With midterms, football games, club meetings, and work, it can feel overwhelming to now plan an entire weekend’s worth of the perfect Halloween costumes. If you find yourself struggling to come up with group ideas, couple costumes, or a perfect outfit for yourself, don’t worry. From scrolling through Pinterest, Amazon accessories, and my family’s old costume storage bin, I’ve collected some of my favorite Halloween Costume Ideas for 2023.
Individual
Sometimes it’s a nightmare trying to coordinate costumes with your friends. Depending on your “Halloweek” plans, having an individual costume at your disposal can help diversify your options. Here are some ideas if you decide to go solo:
Pirate: A pirate costume can be thrown together with a corset, ragged shirt or white dress, and prioritizing the accessories. A hat, gold, eye patch, and boots can go a long way to create the perfect pirate costume.
Superhero: Save the city as your favorite superhero! Costumes for superheroes are always around in stores, but you can also opt for a fun twist by wearing a cute one-piece with a mask and cape or throwing on a dress for the night. Accessories are easily accessible online as well and can make for a killer night out.
Celebrity: Dressing up as your favorite celebrity either as a gag or to prove you’re their #1 fan is always a great option. Pull off one of Harry Styles Love On Tour outfits, parade around in a purple gown for Speak Now, or get a blonde wig and pantsuit to channel Igor on Halloween night.
Animal: “I’m a mouse duh!” Take Karen’s advice and wear a hot costume with some animal ears. YouTube and TikTok are also full of fun makeup ideas for all different creatures.
Couples
Cute couple’s costumes have felt recycled over the past few years. If you’re headed out during Halloweek with your Boo, here are some ideas that will wow the crowd:
Padme and Anakin: I may be biased as this was a favorite costume of mine from last year, but trust me it was a hit! Dressing as these Star Wars faves will definitely get the right crowd buzzing about your iconic duo.
Thor and Loki: The God of Lightning and the God of Mischief are the perfect duo for a spooky October 31st. Grab a hammer and a golden crown for a night of fun. With the new season of Loki out, there will be plenty of ways to dress up these variants.
Jedediah and Octavius: Do all men think of the Roman Empire? Well, at least for Halloween, you can pair up with your Roman Empire-obsessed man to be this iconic duo from The Night at the Museum.
Barbie and Ken: It had to be on the list. It’s Barbie and it’s Ken. The Barbie movie gave so many amazing looks to choose from this Halloween it’s hard to pick just one. However, you can be whatever Barbie and Ken suits best.
Lorax and Onceler: This one may get a lot of looks, and it’s iconic for a reason. The only question is who chooses who gets to be the Lorax and who gets to be the Onceler. You may need to get a thneed from your local thrift shop and a bald cap from nearby Halloween stores, to pull off this duo.
Groups
Men in Black: There’s nothing like black sunglasses, suits, and badges to bring your iconic group to the next level. It’s an easy last-minute costume and one that you’ll need your camera out to capture all the looks.
Spongebob and Friends: Whether you’re a goofy goober or rocking the classic outfits, you’re for sure going to put on a show. With so many characters to choose from, the group from Bikini Bottom is a great option for Halloween. These costumes are perfect for those who like to DIY their costumes as well. Go to a craft store and thrift shop and you will be able to pull off this crew.
Princesses: There’s nothing like being a princess with your group of girls for Halloween. Each of your friends can choose their favorite princess and adorn themselves with wigs, crowns, and corsets galore. You can even bring other characters into your group such as their furry sidekicks and prince charmings.