Last updated: July 17, 2026· By Seckin Peker

Halloween Costume Guide

Ben Hargreeves Halloween Costume Guide

Dead before the story starts. Still the sibling everyone leans on.
Casual Gothic Superhero Villain
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Quick Answer: Ben Hargreeves’s costume is a simple all-black layered look, optionally paired with DIY stomach tentacles.
  • Black Leather Jacket (essential)
  • Black Hoodie
  • Black Jeans
  • Chelsea Boots

Ben dies before the show’s story even begins and spends years afterward as a ghost only Klaus can see, which makes him one of the more quietly tragic Hargreeves siblings. His power, summoning monstrous tentacles from another dimension through his stomach, is something he’s reluctant to use because of how gruesome it looks, and it’s earned him the nickname The Horror among fans. The all-black layered outfit is simple on its own, and the tentacle detail is what turns it into a specific reference for people who know the show.

Items Total4 Items
DifficultyEasy
VibeGothic Ghost Sibling
Cost$60-$160

Ben Hargreeves Costume Items

Ben Hargreeves costume guide infographic from The Umbrella Academy showing black hoodie, black jeans, black leather jacket, Chelsea boots and DIY tentacles

Ben Hargreeves Costume Items

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Ben Hargreeves Umbrella Academy Justin H. Min
  • 1Black HoodieWorn under the jacket, this is the base layer.
    See on Amazon
  • 2Black JeansPlain and fitted, they shouldn’t stand out on their own.
    See on Amazon
  • 3Black Leather Jacket (essential)The piece that pulls the whole layered look together. Worn open over the hoodie, this is what separates the costume from plain streetwear.
    See on Amazon
  • 4Chelsea BootsCheck your closet first, any plain black boot works here.
    See on Amazon
  • 5DIY Tentacles GuideOptional. This tutorial shows how to build stomach tentacles if you want to commit to a specific horror-mode scene rather than the everyday look.
    Watch Tutorial
Ben Hargreeves Halloween costume styling reference from The Umbrella Academy showing the full all-black layered look with hoodie and leather jacket

How to Style the Ben Hargreeves Costume

The leather jacket is what pulls the whole look together, and it needs to stay visibly layered over the hoodie rather than replacing it, one black layer alone just reads as someone dressed for cold weather. If you’re adding the DIY tentacles, they need to actually emerge from the stomach area of the outfit, not just hang off the side, or the effect reads as a random prop instead of his power. At a party, going without the tentacles entirely is a completely fine choice, the all-black layering carries the look on its own for anyone who knows the show.

Ben spends years as a ghost only Klaus can see, and one of his sharper lines is about how being stuck that way, watching his brother waste the life Ben doesn’t have anymore, is its own kind of torture. That flash of real bitterness under his usual gentle patience is worth playing more than the tentacles themselves.

DIY tentacles need a test run before the party

Foam or fabric tentacles can shift or droop if they’re not secured well. Try the full rig on and move around in it at home first, not for the first time in a crowded room.

All-black layering runs warm indoors

A hoodie under a leather jacket adds up fast at a crowded party. Be ready to lose the jacket for stretches of the night if the room gets warm.

Ben Hargreeves Group Halloween Costume Ideas

Group Idea: The Hargreeves Siblings

Ben, Diego, Number Five, Allison, Luther Hargreeves

Excellent group and the most recognizable way to do this show as a full set. Adding Ben alongside the more visible siblings gives fans of the show a nice deep-cut touch that a lot of casual group costumes skip.

Ben Hargreeves Diego Hargreeves Number Five Allison Hargreeves Luther Hargreeves

Duo Idea

Ben & Klaus Hargreeves

Excellent duo since Ben’s ghost follows Klaus around for most of the series, making the two functionally inseparable on screen. Anyone who’s watched the show will place this instantly.

Ben Hargreeves Klaus Hargreeves

Trio Idea

Ben, Klaus & Vanya Hargreeves

Strong trio built around three of the show’s more emotionally complicated siblings. It reads well visually since all three have distinct looks, though the emotional connections between them take some show knowledge to explain.

Ben Hargreeves Klaus Hargreeves Vanya Hargreeves

Duo Idea

Ben & Lila Pitts

Might work, but Lila is introduced later in the series and her connection to Ben is more incidental than central, so this pairing needs some explaining outside a dedicated fan crowd.

Ben Hargreeves Lila Pitts

Villain Trio

Ben, Hazel & Cha-Cha

Might work, but Hazel and Cha-Cha are Season 1 antagonists with no direct storyline connection to Ben, so this group reads more as “notable Umbrella Academy characters” than a specific reference. The visual contrast between them is strong regardless.

Ben Hargreeves Hazel Cha-Cha

Group Idea: Ben, The Handler & Grace Hargreeves

Ben, The Handler & Grace Hargreeves

Might work, but these three don’t share much of a storyline beyond being part of the same franchise, so the connection needs to be spelled out. It works better as a “notable Umbrella Academy characters” concept than a direct reference.

Ben Hargreeves The Handler Grace Hargreeves
Ben Hargreeves group and couple costume reference from The Umbrella Academy showing the full all-black layered look with hoodie and leather jacket

Ben Hargreeves Halloween Costume DIY Tips

Building the Look

This is one of the cheapest, most closet-friendly costumes on the site, since almost everything is a common black basic.

  • Hoodie and jeans: check your closet first, both are common basics most people already own.
  • Leather jacket: thrift stores usually have a black option, no need to buy new.
  • Boots: check your closet first, any plain black boot works here.
  • Tentacles: skip entirely if you’re short on time, the layered black outfit works fine without them.

Playing Ben Hargreeves at the Party

Ben is gentle, a little reluctant about his own power, and carries real frustration about being stuck as a ghost for years. That mix of kindness and quiet bitterness is easy to hold for a night.

  • Stay calm and supportive with people, that’s Ben’s default mode with his siblings.
  • If someone asks about your powers, act reluctant to demonstrate them, Ben never wanted to use his.
  • Mention being stuck as a ghost if anyone asks about your backstory, it’s the core of his arc.

Ben Hargreeves Halloween Costume: FAQ

Layer a black hoodie under a black leather jacket with black jeans and Chelsea boots. If you want the full effect, add DIY tentacles bursting from the stomach area using the linked tutorial. The all-black layering is what makes it Ben rather than generic streetwear.

It’s a solid pick for fans specifically. Ben is a supporting character who spends much of the show as a ghost, so general recognition depends on people knowing the show beyond its main four. The Umbrella Academy still has a loyal Netflix fanbase years after its 2024 finale.

On being stuck as a ghost: “You know what the worst part of being dead is? You’re stuck. Nowhere to go. Nowhere to change. That’s the real torture, if you gotta know.” To Klaus, more gently: “I’m tired of seeing you wallow in self-defeat. You’re better than that.”

Ben is played by Justin H. Min. He can summon monstrous tentacles from another dimension through his stomach, a power he’s reluctant to use because of how gruesome it looks, which is part of why fans nicknamed him The Horror.

No. The all-black layered outfit reads fine on its own. The tentacles are a fun optional add for people who want to commit to a specific scene rather than the general character.

What power does Ben Hargreeves have?

Which sibling can see Ben’s ghost for most of the series?