily inclined. And in a city like this, there are endless options that also pay tribute to Chicago culture, heroes, animals and icons.

There are ideas for single costumes, as well as for groups, couples and families. Some will require a little forethought, as a couple of accessories can really perfect an otherwise easily assembled costume.

Choose wisely, celebrate safely, and have a happy, scary, super Halloween.

Ferris and friends at the Art Institute of Chicago in “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.” (www.ferrisfest.com / Handout)

Perfectly aligned with the late ’80s and ’90s looks trending in fashion right now, a riff on this Chicago-set film could also work as a group costume if you’ve got a couple more Matthew Broderick fans around. Hit the thrift stores for a boxy sweater vest and high-waisted pants, plus a sporty beige jacket, then get ready to be haunted all night by calls of, “Bueller? Bueller?”

Tourists crowd around Anish Kapoor's Cloud Gate, otherwise known as The Bean, in Millennium Park Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2015. (Michael Tercha / Chicago Tribune)

She’s curvy, she sparkles, and everyone wants a selfie with her. While you might not be able to design a Bean costume on the level of Cookie Gluck’s 2016 version, you do have a few different options. There are full-body costumes shaped like avocados which you could affix shiny material to, or you could buy pillowy Santa Claus tummy padding (or take advantage of a well-timed pregnancy) and wear a metallic silver bodysuit, romper or other outfit with accessories like shiny tights, gloves and silver face makeup.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Idris Lockett, age 4, who dressed as her for Halloween, met at Chicago's City Hall for lunch Monday, Nov. 4, 2019. (City of Chicago / HANDOUT)

This one is best left to the adorable kids, in our opinion. But boy do they pull it off. Grab a teeny tiny pantsuit and some gray hair spray, and they’ll be enacting no-bedtime ordinances before you know it.

Paintings by Bill Sianis adorn the new private party space in the Billy Goat tavern Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2018, in Chicago. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune)

The legendary bleat machine whose ouster from Wrigley Field led to a curse on the Chicago Cubs that would last for 71 years is a great costume choice for a creative Cubs fan. There are a few particularly adorable mountain goat costumes for kids out there, in case parents want to dress as their favorite Cubs players, but for a DIY approach, you’ll want to put most of your effort into the horns and ears, which can be constructed with toilet paper tubes, cardboard, felt wrapped around headbands or other easily acquired materials. Dress in goat-friendly hues (grab a fuzzy vest from the thrift store for extra oomph), and finish it off with black mittens and dark shoes.

Garbage and debris collect next to a dock along the South Fork of the Chicago River, also known as "Bubbly Creek," August 26, 2015. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune)

Who doesn’t love a costume that doubles as a statement on the dangers of pollution? While the south fork of the Chicago River’s South Branch doesn’t really bubble anymore, Chicagoans will surely appreciate the ode to its more odious history. But how to personify a river rank with Stock Yards refuse? Grab a swamp monster costume and glue pieces of trash to it, or for an Old Gregg-esque look, get fake greenery from a craft or dollar store and fashion it into a wig, along with dingy green clothes accessorized with more greenery and netting. This one might take a little explaining, but it’s sure to make an impression.

Garbed as Catherine and Patrick O'Leary, John Baldwin and Charles O'Connell beat a fast retreat from a burning shed during a re-enactment on Oct. 9, 1958, of the De Koven Street blaze that started Chicago's Great Fire of 1871. (Dante Mascione / Chicago Tribune)

There are tons of ways to DIY this one. Wear a red bodysuit with an orange tutu or fiery wig to represent flames; affix strips of orange, gold and red fabric to a top; friends could join you as Mrs. O’Leary and her pesky cow for a group look.

"Ironheart" (MARVEL COMICS/Europa Press)

Not only is “Ironheart” comic book writer Eve Ewing a Chicago icon in her own right, but a new Disney+ series centered on teenage genius Riri Williams has been filming in Chicago ahead of an expected debut late next year. For something simple, find a red cropped tank and attach a white circle or small tap light in the middle (there are also light-up versions of reactors on sites like Etsy), and pair with black pants and an Iron-Man helmet for an early “Ironheart” cover look. If you want to put together a full suit, downloadable templates make it possible to build one cheaply out of foam.

Scott Duncan poses for a portrait dressed as the building formerly known as the John Hancock Center during the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat’s 50th Anniversary Congress Dinner at the Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel Wednesday Oct. 30, 2019 in Chicago. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tri / Chicago Tribune)

While you’ll have to get creative to pull this one off, a group of architects pulled out all the stops in 2019 for re-creations of the Hancock Center, the Aqua Tower and other famous buildings, and we’re certain you can too. If you’ve got a 3D printer, creating a tower mask should be a breeze, or you can make a version out of cardboard boxes and acrylic paint. To finish off the look, get some tape that will adhere to clothing and trace out a simple outline of the building down the rest of your outfit.

