Phone Costume
Dial up the fun with a clever, customizable smartphone costume.
A smartphone costume is a playful, highly customizable choice for Halloween or tech-themed parties. Perfect for all ages, this look typically features a wearable sandwich board or tunic designed to look like a mobile screen filled with colorful app icons. It is a great conversation starter that lets you showcase your favorite apps or personalized notifications.
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Time
- ~45 min
- Budget
- $15–50
Try it on
See yourself as Phone
One clear photo of yourself; we render you in this costume — face untouched, full body, about 20 seconds.
One render, $1. No account needed — if it fails you're not charged. Pricing.
Your photo is sent to Google's Gemini API to make the render and isn't used for training. Renders are AI-generated and labelled.
Want a different costume on this photo, or a whole group in costume? Open the Try-On Studio.
What you need for a Phone costume
Short on time? Buy it ready-made
Spirit Halloween sells the complete Phone costume — one box instead of 5 pieces.
Black foam board or poster board
Two large, rigid rectangular sheets to serve as the front and back of the phone body.
DIY: Cut open and flatten a large cardboard box, then paint it solid black.
Printed app icons
Color printouts of popular app logos or custom designs, cut into squares with rounded corners.
DIY: Draw and color your own app icons on white paper using markers.
Black ribbon or straps
Wide black ribbon or webbing to connect the front and back boards over your shoulders.
DIY: Use strips of black duct tape folded in half so they are no longer sticky.
Silver metallic marker
A broad-tip metallic marker to draw the phone's outer bezel, speaker, and home button.
DIY: Use silver acrylic paint and a small paintbrush.
Black base clothing
A solid black long-sleeve t-shirt and black pants or leggings to keep the focus on the phone screen.
DIY: Use any dark, solid-colored clothing from your closet.
Rather not assemble it? See ready-made Phone costumes at Spirit Halloween ↗
How to put it together
- 1
Put on the solid black long-sleeve shirt and black pants to create a neutral background.
- 2
Cut two identical large rectangles out of the black foam board, ensuring they are wide enough to cover your torso but narrow enough to let your arms move freely.
- 3
Arrange your printed app icons in a neat grid on the front board, leaving a 2-inch gap at the top and bottom.
- 4
Glue or stick the app icons down securely once you are happy with the layout.
- 5
Use the silver metallic marker to draw a status bar at the top (including a battery icon, Wi-Fi symbol, and time) and a circular home button at the bottom.
- 6
Measure and cut two equal lengths of black ribbon to act as shoulder straps, then tape or glue them securely to the inside tops of both the front and back boards to create a sandwich board.
- 7
Slip the shoulder straps over your head so the phone screen rests comfortably on your chest.
Makeup & hair
Keep your hair neat and simple. For a playful touch, you can wear a headband featuring a cutout of a Wi-Fi signal or a low-battery icon.
Phone for couples, groups, kids & more
- couples
- One person goes as a smartphone, and the other goes as a Wi-Fi router or a charging cable.
- group
- A group can dress as different apps (like Instagram, TikTok, and Spotify) or a family of retro flip phones.
- kids
- Use smaller poster boards scaled to a child's height, featuring kid-friendly educational or gaming apps.
- Plus size
- The sandwich board style is highly adjustable; simply use longer shoulder ribbons to ensure a comfortable fit.
- pet
- Create a lightweight felt smartphone harness that sits comfortably on your dog's back.
Tips
- Keep the boards narrow enough so you can easily swing your arms and sit down if needed.
- Use lightweight foam core instead of heavy cardboard to keep the costume comfortable for long wear.
- Customize the app icons with inside jokes, personalized notifications, or your favorite hobbies to make the costume a great icebreaker.
Phone costume FAQ
- How do I make a DIY smartphone costume?
- Cut two pieces of black foam board, glue printed app icons in a grid on the front, draw a status bar at the top, and connect them with shoulder straps.
- What should I wear underneath a phone costume?
- Solid black clothing, like a long-sleeve t-shirt and leggings or jeans, works best to make the phone screen stand out.
- Can I buy a pre-made phone costume?
- Yes, slip-on foam tunics shaped like retro flip phones or modern smartphones are widely available online.
Did you know? The first handheld mobile phone call was made on April 3, 1973, by Motorola researcher Martin Cooper using a device that weighed nearly 2.5 pounds.