Lock, Shock, and Barrel Costume
Bring Halloween Town's favorite trio of trick-or-treaters to life.
Lock, Shock, and Barrel are the iconic, mischievous trick-or-treaters from Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas. Perfect for trios, these costumes are instantly recognizable by their distinct color palettes (red, purple, and skeleton bones) and signature creepy masks. This guide covers how to assemble all three looks using simple garments and key accessories.
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Time
- ~45 min
- Budget
- $40–120
Try it on
See yourself as Lock, Shock, and Barrel
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What you need for a Lock, Shock, and Barrel costume
Short on time? Buy it ready-made
Spirit Halloween sells the complete Lock, Shock, and Barrel costume — one box instead of 6 pieces.
Lock's Red Devil Suit
A long-sleeve red turtleneck shirt and matching red trousers to form Lock's base outfit.
DIY: Use a plain red long-sleeve shirt and red sweatpants.
Lock's Devil Mask and Tail
A pointed red devil tail attached to the pants and a long, narrow red devil mask with pointed ears.
DIY: Cut the mask shape out of sturdy red cardstock or foam and attach an elastic band.
Shock's Purple Witch Dress
A long-sleeve, high-collared purple dress with a jagged, frayed hemline.
DIY: Take an oversized purple long-sleeve shirt or dress and cut jagged triangles along the bottom hem.
Shock's Witch Hat and Mask
A tall, crooked black or dark purple witch hat paired with an elongated, pale green witch mask.
DIY: Craft the elongated green mask from painted cardboard and add a standard black witch hat.
Barrel's Skeleton Suit
A black long-sleeve shirt and black pants painted with simple, thick white skeleton bones.
DIY: Use fabric paint or white felt cutouts to apply simple ribcage and limb bones onto a black sweat suit.
Barrel's Ghoul Mask
A round, skeletal white mask with a wide, toothy grin and hollow eyes.
DIY: Paint a round paper plate white, cut out circular eye holes, and draw a wide stitch-like grin with a black marker.
Rather not assemble it? See ready-made Lock, Shock, and Barrel costumes at Spirit Halloween ↗
How to put it together
- 1
Select which of the three characters you are portraying, or coordinate with two friends to complete the trio.
- 2
For Lock: Put on the red turtleneck and pants, pin the red devil tail to the back of the waistband, and slip on the pointed red mask.
- 3
For Shock: Put on the purple dress, don the tall crooked witch hat, and secure the elongated green mask over your face.
- 4
For Barrel: Put on the black skeleton-printed top and pants, and wear the round, smiling skeleton mask.
- 5
Have all three characters wear simple black shoes or boots to keep the focus on the colorful outfits.
- 6
Carry a plastic trick-or-treat bucket or a burlap sack labeled 'Sandy Claws' as a group prop.
Makeup & hair
Since all three characters wear full-face masks, hair can be tucked away under the masks or hats. If going maskless, use temporary hair color spray (dark cowlicks for Lock, messy blue-green strands for Shock, and slicked-back green hair for Barrel) paired with pale face paint.
Lock, Shock, and Barrel for couples, groups, kids & more
- couples
- Pair any two of the trio, or pair one with an Oogie Boogie costume.
- group
- The ultimate three-person group costume; add an Oogie Boogie or Jack Skellington for larger groups.
- kids
- Highly popular for siblings or trios of friends due to the comfortable, pajama-like base layers.
- Plus size
- The loose-fitting nature of Shock's dress and Barrel's sweat suit makes them highly adaptable and comfortable.
- pet
- Dress a small dog in a red devil hoodie to act as Lock alongside you.
Tips
- Ensure the eye holes on the masks are cut wide enough for safe visibility, especially when walking outdoors at night.
- Wear comfortable layers underneath the costumes, as the base garments are simple and easy to layer over thermals.
- Carry a walking stick or a large burlap sack to stay in character and hold your belongings.
Lock, Shock, and Barrel costume FAQ
- Do I need to buy the official masks?
- While official licensed masks look great, you can easily make DIY versions using painted cardboard, foam sheets, or paper plates.
- What are the key colors for each character?
- Lock is solid red, Shock is deep purple with a pale green mask, and Barrel is black and white skeleton print.
- Is this costume suitable for cold weather?
- Yes, because the base outfits are long-sleeved shirts, pants, and dresses, you can easily wear warm layers underneath.
Did you know? Despite working together, Lock, Shock, and Barrel are incredibly competitive and constantly play tricks on one another when Oogie Boogie isn't watching.