October has arrived, which means that the spooky season has officially begun. Some people will have had their Halloween costume planned out months in advance, but if you’re reading this, chances are you’re still looking for some inspiration. Whether you want to have a popular costume or something more original, here are a few ideas.
Pop Culture Halloween Costumes 2019
These are the costumes that you are going to be seeing a lot of this year. You are likely to find a full costume set available from fancy dress retailers due to the popularity. If you want to make it more personal, you can construct one of these costumes yourself out of individual pieces that you either buy or make. People at Halloween parties are bound to recognise who you’re supposed to be if you dress up as someone from one of this year’s major pop culture phenomenons. These are some of the possible costumes from the world of movies, TV, and social media.
Stranger Things
The Netflix original TV show has been a hit for the last several years, but the release of the third season this past summer has created a whole new range of costume possibilities. The most popular is the Scoops Ahoy! ice cream parlour sailor uniforms worn by Steve and Robin. The full costumes are available to buy, but they can be expensive. Another extremely popular costume is the latest edition of Eleven after her super-1980s mall-rat makeover. You can buy exact replicas online or recreate the look with a scrunchie, jeans with suspenders, and a bright patterned shirt. This is a funkier alternative to Season 1 pink-dress-blonde-wig Eleven or Season 2 slicked-hair-punk-eyeliner Eleven.
IT (Pennywise the Clown)
Just because the IT reboot appears to already be over following the release of IT Chapter 2 doesn’t mean that the creepy clown costume is over. Pennywise is as popular as ever, due to the easy-to-recreate red and white face paint and overabundance of distressed-looking clown costumes in stores. If the oddly-shaped tufty hair and protuberant forehead are too much work for you, then you can still be a creepy killer clown. There are plenty of options to create an off-brand or legit Pennywise look. You can find some of them on Amazon, including masks and full costumes.
Black Mirror (Ashley O)
When Miley Cyrus starred in the episode “Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too” on the most recent series of Black Mirror, her character Ashley O immediately became a sensation on social media. Her purple bob wig became as iconic as her song “On a Roll”. The rest of her look is quite easy to replicate; all you need is a crop top, shiny short shorts or a skirt, and thigh-high boots in silver and/or white. If you want to put in extra effort to the costume, you could create your own Ashley Too mini robot to carry around with you. Lots of websites offer guides to dressing up as Ashley O.
Iconic Musicians
Following the film adaptations Bohemian Rhapsody and Rocketman in the last year, there are bound to be plenty of Freddie Mercuries and Elton Johns this Halloween. The easiest Freddie Mercury look to recreate is his white outfit from Queen’s performance at Live Aid in 1985. It is instantly recognisable when you add the studded armband and belt to the white jeans and tank top. You could buy a ready-made look complete with a yellow jacket, although you have to add the moustache yourself. Another popular Freddie Mercury costume is the housewife look from the “I Want to Break Free” music video.As for Elton John, it might be difficult to put together a cohesive look that people won’t confuse for Austin Powers with the wig and glasses, unless you go down the glitzier route. Refinery29 made a helpful compilation of iconic Elton John looks featured in Rocketman here. If you’re willing to spend more on a costume, you can get the star outfit or the glittery baseball uniform ready-made. Or if you’re on a budget, you could just get the hoodie version. If you want a more contemporary costume, then Lizzo and her flute are right on trend this year. Teen Vogue can help you to dress like Lizzo, or you can go basic with a “100% That Witch” shirt on eBay.
British TV
Whether you’ve actually watched Fleabag or Derry Girls or not, you’re bound to have heard of them. Over the past few months, these British TV shows have gained international popularity, launching their characters into the realm of costume options for Halloween. Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s Fleabag became a style icon, with hundreds of people desperate to buy “the Fleabag jumpsuit” from SilkFred. Alternatively, here is a guide on how to recreate other looks from Fleabag. You can even buy a ready-made Fleabag costume on eBay, but it’s not cheap. If you’d rather dress as a Northern Irish 1990s schoolgirl, then you’ll need to put together a green school uniform. The uniform in the show is based on Thornhill college and St Cecilia’s college, but buying their actual school uniforms would be a bit much. You can easily find a green blazer, green and yellow tie, and green plaid skirt and recreate the school crest yourself.
Animated Characters
Forky from Toy Story 4 solidified his meme status due to his relatable habit of referring to himself as trash. Trying to turn a human being into a spork shape isn’t easy, so some official Forky costumes do look a bit odd. In this Forky costume, the pipe-cleaner arms look like some kind of cropped cardigan, meanwhile, this adult Forky costume has feet that look more like flippers than popsicle sticks. You might want to buy a Forky mask and simply call it a day. Pokemon has become a timeless feature of pop culture, but this year’s Detective Pikachu movie put a new spin on it. Pikachu costumes have been abundant for years, but this Halloween you can add a tweed cap and a magnifying glass. There are plenty of regular Pikachu costumes available, including Pikachu onesies. Add a detective hat on top, or get an official detective hat with Pikachu ears attached. But please, steer clear of this creepy Pikachu mask.
