8 Portuguese Inspired Halloween Costumes

Ready to stand out this Halloween? Find inspiration from your Portuguese roots with these culturally clever costume ideas.

Does Portugal Dress Up for Carnaval or Halloween?

From Torres Vedras to Loulé and Alcobaça, Winter's Carnaval festivities in Portugal look a lot like Halloween. Not only do spectacles and parades filled with music and dance take over the streets, the Portuguese also dress up in crazy costumes emulating popular cultural and political figures, scary monsters, and funny tropes.

While Carnaval has long-established traditions in Portugal, Halloween (Dia das Bruxas) is picking up steam with kids, especially those who live in large cities like Lisbon and Porto. Little ones are now dressing up on October 31 and knocking on doors yelling, "Doce ou travessuras?!"

Learn more about Carnaval, Halloween, and the lesser known tradition of Pão por Deus on All Saints' Day (Nov. 1) in the video below by Practice Portuguese.

Portuguese-Inspired Costume Ideas

For those of us in the U.S. and Canada, wearing costumes during Carnaval is less common and more reserved for those performing in Mardi Gras parades. That means Halloween is our one day to dress up and unleash our inner child.

Once the temperates start to cool at the end of September, costume ideas start brewing! Should I go with something classic like a pumpkin or a witch or Frankenstein? Or scare the world in the likes of a famous slasher or the horrific IT clown? Should I be my favorite superhero? Or maybe the Disney princess I always wanted to be?

A lot of the time, your costume ends up being a mish mash of things you have around the house and a couple of things you buy. And if you're Portuguese, you've probably got a great starter kit at home for an awesome Portuguese-inspired costume!

Below is a list of Portuguese-inspired Halloween costume ideas, along with a few items to help you bring them to life. From Portuguese icons to cultural inside jokes, these ideas might just snag you a costume award at this year's Halloween party. At the very least, you're not likely to show up in the same costume as someone else!

1. Fernando Pessoa

Costume Award: Most Intellectual

GET THE LOOK:

He's Portugal's literary legend. To become Fernando Pessoa, pull out that black tie and polished peacoat that have been sitting in the back of your closet for years. Add a self-adhesive mustache and this flat-rimmed black hat. Borrow a pair of glasses with round frames. And you’ll be a dead ringer for Pessoa — you may even get asked to recite an original poem.

2. Amália Rodrigues

Costume Award: Most Iconic

GET THE LOOK:

Amália is the Queen of Fado. And you can channel this icon by layering a traditional Portuguese Viana scarf over a black skirt or dress and pull your hair back into a low bun. Add winged eyeliner. Bonus: make this a couples costume with your partner or child by dressing them in a black suit accessorized with a Portuguese mandolin (a ukelele could play the part too). In no time, you'll be feeling the spirit of a seasoned fadista.

3. Sardine Tin

Costume Award: Most on Trend

GET THE LOOK:

Bacalhau may be the most Portuguese fish, but sardines took over the masses with sardine summer. With their colorful tins, they make for an out of the box (or should we say, out of the tin), costume idea. To bring this one to life, get our your crafting supplies! Here's a tutorial to make a kid's sardine tin costume. Or simplify the idea and scale (no pun intended that time!) it up for an adult with a sequin shirt, sardine headband, and fish scale leggings.

4. Carmen Miranda

Costume Award: Most Tutti Frutti

GET THE LOOK:

She's a Brazilian samba dancer popularly known as the Lady in the Tutti Frutti hat. But did you know she was born in Portugal? If you love color and whimsy, you'll have a blast dressing up as Carmen Miranda. And you've probably got a few things at home to get started: a colorful or tropical skirt, lots and lots of beaded necklaces and bracelets, and bright red lipstick. Add this headpiece and voilá!

5. Azorean Cow

Costume Award: Most Amooo-zing

GET THE LOOK:

Partying with the Portuguese crew? Pay homage to the world's happiest cows, those that roam the Azores islands and whose milk produces the famous Queijo de São Jorge. Create this memorable costume by carrying an Azores flag and donning a cow onesie. You can also make this a family costume if you go as a herd!

6. Cristiano Ronaldo

Costume Award: GOAT

GET THE LOOK:

He's the world's GOAT and you can be too with a replica of Portugal's 2025 soccer kit (or splurge and get the official jersey here), dark green athletic shorts, and a captain's armband. To really nail the look, style your hair with a healthy amount of gel. Want to go the extra mile? Apply five-minute teeth whitener to mimic Ronaldo's pearly whites. Soccer skills come separately.

7. Portuguese Vóvó

Costume Award: Most Loved

GET THE LOOK:

For most of us, there's no one we admire more than our mom or grandmother. So why not channel our Portuguese matriarch in a lovingly funny way this Halloween? If you can't borrow their iconic avental/bata, Etsy has a few options. To really complete the look, accompany it with this hairstyle and carry a wooden spoon!

8. Portuguese Explorer

Costume Award: Most Historical

GET THE LOOK:

Channel the great seafarers of Portuguese history for an epic costume — you could take on the name of Vasco da Gama, Bartolomeu Dias, Fernão de Magalhães, to name a few. Start off with a Renaissance outfit and add a cloak. To really get into character, carry around a map (burn the edges of a rolled up piece of paper) and skyscope.

If you purchase a recommended costume item on Amazon or Etsy, we may receive a small commission because we are an affiliate member. Thank you for supporting a Portuguese-owned small business!

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