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Can you believe that spooky season is almost over? I know many of you have been planning your costumes for months — and with so many trending ideas this year, how could you not? From Sabrina Carpenter and Jenna Ortega’s iconic looks in the Taste  music video to Tashi, Art, and Patrick from Challengers, and let’s not forget, Lucy Gray Baird and Coriolanus Snow from The Hunger Games, there are so many fun, pop culture-inspired options to choose from this year. But for those of you who maybe got caught up with midterms and forgot to plan something, don’t worry, because I’ve got the *cutest* last-minute costume idea just for you.

Moo Deng, the adorable baby pygmy hippo from Thailand, totally broke the internet this year when her zookeeper began posting videos of the two month old hippo. ICYMI, she became a global sensation earlier this fall after clips of her splashing around, making snot bubbles (so adorable), and being her cute, bouncy self went viral on TikTok, X(formerly Twitter), and Instagram. People couldn’t get enough of her pudgy cheeks and playful antics, and before we knew it, the world had a new meme queen. 

So, if you’re looking for a last-minute, DIY-friendly costume idea that’s easy to pull off and proves you’re very online, channeling Moo Deng is a perfect solution. It’s fun, unique, and guaranteed to get all the “awws” at your Halloween party!

Here are the only items you’ll need to DIY a Moo Deng Halloween costume.

Step One: Start With A Gray Base 

Depending on the weather in your area for Halloween you can either opt for a gray dress or a matching set of sweatpants and a sweatshirt.

GrAy Dress

$31.59

Gray Sweatsuit

$39.19

Step Two: Grab Your Headband

You can’t complete this look without sporting some adorable hippo ears. That said, hippo ears aren’t super popular on the internet, but the good news is, you can easily find mouse ear headbands that can pass for hippo ears.

Hippo Ears

$4.99

Step Three: Lather Up & Shine!

If you want to add some finishing touches to your costume, grab some Aquaphor or your favorite body oil to give yourself that Moo Deng shine.

Aquaphor

$7.49

Also, if you’re looking for a quick duo costume, grab a friend to dress as Moo Deng’s zookeeper. A straw hat and khaki shorts are a must. 

Get ready to soak up all the compliments and take tons of adorable pics. Who wouldn’t want to spend Halloween as the internet’s favorite baby hippo? 

Starr Washington is a Her Campus national writer and recent San Francisco State University graduate, where she studied Broadcast and Electronic Communication Arts with a minor in Africana Studies. She contributes primarily to the lifestyle and culture verticals, with a growing portfolio of op-eds, reported features, and interviews spotlighting Gen Z voices.

Starr is deeply committed to centering Black stories in her work and consistently champions Black creatives in film, literature, and travel. During her time at SFSU, she served as director of the university’s multicultural center, organized campus-wide cultural celebrations, and taught a student-led course she created titled “Intro to Black Love.”

Outside of Her Campus, Starr is a spicy romance book lover, fiction writer, a wife, and soon-to-be mom.

She’s a Scorpio from Michigan.