Aliens
If you didn’t hear about the “Storm Area 51” Facebook event, then you must have been living under a rock. The plan was for thousands of people to raid Area 51 to “see them aliens” – but the actual event was more of a lowkey alien festival in the desert. However, this has brought aliens back to the forefront of pop culture. One of the most popular alien costumes that you may have seen on social media is this inflatable alien abduction costume. It’s simple but effective and extremely hilarious. On the other hand, you could go with a basic green alien bodysuit. If that would be too clingy for your taste, then a Toy Story alien onesie is a cute alternative for a basic alien costume. If you want to go down a creepier route and give a nod to the phenomenon, you could dress as an escaped alien from Area 51.
Horror Halloween Costumes 2019
Some people prefer to go for comedy with Halloween costumes, or try to make a “sexy” version of something that is decidedly not sexy. However, the Halloween season is when horror fans truly thrive. It is an opportunity to pay homage to creepy characters, from cult classics to contemporary horror icons. Ghostface, Michael Myers, Jason, and Freddy Krueger have been popular Halloween costumes for decades. However, if you would rather reference more recent horror media with your costume, there are some horror Halloween costume ideas for 2019 below.
Georgie from IT
The market may be flooded with Pennywises, but that doesn’t mean you can’t give a nod to IT with your Halloween costume. A less common costume but one that is far easier to put together is Bill’s little brother Georgie. All you’ll need is a yellow raincoat with a hood, a paper boat with S.S. Georgie written on the side, and a red balloon. These items should be easy enough to find, and you can make the paper boat yourself. If you want to go all out, you can purchase a deluxe Georgie costume with a detachable arm. It is up to you if you want to include fake blood in your costume. A yellow raincoat is also reusable for a Coraline costume another time, with yellow boots and a blue wig.
Creepy Doll (Annabelle or Chucky)
The creepy doll is a Halloween staple, which has definitely seen a resurgence due to the popularity of the Annabelle franchise. This year’s prequel Annabelle Comes Home has renewed interest in the demonic doll yet again. You can buy a full Annabelle doll costume online. Or you could buy the Annabelle dress and an Annabelle mask separately, or create your own finishing touches with Annabelle makeup and a wig instead. Chucky is also back in the public eye after a technology-based Child’s Play reboot this year. You can get a full classic Chucky costume or the Buddi doll outfit from the 2019 version. You can even dress your pet up as the deadly doll with a Chucky dog costume.
The Tethered (Us)
Jordan Peele made a splash with Get Out in 2017, and followed it up this year with the even darker Us. Only a few pieces are required to look like one of the Tethered – the creepy doppelgangers from underground tunnels who torture and murder their counterparts living above the ground to get revenge for their suffering. These are a red long-sleeved jumpsuit or red boilersuit, a pair of fingerless brown gloves, and a pair of large gold scissors. This Us costume comes with the gloves and a white mask to look like the Tethered character Pluto, who hides his burned face under the creepy-looking mask. All you’ll need is scissors. Try to get a rounded pair for safety – and don’t run!
Hårga Cult Member (Midsommar)
Horror movies increasingly have summer releases rather than Halloween to avoid the competition. This summer’s biggest horror movie was Hereditary director Ari Aster’s return with Midsommar. The traumatized Dani follows her boyfriend and his friends to a rural community in Sweden to celebrate the midsummer festival, but it quickly turns dark. Loose white clothing and floral headdresses look pretty and innocent, but the Hårga people are not averse to getting them dirty and murdering people and animals in gruesome ways. You can transform into a member of the Hårga at the Midsommar festival with a flower crown from Etsy and an embroidered white dress from ASOS. You could even buy this tongue-in-cheek Midsommar costume with props referencing significant events from the film.
The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina
Last Halloween’s Sabrina reboot on Netflix proved so popular that they released a second season within 6 months. Though some people prefer the comedic TV series from the 1990s, you can’t deny that this Sabrina has more of a signature style. A blonde bob wig, a black hairband, and a red coat or dress are all you need to signify that you are Sabrina. One of the most popular looks from The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina is the lace-trimmed dresses worn by the Weird Sisters. You and your friends can buy cheap versions of these Sabrina dresses in different colours, or invest in a more expensive carefully handmade version. There is actually an official costume version of Sabrina’s red Weird Sisters dress which also comes with a black headband. If you are Sabrina, you can add a black cat plush.
The Purge Anarchist
The Purge franchise is still churning out movies and even spinning out a TV show. Creepy humanoid masks have been a serial killer staple forever, including in The Strangers, but The Purge popularised a particular brand of creepy mask. The Purge: Election Year, in particular, launched a range of LED “stitch” masks which are now available for low prices online. The thing that makes the killers in The Purge scary is that they are ordinary people, so all that you need is a regular outfit, a creepy mask, and a (fake) weapon. You can also add fake blood to make it creepier. You could recreate looks from the films such as this GOD mask or KISS ME killer prom queen, or just invent your own.
