Halloween is many things. For children, it’s a spooky night out in the neighborhood spent dressed up as their alter ego and an excuse for eating tons of goodies. For adults, it’s an even better justification to wear racy outfits for a night out in the town!
Much like everything else in life, Celebrities aren’t exempt here either, they celebrate Halloween too- Just like us. We all know and remember their extravagant costumes that take weeks, if not months to create and seeing their glamourous images plastered on magazine covers.
However, today we are going to take a trip down memory lane and remember the days when these celebrities didn’t have a “glam team” to dress them up for Halloween and had no more than a couple of dollars to their young names!
Read on and discover what costumes some of the biggest names in entertainment wore for Halloween long before fame and money found them!
1. Miley Cyrus
It’s not like Miley Cyrus needs a reason to dress up – the Disney star-turned Artist of the Year loves making a scene, and she loves doing it by constantly changing her image but let’s just take a moment to appreciate this adorable Halloween costume.
Born as Destiny Hope Cyrus, Miley wasn’t always the wild child she has become so known for after her breakthrough gig on Hannah Montana. The star was raised in a Christian home, and even attended church regularly! Perhaps that’s why she opted for a less out-of-the-box costume here than you’d expect from her today.
2. Ed Sheeran
Clowns can be terrifying. For some people, just the sight of a clown is enough to conjure up feelings of sheer terror. But really, who could be afraid of Ed Sheeran’s adorable costume in this photo? Just look at those chubby cheeks.
Around this time in his life, the powerhouse English singer, songwriter and record producer was singing in his local church choir and learning to play guitar in school. A few years later, he began writing his songs. Here, friends, you are witnessing the face of one of the most famous former clowns in the world. No need to be afraid.
3. Drake
Long before Aubrey Graham became Drizzy Drake, a hip hop icon and one of the best-selling artists of the 21st century, he was a star on the teen drama Degrassi: The Next Generation. Before that, he was playing minor league hockey in Toronto’s working-class west side. That wasn’t too long after this glorious photo of little Drizzy wearing a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles costume was taken on Halloween.
Judging from his red bandana, Drake was dressed up as Raphael. Raphael eventually develops a sibling rivalry with his older brother, Leonardo, in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. That’s particularly interesting considering Drake’s competitive nature as an artist. Throughout his career, Drake has taken the rap game by storm, as well as given his mentor, Lil Wayne, a run for his money. Rest assured, though, because Drizzy and Weezy are still pals to this day.
4. Olivia Wilde
Olivia Wilde is a woman of many trades. Also to her role as Dr. Remy “Thirteen” Hadley on the television series House, Wilde is a model, producer, director, and activist. Perhaps her double costume in this photo was a tell-tale sign of her ability to tackle multiple careers successfully.
The fearsome zombie-Wonder Woman hybrid is a testament to Wilde’s tough and adaptable character. Born as Olivia Jane Cockburn, Wilde changed her surname in high school to match that of Irish writer Oscar Wilde’s, in honor of her Irish ancestry and all the writers in her family. Surely, he’d be proud!
5. Ben Higgins
Look at that Chicago Bears pride! It isn’t anything particularly surprising for Ben Higgins to support Chicago sports teams. Anyone who watched season 11 of The Bachelor noticed Ben Higgins’s passion for the Chicago Cubs in baseball. It appears when it comes to Chicago teams, Higgins is no bandwagon.
No, Higgins himself is not from the Windy City. He was born and raised in Indiana. After college, he moved to Golden, Colorado to work as an account manager. So, it appears, the Christian heartthrob has never lived in the city either. But this photo makes clear his love for Chicago sports teams is rooted deep. Did you like this beloved bachelor’s childhood costume? Keep reading for more.
6. Martha Stewart
Before media mogul Martha Stewart became the goddess of all things domestic, she was a cute little kid who dressed up for Halloween with all her friends. Here she is clad in a Little Bo Peep costume. It’s a reminder that even the most powerful of people were once just children whose cheeks were just as pinch-worthy as the next tike’s.
Born in New Jersey to a middle-class family of Polish ancestry, Martha Stewart started her working career much like many other pre-teens: babysitting. Only she had the privilege of babysitting the children of several New York Yankees – not bad connections to have. When she entered her teens, Stewart began modeling as well. One of her clients was Chanel!
7. Taylor Swift
Have you ever spent weeks trying to conjure up the perfect Halloween costume, only to be met with confused expressions and bombarded with questions when the time comes to don the damn thing? Well, Taylor Swift knows exactly how you feel.