This image released by the Library of Congress shows Heath Ledger, left, and Christian Bale in a scene from the 2008 film "The Dark Knight." (AP)

The great thing about dressing like The Batman is such an enduring, well-known character has spawned plenty of affordable costume options. This step-by-step YouTube tutorial from a crafty teen uses craft foam, a heat gun, sweatpants and a shirt to create an impressive DIY version that’s simple and effective. Bonus points if you skulk around Lower Wacker Drive asking if anyone’s seen the Batmobile.

Professional alligator trapper Frank Robb of Florida displays the alligator that eluded capture for a week in the Humboldt Park lagoon. A press conference was held near the park's boathouse in Chicago on July 16, 2019. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)

It was a quaint, pre-pandemic moment that united the city, with round-the-clock coverage of an alligator that avoided capture for a week while living it up in the Humboldt Park lagoon. Dubbed Chance the Snapper by thousands of Block Club Chicago readers, the elusive gator was eventually caught and sent off to a life of luxury, spawning countless artistic tributes, gator merch and, hey, Halloween costumes. Sure, you won’t be the most cutting-edge Chicago nod, but with the right crowd, this will get the nostalgia going.

The former Morton Salt packaging and warehouse facility Friday, Jan. 5, 2018, in Chicago. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune)

While the Salt Shed is now filled with sweet tunes instead of salt, our city’s favorite umbrella-slinging kid is still a fun costume for both children and adults. Once the requisite umbrella is acquired (ideally dark blue or lavender), you’ll just need a short yellow dress (if you strike out at the thrift store, try secondhand clothing sites like eBay, Poshmark, Mercari or ThredUp), and Mary Janes or other flat shoe. To finish it off, stop by the grocery store for the largest Morton Salt container you can find — if you’re planning to indulge on Halloween, you could also print out an image of the label and wrap it around your beverage container of choice for the night.

Field Museum head of geological collections Bill Simpson puts on a cast of the bone that was removed from Sue the T. Rex dinosaur, Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019 at the Field Museum. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)

Perhaps the oldest famous Chicagoan around, Sue the T. rex has been on display at the Field Museum since 2000. She’s about 67 million years old, and she still looks great. An inflatable T. rex costume — the meme personified — is an easy option, but DIY options abound online. Zygote Brown Designs sells downloadable templates for impressive masks made from cardboard, or you can opt for a simpler skeletal look with some basic supplies.

Portillo's new plant-based garden dog topped with mustard, relish, chopped onions, tomatoes, celery salt, pickle spear, and sport peppers on a poppy seed bun on Monday, May 16, 2022 in Chicago. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)

Nothing gets between Chicagoans, their hot dogs and a good squirt of mustard. Your costume can inspire cries of adoration and fervent debates over ketchup over the course of a lively night. Unfortunately, this writer’s extensive searching yielded just one ready-made hot dog costume that features all the Chicago toppings. But one DIY blogger has worked out simple ways to craft both outfits, using a yellow dress and a pie tin fascinator for her bottle of mustard look and a felt-constructed hot dog attached to her baby’s onesie for a cute, easy pairing (If you want to be the hot dog, you could always grab this Portillo’s swaddle for a small fry side dish). If you’ve got a group, each person could dress as an individual ingredient. The options, just like the number of great hot dogs in this city, are endless.

Former President Barack Obama (R) and First Lady Michelle Obama (L) hand out treats to local children and military families for Halloween on October 31, 2010, at the White House in Washington, D.C. (TIM SLOAN / AFP/Getty Images)

Famously fans of Halloween costumes — and tiny impersonators — the Obamas would surely welcome a tribute from the city they long called home. Get artistic and re-create the “Hope” poster from Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential run, or pair up for looks inspired by the Kehinde Wiley and Amy Sherald paintings unveiled in 2018. For Barack, you’ll need a sharply tailored dark suit, and a large cardboard background decorated with fake vines to really pull it off. If you’re handy with a sewing machine, you could make a dress like one 3-year-old Parker Curry wore to great Internet applause in 2018, or try hot gluing strips of felt or other fabric scraps on a white halter dress in a pattern like the original dress for a less durable rendition.

Jim Belushi, left and Dan Aykroyd on stage at Blues Brothers Con at the Old Joliet Prison in Joliet, on Friday, Aug. 19, 2022. (Vincent D. Johnson / Chicago Tribune)

Shake a tail feather and don your Ray-Bans for a Chicago-inspired classic just as recognizable as it is adaptable. The “Saturday Night Live” characters made legendary by Dan Aykroyd and the late John Belushi went on to become a real, world-touring band, featuring in movies, tributes and a stage musical. You’ll need black suits, skinny ties and fedoras — a costume that can be endlessly repurposed to portray “Men in Black” characters, Secret Service agents or (if you swap in a bow tie) James Bond during Halloweens to come. But this time around, don’t forget the harmonicas and crazy dance moves.

