Last Minute Halloween Inspo: Popular (& Overdone) Costumes To Try This Year

6 months ago

And, if you still insist on wearing them, how to make them yours

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Last Minute Halloween Inspo: Popular (& Overdone) Costumes To Try This Year

Stuck for costume ideas this Halloween? The need to ‘dress to impress’ can quickly take the fun out of dressing up – making many of us revert to annual classics and popular favourites. Whether you want to be on trend or avoid doing the overdone thing, these are going to be the most popular Halloween costumes this year.

The Country & Town House Responsible Buyers’ Guide

Forecasted Favourites For 2023

Barbie, Ken or any variation of Barbenheimer

The smash-hit success of Barbie will almost certainly be responsible for an influx of hot pink costumes this Halloween – expect plenty of Barbies and Kens, as well as the occasional Barbenheimer (Barbie plus Oppeheimer) cross-over or duo costume.

How to make the costume yours: The flexibility of a Barbie-themed costume means that you can use pretty much anything in your wardrobe to make it work. Feather boa? Party Barbie. Cowboy boots? Western Barbie. Scuba gear? Diver Barbie. If you want to move a little further away from Stereotypical Barbie, you could instead opt for other notable characters like Weird Barbie, Mermaid Barbie or even President Barbie.

Wednesday Addams

Everyone’s favourite gothic tween, Wednesday Addams is another forecasted favourite for 2023. While there’s always the option to stick to the classic live action uniform (black dress with a white collar – very pilgrim), you’ll see more people dressing up as Jenna Ortega’s character from Netflix’s Wednesday. Think all-black ensembles, cat ears, ruffly gowns and those all-important jet black braids.

How to make the costume yours: Up the ante with the help of some friends. A group costume can go a long way here – either take on the entire Addams family ensemble, the students of Nevermore Academy or even multiple versions of Wednesday (we like the idea of a Wednesday and Goody Addams duo, personally).

The Little Mermaid

Quietly swimming its way onto the Halloween radar is Ariel, courtesy of Disney’s live-action The Little Mermaid film. While mermaids have always been a popular pick (all you need makeup-wise is some glitter and fishnet tights, right?), this year they’re back and better than ever. Think glistening scales, shell-shaped bralettes and even a fish tail or two.

How to make the costume yours: Big up the spook factor with the mermaid’s sinister cousin, the siren. They look like mermaids, but have a fair set of gnashers on them (which they use to eat sailors – after they’ve lured them into the water with their melodic voices).

The Super Mario Bros. Movie (c) Universal Pictures

Super Mario

Another cinematic masterpiece (depends who you’re asking) that took the internet by storm this year was The Super Mario Bros. Movie. These characters have been a popular choice for years – they make a great group costume idea if you have enough friends willing to commit – but its recent pop culture boost has cemented its place in this year’s Halloween celebrations.

How to make the costume yours: There are a few different directions you can take the Super Mario universe in if you want something different: characters in their respective go-karts, powered up costumes or even zombified versions of the classic heroes. The choice is yours.

The Most Popular Halloween Costumes Ever

Skeleton

What would Halloween be without a spooky skeleton or two? From black and white face paint to full-body costumes, the humble skeleton is a seasonal icon come October 31st.

How to make the costume yours: If makeup is more your thing, this is your chance to really go all out with the skeleton look. Browse Pinterest for more artsy takes on the skull, which you can personalise as you go along to give it your own unique stamp.

Witch

Keen to dabble in some dark magic? You’re not the only one. Witches are a classic Halloween costume for a reason, and are instantly recognisable if you opt for the black hat and broomstick combo.

How to make the costume yours: Get a coven going with a group of friends and co-ordinate your witchiness together, or take a break from the occult and opt for a softer, green-fingered witch with a lighter colour palette and cute spell books.

Black Cat

And where there are witches, you’ll also find plenty of black cats. It’s an unoriginal, but unwaveringly popular costume – and largely an excuse just to dress in a sexy black outfit with cat ears.

How to make the costume yours: If you insist on channelling your inner feline, why not up the anti with fangs, prosthetic whiskers and claws? You can still be sexy, but also scary.

Vampire

Whether it’s Dracula, Blade or Edward Cullen, vampires have had us in a chokehold for decades when it comes to planning a ghoulish getup. It can even be as high or as low maintenance as you like – just make sure you’ve got a pair of fangs and some fake blood handy.

How to make the costume yours: You know how the internet jokes that some celebrities age so well they could practically be vampires? Well, here’s your chance to make accusations a reality. (We’re calling dibs on Cher, though.)

Clown

There’s always been something a little freaky about clowns, but their rebranding in popular culture as demonic killers (thank you, Stephen King) has given them a much bigger edge over the fancy dress market.

How to make the costume yours: A clown is a clown at the end of the day – so the best way to make it your own is to really go all out with the makeup and give it your own personal stamp.