Back in 2015, the country-pop icon shared a throwback photo of her dressed as a Teletubby for Halloween. Now, by now most people are familiar with the chubby little creatures, but Tay was into the show before it was popular enough for her classmates to understand her costume. They mistook her for a “yellow pregnant alien.” Yikes!
8. Ariana Grande
Ariana Grande is a woman who started her career young, and it takes a brave person to walk onto the Broadway stage around the age of 15. Indeed, she doesn’t look even a tad bit afraid of her older half-brother Frankie Grande’s costume in this picture, does she? She appears more focused on doing the scaring herself.
Grande began her star-studded career in the world of acting, first on Broadway and later on Nickelodeon’s Victorious. Ever since the young age of 13, though, when she arrived in Los Angeles to act, she knew she wanted to go into music. She made that fact known to her managers, and the rest is history.
9. Kim Kardashian West
Kim Kardashian West has become arguably the most well-known figure of the century – seemingly an unstoppable pop-cultural force that epitomizes the idea of being famous for being famous. Perhaps fittingly, her birthday falls ten days before Halloween. If there’s anyone in the world who never needs an excuse to dress up, it’s her.
For her fourth-ever birthday, before her time as Paris Hilton’s stylist and friend, and long before having married eccentric rapper Kanye West, Kim dressed up as Minnie Mouse, and it was adorable. Remarkably, she still looks the way she does in the photo! Now, on to the next celeb.
10. Emma Roberts
This one is just too good to be true. The talented Emma Roberts has played many lead roles for a 27-year-old. Most recently, Roberts starred in four seasons of American Horror Story, FX’s successful horror anthology series. Perhaps she was preparing for her role from a very young age – look how cute she is in this witch costume.
Born in Rhinebeck, New York, not everyone knows that for Roberts, acting runs in the family. One of her grandfathers was an acting coach and two of her aunts – Lisa Roberts Gillian and Julia Roberts – are actresses. As a child, Emma spent a considerable amount of time on the sets of her Aunt Julia’s films. Heck of a mentor! Think this celebrity costume is cute? Keep reading.
11. The Jonas Brothers
These handsome young men would grow up to become the objects of millions of women’s desire. But in this photo, they were still just boys who would dress up on Halloween for a night of prowling for candy. “We did a Harvest Party at our church and the kids could dress up as a positive character,” their mother, Denise Jonas, said of this pic from Halloween in 1998.
“Joseph was Grandpa Grape from Veggie Tales,” she continued. “Nicholas was Blue from Blue’s Clues and Kevin, I created that costume out of the pieces, he was the game Operation.” The brothers grew up in a Christian home and famously wore purity rings at the start of their careers.
12. Jim Parsons
You could probably spot Jim Parsons here even if his name weren’t on the list. Parsons is best known for his role in successful CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory as Sheldon Cooper, a theoretical psychiatrist with social apathy who routinely disparages his friends and neighbor, much to their dismay and our delight. He has won awards for his performance on the show.
“My mother was so good at making Halloween an event,” The Big Bang Theory star has said. “You can tell the 3-year-old me is pleased. My sister just looks confused. Poor thing.” One thing is for sure – both of them are adorable!
13. Lauren Conrad
The multi-talented Lauren Conrad kick-started her career at age 18, after being cast in the famous reality show Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County. Later, she moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in fashion, eventually receiving her spinoff series The Hills. Some might say her decision to dress up as a witch at age eight was rather basic for a future fashionista.
Conrad didn’t quite excel in school. By the time she reached the sixth grade, she proved more formidable in right-brained thought, expressing her interest in the fashion industry. “We figured out along the way that she was an artist and her real love was fashion,” her father once said.
14. LeAnn Rimes
Born in Jackson, Mississippi and raised in Garland, Texas, country star LeAnn Rimes is truly a southern belle. Indeed, it was at her grandmother’s house in the Lone Star State that a three-year-old Rimes was dressed as a pumpkin at the time this photo was taken.
“I love celebrating any holiday and love dressing up for Halloween. It was instilled in me early on!” she has said. Rimes began showcasing her talent at age five when she performed at local talent shows. She began her career performing in a production of A Christmas Carol, in Dallas, and almost landed the lead in the Broadway production of Annie! She was touring nationally as an experienced singer. It was smooth sailing from there.
15. Amanda Bynes
Amanda Bynes is one of those child stars that made it big after her roles on the Nickelodeon series All That and, perhaps most famously, The Amanda Show. As she rose to prominence throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, she began starring in films as an adult as well.
