There are two kinds of people in this world: those who start hanging mistletoe and blasting Mariah Carey the moment the clock strikes 12 on Nov. first, and those who woefully linger on spooky season by planning out their Halloween costumes for the next year. As for myself, I fall into the second cohort. This year, I spent my Nov. first pouring over what I would describe as only the best, most extravagant, pool of dress-up inspiration: celebrity Halloween costumes. These are some of my favorites that I saw this season, and I hope you’ll agree with me that all of these costumes truly won Halloween.
1. Alix Earle as the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland (1951)
What is pink and purple, has a wide grin, and is “not all there” herself? Why, it’s Alix Earle dressed as the Cheshire Cat for her “Mad Forest” themed Halloween party. “Dressed” is a choice word, as she didn’t achieve this look through her clothing, but instead went above and beyond with full body paint, a cat face prosthetic, colored contacts, and a burgundy/scarlet wig. I commend her for fully committing to the outfit, which did not come without sacrifice. In a recent TikTok interview with Elle US, Earle admitted her costume was, “a little bit of a fashion risk.” “Getting the paint off wasn’t easy, and it wasn’t something that I thought through well enough in advance,” she said. She delved deeper into her Halloween nightmare, lamenting, “I came back from the party with my friends, it was like six of us in the shower with a jug of baby oil and everyone was lathering me trying to get it off and, I mean, I fell asleep in the bed. The sheets are purple…the whole apartment is purple.” If you’re thinking of taking inspiration from her for next year, my advice to you would be to swap the body paint for pink and purple striped tights – an easy fix!
2. Lucy Hale as Lamb Lamb
As a dog lover, this costume won first place in the Halloween costume contest of my heart. The Pretty Little Liars actress posted her Halloween costume to Instagram on Oct. 30 with the caption, “In honor of our muse, Lady Lambchop.” Who is Lady Lambchop? you might be wondering? Lambchop, affectionately referred to as ‘Lamb Lamb,’ is a plush lamb dog toy loved by dogs everywhere. ‘Lamb Lamb’ features soft floppy ears, a wooly coat, and red feet, which translate well to Hale’s costume of choice: a comfortable-looking lamb onesie. This Halloween costume definitely wins points for recognizability, as anyone who has a pet dog can tell you how adored Lambchop is.
3. Anne Hathaway as Zombie Statue of Liberty
Our esteemed Queen of Genovia, Anne Hathaway, debuted her first Halloween costume of the year on Oct. 25, and she absolutely did not disappoint. Her zombie Statue of Liberty Halloween costume was complete with a “Boo York City” t-shirt, a platinum blonde wig, a Lady Liberty headpiece, and a deep blood-red lip. In my opinion, this Halloween costume is the perfect blend of timelessness – with Lady Liberty being so iconic – and spooky. This costume left a lasting impression on me; as a college student in the Big Apple, the city and anything NYC-related is near and dear to me.
4. “Sabrinaween”
As a certified “concert girlie,” I love when artists incorporate holidays and current events into the theatrics of their concerts, whether it’s through tweaks in the stage design, choreography, or costumes. Sabrina Carpenter played into this flawlessly at her Dallas stop on the “Short n’ Sweet” tour by ditching her normal outfits, and opting instead for glittering Halloween costumes. The internet has adoringly branded this phenomenon as “Sabrinaween,” similar to “Harryween” at Madison Square Garden during Harry Styles’ “Love on Tour” in Oct. 2021. Carpenter dazzled in Dallas as a Playboy Bunny, Sandy from Grease, and Tinker Bell. I absolutely love this momentary rebrand, from Short n’ Sweet to Short n’ Spooky!
5. KATSEYE as Winx Club
I think I audibly gasped the first time I saw this group costume appear on my Instagram explore page. The vibrant colors and attention to detail on all of the outfits are exquisite. With Megan as Bloom, Daniela as Stella, Yooncahe as Techna, Sophia as Musa, Manon as Flora, and Lara as Aisha, the girl group KATSEYE delivered a 10/10 execution on their Winx Club group Halloween costume. This costume is actually a recreation of fanart created by Filipino artist André Manguba. I think this group Halloween costume is an incredible testament to how artists can inspire their fans, and vice versa.