From left: Liza Colon-Zayas, Jeremy Allen White (center), Lionel Boyce and Ebon Moss-Bachrach on "The Bear." (Frank Ockenfels / FX)

White T-shirts, blue aprons, and a gruff call of, “Yes, chef!” are all you and a few friends need for a group costume inspired by the TV show inspired by a Chicago Italian beef shop. If you really want to commit, add some fake arm tattoos, bring some of these Italian beef sandwiches to the party (maybe not dipped, just for longevity’s sake), or tote around a few pans and spatulas. A couple of you should be prepared to shout, “Cousin!” in increasingly loud intervals throughout the night.

The Art Institute lions sit near the front steps of the museum’s Michigan Avenue entrance after being reinstalled Tuesday July 19, 2022 in Chicago. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)

Created in 1893 to stand guard outside The Art Institute, the museum’s two lions would make for a purrfect costume this Halloween. There are lots of DIY lion costumes out there — and easily acquired accessories like a lion’s mane headband or attachable tail — but what will really sell this look is dyeing it all to match the bronze statues’ green-blue patina. Make sure to get dye that will work with the type of fabric you use, and matching ferocious face paint.

A system map as a train arrives at the Bryn Mawr CTA Red Line "L" station, Dec. 11, 2018. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune / Chicago Tribune)

Everyone pick a color — Red, Pink, Orange, Green, Blue, Purple, Yellow and Brown — and dress in it from head to toe. Or, wear train-metal gray with tank tops or sunglasses in your assigned colors, with face paint mimicking the front of CTA trains.

For bonus points, play audio of CTA announcer Lee Crooks on your phones or portable speakers every time you enter a room.

Millionaire bootlegging lawyer, George Remus, center, and his Attorney Harry N. Pritzker, circa June 27, 1928. Remus was one of the biggest dealers in illegal whiskey in the United States. Remus was fighting a murder charge because he killed his wife, Imogene Remus, in 1927 after he was released from prison. While Remus had been in prison, Imogene stole all of Remus’ money, hired a hit man to kill him, and ran off with an undercover Prohibition agent. (Chicago Tribune historical photo / Chicago Tribune)

So you don your sleekest suit. And then you slip a few bottles into your jacket, like so. Offer people shots of your bootleg whiskey and you’ll be a crowd favorite in no time.

The Rockford Peaches are one of the teams in the newly formed All-American Girls Professional Baseball League in "A League of Their Own." (Anne Marie Fox/Prime Video / TNS)

Not only are the real-life Rockford Peaches enduring icons in their own right, but a new Amazon Prime series starring Abbi Jacobson of “Broad City” and not-a-girl “The Good Place” alum D’Arcy Carden gives you even more reason to don one of baseball’s most iconic uniforms.

DIY versions of the uniform can range from belting a pink dress to thrifting a pink skirt to pair with a similarly hued collared shirt or T-shirt — you can find inexpensive iron-on patches or T-shirt jerseys on sites like Etsy. Add a red baseball cap and matching knee-high socks, and your costume will be a grand slam.

Chris Farley as Todd O’Connor, Robert Smigel as Carl Wollarski, Mike Myers as Pat Arnold, George Wendt as Bob Swerski during the “Bill Swerski’s Super Fans” skit on May 18, 1991. (NBC / NBC via Getty Images / Getty Images)

What would be a lazy excuse for a costume for any other team is actually a clever wink toward another iconic “Saturday Night Live” skit here in Chicago.

If you’re already a Bears fan, you probably have most of what you need already in your closet: a team jersey and baseball cap, some sunglasses, and maybe a pillow to stuff under your jersey to compensate for all those Italian beefs and Chicago-style hot dogs you have left to chow down on during future games.

What’ll really sell this costume: A fake (or real) mustache and a perfect Chicago accent.

Cult classic “Mean Girls” (screenplay by Tina Fey) follows the life of Cady as she transfers to a new high school and attempts to fit into a group of popular girls, The Plastics. (Paramount Pictures)

If you’re, like, really pretty, this is the perfect costume for you (So you agree? You think you’re really pretty?). This works best for either three Plastics or the trio plus Cady. There is some flexibility in which outfits you don — all-pink looks featuring mini skirts and heels will probably be the most recognizable, but with the right attitude and conspiratorial smirks, you’ll be giving Mean Girl in no time.

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