At age nine, Amanda had dreams beyond show business – simple dreams. “I dressed up as a bride because I loved pretending to be a housewife,” she has said of this Halloween photo. The notion that famous people sometimes fantasize about being ordinary is a common one, and perhaps the talented Amanda Show star was simply channeling that sentiment. Not all actors felt the need to forget about the glamour on Halloween as kids. Keep reading to see what costumes other celebs mustered before they were famous.
16. Jewel
The thought of wearing a hand-me-down can be scary – even horrific – to a celebrity who can purchase thousand-dollar, unique Halloween costumes at their fingertips. But before you is a photo of a six-year-old Jewel Kilcher wearing exactly that.
“I’m the mouse,” the You Were Meant for Me singer pointed out in describing the photo. It was a costume from a local Anchorage, Alaska, production of The Nutcracker. “My parents found it in the closet, and, presto – instant Halloween costume!” What’s entirely certain is this mouse, seemingly posing in a boxing stance, doesn’t seem afraid of the giant cat towering over her in the least.
17. Jeff Probst
Felix the Cat or electronic music producer? If it weren’t for the “Felix the Cat” text emblazoned on his chest, the world – particularly younger generations – might never have known which costume Jeff Probst was trying to pull off in this photo taken at Wichita when he was three.
“My most vivid memory is how hot it got inside those masks as you ran from house to house getting as much candy as possible,” Survivor host Jeff Probst recalled of his early Halloweens. Spoken like a true game show host, Jeff! To Jeff, the best treat he could land at any given doorstep was a full-size candy bar, because what kid wants colored popcorn balls?
18. Nicole Scherzinger
A healthy competitive spirit is one of the ingredients in the stew of success, and Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger always had it in her. In this photo, a nine-year-old Scherzinger put together this stunning and incredibly unique outfit. “I loved dressing up as Carmen Miranda,” Scherzinger has said of the costume.
“The costume was such a production, especially the fruit on my head,” she continued. “But I always won every costume contest I entered in this!” By the time this photo was taken, the Hawaii-born Scherzinger had moved with her family to Louisville, Kentucky. Her family was of modest means, but her mother, whom she lived with after her parents split, gave her all she had to make sure she could follow her dreams.
19. Greg Grunberg
If life were a Mega Millions game, Greg Grunberg would be a jackpot winner. The actor grew up in Los Angeles, California and just happened to be best friends with insanely successful screenwriter and producer J.J. Abrams. Here the two are celebrating Halloween together in 1980.
“My favorite Halloween was dressing up as the Village People with my oldest and best friend,” the Heroes star said. “I still can’t figure out which member of the band he was trying to look like!” Greg Grunberg has appeared in several Abrams works, including Felicity and Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Grunberg has acted in several other films and series, and outside of acting, he helped build an Android and iPhone app!
20. Cheryl Burke
For Dancing with the Stars winner Cheryl Burke, dancing runs in the blood. They say you should dress for the job you want – not for the job you have – and Cheryl Burke was wearing dancer costumes for Halloween since she was as young as six-years-old! And what an adorable dancer she was
“I was a belly dancer that year for Halloween, it must have been the year that Aladdin was popular!” Burke said of the picture. Her favorite part of the costume, she said, was the snake bracelet curling up the top of her arm, because it made her feel “adult and glamorous.” Some would point out that being an adult isn’t always as glamorous as it sounds, but we all know the feeling of wanting to grow up. Did you like this costume? Check out the next one.
21. Ashanti
Teen singer-turned-actress Ashanti Shequoiya Douglas, commonly known just by her first name, blew up in the early 2000s as an R&B singer. Here she is at the age of seven, wearing a flapper costume for Halloween. The star has spoken about her love for Halloween as a child, and by the look on her face in this picture, it’s hard not to believe her.
“I would rush home from school and do my homework as quickly as possible so I could go trick-or-treating with my friends,” the Resident Evil: Extinction actress has recalled of her time during the spooky, candy-filled holiday. Most people can probably relate to!
22. David Cook
The second mouse on the list, American Idol star David Cook, is just the most adorable rodent in the world in the photo that was taken in Blue Springs, Mo. – if a rodent can be adorable, that is. “What can I possibly say that hasn’t already been said about another mouse that had to pee?” Cook joked of his three-year-old self’s pose in the picture.
Born in Houston, Texas, David Cook was a boy of all trades growing up. He performed musically since the second grade and received his first guitar at age 13, but he also played Baseball and excelled in science. Not everyone knows he also has a degree in graphic design!
