Best "Anything But Clothes" Party Outfits & Materials to Use

Anything But Clothes Party Costume Ideas

Garbage bags For the simplest outfit, just cut a head hole in the bottom and arm holes on the sides of your garbage bag. Then, just slip it over your head and wear it for the rest of the night. Tie a rope or belt around your waist if you want to give your garbage bag dress a more feminine shape. Alternatively, if your garbage bag has drawstrings, use one as the neck strap for the dress. Then, cut a slit in the bottom of the bag to fit your legs through.

Bedsheets Take an extra set of bedsheets you have at home and turn it into a stunning outfit. For an easy college party look, tie the sheet into a toga and safety pin it in place. If you want to go even simpler, just toss the sheet over your head for a classic sheet ghost costume. If you have a large pillowcase you aren’t using, cut holes in it for your head and arms so you can slip it on like a dress.

Shower curtain Shower curtains usually have a fun pattern or design printed on them, so they make a great alternative to real clothes. Just wrap the curtain around you, and use shower rings or hooks to secure the garment in place. You could even use a clear shower liner to add a transparent layer to your outfit. Put on a shower cap or carry around a rubber duck to add to the shower aesthetic.

Toilet paper Wrap the toilet paper around your body to shape it into a shirt, shorts, dress, or any other garment. Tie or tape the pieces together, and don’t be afraid to leave some of the ends hanging loosely. Just make sure not to spill anything on your toilet paper clothes, or else they’ll break apart. Want an easy last-minute idea? Just wrap the toilet paper around you multiple times to make a simple mummy costume. Save the cardboard toilet paper tubes for your outfit. They work great for adding more dimension to your outfit and changing up the color and texture.

Aluminum foil For a simple reflective outfit, wrap some sheets of aluminum foil around yourself and tape the ends together. Layer multiple pieces to make a shirt, sleeves, pants, and a fun foil hat. Alternatively, crumple or fold the foil into different shapes to change the silhouette of your outfit. Opt for heavy-duty foil that’s less likely to rip or tear while you’re wearing it.

Newspapers Grab some extra newspapers and fold the pieces to form the base of your outfit. Tape or glue other pieces together until you’re completely covered up. Try to use the same section of the newspaper to give your outfit more of a theme. For example, if you’re athletic, you may use pages from the sports section of the paper.

Towel If you want a really simple look that doesn’t take a lot of effort, wrap a clean towel around your body to make it look like you just got done taking a bath or shower. Just be sure to use a clothes pin to hold the towel closed so it doesn’t fall off while you’re partying.

Shopping bags If you have old paper or plastic bags from recent shopping trips, reuse them for your ABC party outfit. You either cut the bottom off of a large bag and use the handles as straps to wear it as a dress. Otherwise, cut and layer multiple bags to add some more dimension to your outfit.

Duct tape Duct tape is a perfect tool for making an outfit, and many people have even made homecoming and prom outfits with it. Layer the pieces of tape to make panels of “fabric” that you can tape or tie together. Shape the tape into a shirt, suit, pants, dress, or whatever else you can imagine. Make sure to cover any exposed sticky sections of the tape so it doesn’t get stuck to your skin. Otherwise, it might be painful to peel off and remove. Use different colors of duct tape to add stripes and accents to your outfit.

Shower loofahs Collect a bunch of loofahs, and either glue or tie them together into a big cluster. Use the same color if you want to look like a single giant loofah, or use different colors and styles to give your outfit a bigger pop of color.

Cardboard boxes If you have a large enough box, just cut a hole on one side for your head, and wear it as a big boxy outfit. Otherwise, cut out different panels of cardboard and tape them together into the shape of a normal garment. Many times, you can bend cardboard to fit the curves of your body for a better fit. Experiment with different boxes. For example, if you want to have more pops of color, try using cereal boxes to make your outfit.

Beer boxes Beer boxes will really fit a college party aesthetic if you’re over the legal drinking age. Flatten the boxes and cut out the pieces so you can rearrange them into the shape of a shirt, vest, pants, or dress. Arrange the logos so they’re visible and a prominent part of your outfit.

Table cloth If you don’t want to spend a lot of time on your outfit, take an old tablecloth and just tie it around your body into a toga or dress. Alternatively, if you don’t plan on using the tablecloth anymore, just cut a hole in the middle for your head and wear it like a poncho. If you want a cheap alternative, get a disposable tablecloth. These usually have a fun pattern that helps your outfit look party-ready.

Wrapping paper If you want to look like a gift for everyone at the party, repurpose an old gift bag or some festive wrapping paper. Use a mix of wrapping paper, tissue paper, ribbons, and bows to pull your outfit together. Just make sure that no one tries to unwrap you during the party!

Bubble wrap Just wrap your body in a few layers of bubble wraps for a really unique look. Try out a mix of larger bubbles and smaller bubbles to make your outfit more interesting to look at. Plus, whenever you’re bored at the party, you already have some bubble wrap to pop to help pass the time. Bubble wrap can be pretty transparent, so make sure you put on multiple layers or wear something underneath to keep you covered.

Playing cards If you want to look like you fit right in at a game night, layer and glue playing cards together. The faces of the cards give your outfit a unique look, or display the backs of the cards to make a stylish pattern.

Twister mat If you want to show off your goofy side, take an old Twister mat and cut it into the shape of a vest or shirt, or wrap it around your lower half like a dress. Don’t forget to incorporate the spinner somewhere in your outfit for a fun, interactive costume.

Tinsel If you want a festive design for any holiday or party, then wrapping pieces of tinsel around your body is the perfect option. Tinsel will make you sparkle and shine throughout the night that will definitely draw some attention.

