City Cast Chicago logo
Display Ad: Children play near Chicago's Cloud Gate. "Big plans. Coming right up." with pizza graphic on left; "Enjoy Illinois. Meet in the middle." on right.

The Best Chi Costumes

Posted on October 18, 2022   |   Updated on September 30, 2025
Sidney Madden

Sidney Madden

From top left to bottom right: A bird; The Bean; Chicago's Flag; a Malort bottle; an ironing board; Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Denis Rodman; 147 Bus

Chi-inspired Halloween costumes. (Jose M. Osorio / Tribune / Getty; Scott Olson / Getty; Tim Zielenbach / AFP / Getty; Jeff Haynes / AFP / Getty; Raymond Boyd / Getty; Fuzzy Gerdes / Flickr; Kelly Martin / Wikimedia Commons)

Need Halloween costume inspo? We’ve rounded up some Chicago-themed ideas for all types of people planning to dress up — from the uber crafty to the procrastinators.





Classic Costumes
The Bean
. Shiny, iconic, need we say more? Plus, uh, it’s kinda scary? At least the way I’ve seen it done.



Malort
. Dress as the city’s signature spirit with a pin, shirt, or DIY costume.



Group Costumes
Monty & Rose
. Paste on feathers, make a beak, and go as the lovebirds, or rent some creepy mascots. Tell friends to grab binoculars and go as birders.





“The Bear” cast. Throw on a blue apron, greasy shirt, and fake tatts. The look isn’t complete unless you and your crew bring Italian beef sammies.





‘90s Bulls. Find vintage jerseys, tracksuits, and a couple trophies to go as Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and Dennis Rodman. Maybe the short friend can go as GM Jerry Krause. (That would be me. I am the short friend.)





Moo & Oink. Speaking of mascot rentals, find a partner to be the cow to your pig, aka the faces of the local grocery store chain. Song and dance is required with this costume — as is emailing it to your fav newsletter writer.



Creative Costumes
Dibs
. Walk around with a folding chair or a traffic cone, and become the city's fav parking space–saving tradition.





Ghost bus/train. Dress up as your fav missing line or route.



Last-Minute Costumes
Mayor Lori Lightfoot with Modelo
. A baggy suit and a big ol’ case of beer is all that is needed for this costume.



Sad sports fan
. Dust off the jerseys and tees: It’s been a tough year for Chicago sports teams.



Chicago flag
. Got a white tee? Some light-wash jeans? Cut out four six-pointed red stars. Costume done *mic drop*



Have more ideas? Tell us, and we’ll share with the rest of you!

Share article

Hey Chicago

Stay connected to City Cast Chicago and get ready to join the local conversation.

Can't subscribe? Turn off your ad blocker and try again.
Advertisement image

The latest in Chicago

Neighborhood GuidesApril 23

Where to Read in Chicago

It’s National Library Week through April 25 — which is coincidentally Independent Bookstore Day! There’s an official crawl across Chicago...

A white building with pillars, on the street there are cars parked in front of it
Chicago, ExplainedApril 22

The End of an Era For Lincolnwood Town Center

Lincolnwood Town Center shuts down April 30 — depending who you ask. I went to the mall to check things out for myself.

Emmi Mack at Lincolnwood mall
Neighborhood GuidesApril 20

Celebrate 420 at These Chicago Dispensaries

It’s been a little over 6 years since recreational marijuana was legalized in Illinois. At the time, Gov. JB Pritzker called it the “most...

Three people standing in a room. In the back is art work. There are 4 paintings across, and 3 paintings down
Chicago, ExplainedApril 17

Take This Week's Chicago News Trivia Quiz

How closely were you paying attention to this week's current events? Test yourself in our weekly trivia quiz.

A security officer and his dog at a CTA Blue Line Station
3 Questions WithApril 14

3 Questions With Chicago’s Poet Laureate

It’s National Poetry Month, and while you can find a variety of workshops and open mics in April, poets call Chicago home all year round.

A woman smiling while sitting. There is a potted plant in the back
Chicago HistoryApril 8

Who’s Preserving Chicago Family History?

If you are like me, all your family history lives within multiple photo albums and VHS tapes stored in your parents’ living room cabinets.

Group of adults and children sit in a circle around an infant lying down in a home
Food & DrinkApril 6

New Spots To Dine & Drink in Chicago

Chicago has no shortage of good places to eat around town. Here are some of the bar, restaurant, and café openings we're watching.

Chef Jake Schneider of Schneider Deli
Food & DrinkMarch 30

Hot Chicken in Chicago

Chicago has plenty of its own famous sandwiches, but the Nashville hot chicken trend is still going strong across the city.

Woman holds hot chicken sandwich in front of pink wall featuring large painted illustration of a chicken