23. Khloe Kardashian
You’d hardly recognize them, but here are two Kardashian sisters posing together during Halloween – one wearing a flapper costume and the other dressed as a ballerina. Little Khloe is the ballerina, but can you guess which Kardashian sister is on the left?
It’s Kim! OK, so Khloe looks a little confused in this photo, but the two look fabulous together, as always. Khloe and Kim, along with their sister Kourtney, have worked together on several fashion ventures and, beyond starring in the famous (or infamous) Keeping Up with the Kardashians, have also had a short-lived reality series called Dash Dolls.
24. Lindsay Lohan
Lindsay Lohan has embarked on quite the journey since her childhood as a Ford model. Lohan’s life is perhaps one of the closest followed of any modern celebrity, and she highly publicized personal life too often defined her career in the public eye. That said, it might be refreshing for some to see Lohan adorably dressed in a Princess Jasmine costume for Halloween!
After signing to Ford Modeling Agency as a child, probably not long after this not-so-spooky Halloween costume was taken, Lohan was cast on a soap opera called Another World at the age of 10. From there, she went on to star in a series of Disney Channel film and cemented her status as a teen idol, and now also as a successful businesswoman, singer and fashion designer.
25. Brooke Burns
Brooke Burns had her big break in 1998, portraying Jessie Owens on Baywatch. It’s amazing that such a supremely confident, successful actress, who is also a model and television personality, was so terrified as a child during Halloween! Just look at her here, standing right under her mother. Her scared expression in the photo could be confused with an angry one if it weren’t for her admission.
“I was glued to my mom,” the Hole in the Wall co-host said. “We were just doing the whole family thing!” It’s understandable for a two-year-old to want to be close to her mother, but it’s kind of hilarious to look back at. Keep reading, there are more celebrity costumes to see.
26. Maria Menounos
Now, this is a woman with more than a few skills under her belt. Maria Menounos is an actress, television host, and journalist – and, yes, she even dabbles in professional wrestling. Here she is dressed up as Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz for Halloween. She even has her very own, real-life Toto!
“Baby was my very first dog who was sick and dying at a pet store before I bought and rescued her,” she has said of the treat-eating fluff ball in the picture. Speaking of treats, it’s still a mystery how many Babies got when Menounos took her trick-or-treating.
27. Camilla Belle
Camilla Belle has always been close to her roots. Her mother is a Brazilian fashion designer. Belle grew up speaking Portuguese at home and spent entire seasons in Santos, Brazil – her mother’s hometown. She even attended a Catholic elementary school there and cultivated a taste for telenovelas. So it makes sense that she’d be wearing a gypsy costume from Brazil for Halloween at age six!
“My great aunt in Brazil made it for me. I used to fantasize about gypsies,” Belle said of the costume. Today, Belle is an actress, director, writer and producer. One of her most famous films is the attention-grabbing When a Stranger Calls.
28. Gigi & Bella Hadid
Gigi and Bella Hadid have recently emerged as some of the biggest names in pop culture, largely through their high-profile relationships with artists Zayn Malik and The Weeknd, respectively. In this photo, the stunning model sisters look almost like clones. They could have been twins. And look at their mother!
The two were born and raised in Los Angeles to Palestinian-American real estate developer Mohamed Hadid and former Dutch model Yolanda Hadid. Not everyone knows they claim descent, through their father, from Daher Al Omer, Prince of Nazareth and Sheik of Galilee! They have a brother, too, and he’s also a model.
29. Bethenny Frankel
Only Children are known for getting what they want – mainly because they don’t have anyone with whom to compete for their parents’ attention. But Bethenny Frankel’s childhood wasn’t easy. Born to a horse trainer who converted to Judaism to marry her Jewish mother, Frankel’s parents split when she was just four years old. A year later, she was photographed in this adorable Halloween costume.
You wouldn’t know her hardship based on her giant grin in this photo, but maybe that’s just because she was fulfilling a dream of hers. “Hawaii is one of my favorite places, and I wanted to be a Hula girl so much,” the reality star has said.
30. Jayma Mays
Known for playing Emma Pillsbury on the Fox hit series Glee, Jayma Mays doesn’t seem like the kind of woman to fear many things. But she does fear something that, frankly, many people fear: clowns. In this photo, she’s trapped in the body of the thing that terrifies her most! Poor thing.
“My mom made the costume, and my sister painted my face. I think this was the beginning of my fear of clowns,” Pillsbury has said of the photo. And who can blame her? She was only two years old. The largest looming question here, though, is why the red object in her lap is staring up at her. Yikes!