Puzzle pieces You can either use clusters of large jigsaw puzzle pieces or sheets of smaller pieces that are glued together. You’ll probably need to use multiple puzzles to put together a complete outfit, so choose designs that have complementary colors so you look your best.

Trash can Choose a large plastic garbage can and simply cut off the bottom. Use rope or duct tape as suspender straps to keep the garbage can from falling off. Then, you can use the lid as a large hat! Stuff the top of the trash can with garbage bags filled with crumpled paper and other fake garbage to really make the outfit come alive.

Rubber gloves Layer multiple gloves so the fingers hang down loosely and create a layered frill on your outfit. Shape the gloves into a shirt, pants, dress, or whatever garment you can imagine.

Fake leaves and vines If you want a green and natural aesthetic without actually getting dirty, then glue fake leaves together to cover up your body. Tie all the pieces together with your fake vines and add a view extras to the outside of your outfit to really show off a tropical jungle look. Don’t be afraid to incorporate some artificial flowers as well to add pops of color to your outfit.

Caution tape All you have to do is wrap the caution tape around your body and keep layering it until you’re completely covered. Make sure the words on the caution tape are visible for the full effect.

Feathers Glue multiple feathers to a layer of fabric or stick them to a piece of tape to start the base of your outfit. Make multiple strips and layer them to fit around your body. Either choose a single color for a unified look or go for a ton of colors if you want to look like a rainbow.

Pool floats If you have a large pool float, then don’t blow it up and try wrapping it around your body as it is. Alternatively, choose some smaller floaties and inner tubes to inflate and wear for a fun, beach-inspired aesthetic. Alternatively, leave the pool floats uninflated so they hang loosely like a dress or skirt.

Coffee filters Coffee filters already look like frilly fabric, so they’re the perfect alternative for clothes during an ABC party. Just crumple up a few and glue them together to make garments with a fun textured pattern.

Plastic cups Red party cups aren’t just for drinks when you can craft them into an outfit. Cut the cups in half and layer the pieces to make some party cup armor, or stack and glue them in a random arrangement to make a shirt or dress that’ll stand out in the crowd. Cut the bottom off of a cup and slide it onto your arm for homemade bracelets.

Paint color swatches Head over to your local hardware store and take a few handfuls of the paint sampler swatches. Tape or glue the swatches together so you have a multicolored outfit that’s sure to stun other partygoers.

Candy wrappers If you have a sweet tooth, save up a ton of wrappers from your favorite candy and flatten them out. Tape or glue the wrappers together in the shape of a shirt, shorts, or a dress that’s bound to grab someone’s attention at the ABC party. Wrappers for hard candies like Skittles or M&Ms work best so they don’t have any sticky residue on them.

Comic books If you have old comics that you’re not reading anymore, clip out some of the pages and tape them together. Shape the pages into a garment like a vest, shirt, shorts, or a dress to have an outfit that shows off your favorite panels.

Balloons Blow up a ton of balloons and tape them together into a large cluster that covers your whole body. Alternatively, tie together longer balloons and contort them to fit around your body to make a balloon shirt. Use a cluster of round balloons as bottoms or a dress. Just be careful where you walk so you don’t bump into anything and pop your outfit.

Costume Considerations

Keep these tips in mind as you choose and construct your party outfit. Making a crazy cool outfit is the most important part of going to an ABC party, but here are a few things to consider while you're planning your look: Go for a mix of style and comfort. A bathrobe or towel is comfy, but isn't very creative. On the other hand, a comic book dress is super cool, but might be uncomfortable all night. Try to find something both interesting and comfy to wear for a few hours. Wear layers. Wear multiple layers of your material, or wear some fitted clothing underneath. This will keep you warm and keep you covered in case your costume starts falling apart. Try not to overthink it. ABC parties are all about fun! Once you make an outfit, stop stressing over the look and enjoy yourself.

Anything But Clothes Party Rules

Wear anything that isn’t a standard piece of clothing. If you’re invited to an ABC party, then the rules are simply no clothes! That means no shirts, pants, shorts, dresses, or anything that you’d get at a clothing store. Instead, see what household materials you can turn into clothing so everyone has a unique and creative outfit for the night. Some people say that an Anything But Clothes party also means no shoes or undergarments, but that may make some guests uncomfortable. If it makes you feel more comfortable, then it’s okay to wear some undergarments underneath your actual costume.

How to Host an Anything But Clothes Party

Send out invites to your guests. As soon as you decide to throw an Anything But Clothes party, come up with a list of guests that you think will follow the theme. Create an event online or use a party-planning app like Partiful to send the invites out to your guest list. Send out your invites a few weeks before the party so your guests have time to plan and make their outfit so they don’t have to do it last-minute.

Note the party rules for the event. Make sure to let your guests know that standard clothes are not allowed for the party and that they need to come up with a more creative outfit. Give them images or a mood board for the party so your guests get an idea of what outfits are acceptable. You may also want to provide house rules for guests if you’re hosting at your place. You can tell them what areas are off-limits to the party or tell people that uninvited guests are not allowed.

Provide food, drinks, and games for your guests. Put out a few snacks, like chips, cheese and crackers, popcorn, or any other finger foods you think your guests will enjoy. Keep your fridge stocked up with multiple drink options as well, like waters, sodas, and alcohol (if your guests are over the legal drinking age). Alternatively, you can ask guests to BYOB (bring your own beverages) so you don’t have to pay for everyone’s drinks. Classic party games like beer pong, King’s Cup, and Flip Cup are all great options for college parties.

Give your guests open space to mingle and dance. Clear out some room wherever you’re hosting the party so people can walk around and talk with each other. Give people a dedicated area to dance along to some upbeat music as well to keep the party moving throughout the night. Open space will be helpful for people wearing bulky costumes or delicate materials that could rip or tear easily.