Whether you love horror movies or you hate them, Halloween scenes are undeniably fun and festive in any movie or show. Dressing up as a character is the perfect inspiration for a Halloween costume, but what happens when the character you’re dressing up as dresses up? These costumes from movie and TV scenes made lasting impressions on their audiences, and they might just give you a couple of costume ideas!
- Elle woods’ bunny costume (legally blonde)
-
Not only is Elle Woods an iconic feminist in her bunny costume, but the outfit also marked the origin of a modern staple Halloween costume. When Vivienne sabotages Elle by telling her that a stuffy Harvard law-school party is a costume party, she expects Elle to fold under the embarrassment of being the only one in costume. Elle, however, is not to be intimidated. She absolutely rocks her bunny tail, leotard and bunny ears, and she uses her Harvard Law wit to give Warner and Vivienne a piece of her mind. On top of all of that, Regina George sports a similar Elle-Woods-inspired bunny costume in the film “Mean Girls” only three years later!
See the iconic costume here!
- Karen as a mouse (mean girls)
-
Karen’s mouse costume has become a notable, but not overdone Halloween costume for its hilarious context and cute look. The lovable quip, “I’m a mouse, duh!” paired with her barely identifiable outfit has made this movie character costume an actual costume for people dressing up. Her incredibly cute black dress with a pink satin bow is only made recognizable by her little mouse ears, which makes it an easy costume to execute for anyone looking to dress up as something funny this Halloween.
See the iconic costume here!
- Charlie brown as a ghost (It’s the great pumpkin, Charlie Brown)
-
Poor Charlie Brown- he always gets the short end of the stick! In “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown”, the entire Peanut Gang goes trick-or-treating in classic sheet-ghost costumes. Charlie, trying to execute the holes for eyes, accidentally cuts holes all over the sheet. While trick-or-treating, all the other kids get candy, and Charlie gets a rock from every single house they visit. This movie is a Halloween classic for kids and nostalgic adults alike, and Charlie’s costume is a testament to his incessant bad luck.
See the iconic costume here!
- Wednesday as Herself (the Addams Family)
-
In the 1991 “Addams Family” movie, Wednesday walks down the stairs for a Halloween celebration, seemingly without a costume. Upon being asked, she tells the family that she is dressed as a “homicidal maniac” because “they look just like everyone else.” This dark and funny tone epitomizes “Addams Family” Comedy; what screams self-confidence more than dressing up as yourself for Halloween? If you choose to dress up as Wednesday this Halloween, you too can say that you are dressed as a homicidal maniac.
See the iconic costume here!
- Oogie boogie Man’s henchmen as trick-or-treaters (the nightmare before christmas)
-
The irony of these nightmarish henchmen dressing up as trick-or-treaters and not vice versa emulates the beauty that is Time Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas”. Lock, Shock and Barrel carry out the evil-doings of the Oogie Boogie Man by kidnapping Santa Claus, all the while singing wildly catchy songs. The humor of these characters’ costumes is not lost on viewers, who love the henchmen for their mischievous nature and wittily ironic costumes.
See the iconic costumes here!
- Cady Heron as a corpse bride (Mean girls)
-
Yet another “Mean Girls” costume makes it on the list! Homeschooled Cady has no idea that high-schoolers dress up in flattering and racy costumes for Halloween, and you can’t help but cringe at her all-out horrific bride outfit. While it is among the most notable of costumes, it’s definitely not iconic in the same way as Karen and Regina’s outfits from the same movie. The image of her bloody, protruding teeth and bride costume is seared in the mind of “Mean Girls” fans forever.
See the iconic costume here!
- The stranger things gang as ghostbusters (stranger things)
-
In season 2 of “Stranger Things”, Mike, Luke, Dustin and Will don full-fledged Ghostbuster costumes, complete with backpacks, only to find that no one else in their entire middle school dressed up for Halloween. The costumes are deeply ironic, considering the gang hunts monsters in real life, and also highlight the group’s lovable nerdiness. This well-executed costume comes hours before Will sees a physical manifestation of the Mind-Flayer and definitely sets the stage for the monster-hunting to come.
See the iconic costumes here!
- E.T. as a ghost (E.T. the Extra terrestrial)
-
On Halloween, Elliot hatches a plan to get E.T. out of the house to phone home, disguised from his mother as Elliot’s younger sister in a ghost costume. E.T. dressed in the classic sheet-ghost costume is an absolutely adorable sight, not to mention a smart plan that successfully gets him through the town without raising any suspicion. This costume, while simple and basic, is made iconic by E.T.’s lovable nature and his perspective of being a kid on Halloween for the first time.
See the iconic costume here!
- Ross as spudnik, joey as chandler, and chandler as the easter bunny (friends)
-
These classic characters’ interactions always delight audiences throughout the hit TV show “Friends”. Sressed simultaneously as a potato (spud) and a satellite (Sputnik), Ross is so on-brand for his nerdy character. Chandler looks absolutely ridiculous as the Easter Bunny in the best way possible, and Joey’s Chandler impression in a sweater vest is spot-on. The wacky combination of these costumes into one scene makes for an unforgettable Halloween episode.
See the iconic costumes here!
- daniel as a shower and the cobra kai as skeletons (the Karate kid)
-
In the original “The Karate Kid” movie, Daniel comes up with an ingenious plot to disguise himself from the Cobra Kai bullies by putting a literal shower curtain around himself for the school’s Halloween dance. Even though it works for a while, the bullies eventually find him and chase him all the way back to his house. The Cobra Kai bullies in this scene are dressed in matching skeleton costumes that seem incredibly reminiscent of Phoebe Bridgers merchandise. The Halloween scene culminates in an epic take-down from Mr. Miyagi as he defends Daniel from the bullies, but the costumes give the entire scene an unforgettable element.