The Woman in White
Whether it’s the Weeping Woman from The Curse of La Llorona or the murderous Bride from Annabelle Comes Home, the cinematic universe of The Conjuring loves creepy killer brides. In this adaptation, La Llorona wears an old-fashioned wedding dress which is darkened from trailing in dirty water. You can buy a clean La Llorona dress and rough it up a bit yourself, or buy a deluxe La Llorona costume which is already styled for you. In Annabelle Comes Home, a cursed bridal dress possesses the bride and commits murderous acts. It is a more generic look, with a traditional white wedding dress splattered with blood. To recreate the character more closely, it should be a long-sleeved floor-length dress with puff sleeves and a veil. And, of course, accessorize with a bloody fake knife.
Halloween Makeup Trends 2019
Most Halloween costumes rely on an outfit and a mask or a wig to complete the look. However, a simple way to create a more unique Halloween look is to put less emphasis on the clothes and more effort into your face. It may be a total facepaint transformation or a cleaner makeup look that tells a more subtle story. Makeup is now seen as an art form, and Halloween is a perfect opportunity to play around and paint your face. Here are some ideas to try.
Euphoria
The HBO drama about drug abuse and sexual violence in the lives of suburban teens was a perhaps surprising hit this year. One of the major things that got people talking wasn’t even the dark subjects it explores, but the out-there make-up its female characters casually wear in their everyday lives. The main character Rue rarely wears anything but baggy hoodies, but frequently sports a melting-makeup look with smudgy under-eye glitter tears. Cheerleader Maddy is a big fan of stick-on gems, adorning her hair and her face with rhinestones, especially around her eyes. Outsider Kat swings towards a more vampy look, drawing attention to her eyes and lips and accessorizing with chokers. The scene-stealer is newcomer Jules, whose ever-changing hair pairs with new colourful and whimsical makeup looks each day. She is fond of bright eyeshadows and eyeliner or drawing shapes around her eyes. There are plenty of Euphoria makeup guides online to help you recreate Euphoria looks, which are increasingly popular.
Pop Art
Due to the comics takeover, pop art comic-style makeup has been a popular look for several years now. The classic pop-art look is making a comeback, which is good news because it’s fairly easy to do. It involves outlining your face in black and white and painting in solid colours to make yourself look like a cartoon, preferably with dramatic tears falling from your eyes. You can frame your handiwork with a colourful wig if you choose. It is also a cool style for men if you want to try pop art men’s makeup. Or you could put a twist on a classic character or costume by making them pop art, such as this pop art Snow White or a pop art zombie. Paint down onto your chest for more impact.
Double Vision
A popular makeup illusion at the moment is the “double vision” look. This involves painting another pair of eyes and eyebrows beneath your real eyes, another mouth below your real mouth, and another nose above your actual nose, to look like doubles of your own. This idea has also been around for a few years but is becoming more common. There is even a Double Vision Makeup Tutorial on WikiHow. Admittedly, this is not a quick and easy look. It will take some time, and requires some artistic talent to make the doubled facial features look realistic. If double vision isn’t difficult enough, you could copy this even trippier multi-faced look from the originator of the double vision trend.
Snapchat Filters
Snapchat may be a dying platform, but its popular filters will live forever. If you need a last-minute costume that only requires painting your face for a self-contained look, then a Snapchat filter makes a great Halloween costume. It usually does require a few extra pieces though, such as a headband with animal ears or a flower crown. You can find links to tutorials for some of the top Snapchat filter makeup looks here. The most popular looks are Snapchat dog filter makeup and vomiting rainbows makeup. Other popular Snapchat makeup includes the cute deer filter, the golden butterfly filter, and the flower crown filter. You could also try the bunny filter or smudgy rainbow watercolour.
Mime
Not the Pokemon Mr Mime, but more along the lines of the stereotypical French mime. A mime is a more subtle version of a clown, normally featuring stark black and white makeup with red lips. A popular mime makeup look features vertical lines through the eyes, forming triangles or diamonds. Eyebrows should be thin black lines, and the lips should be whited out and repainted in a smaller heart shape. It is quite straightforward to do classic mime face paint, and you don’t need many products to do it. If you wanted to, you could do a more feminine mime look.
Harley Quinn
The Joker and Harley Quinn were the most popular Halloween costumes of 2016 following the release of the Suicide Squad film that summer. This year, the Joker solo film is coming out, but most people are bored by the Joker at this point. Harley Quinn’s solo movie, Birds of Prey, which features plenty of other female antiheroes from DC, is a much more exciting upcoming feature. Suicide Squad Harley Quinn and classic Harley Quinn costumes and makeup tutorials are abundant online, so you won’t have to look far. However, the Birds of Prey trailer introduced us to Harley Quinn’s new look, and people are looking for this version now instead. Luckily, a Harley Quinn Birds of Prey costume is already available to buy. On the downside, you’ll have to provide the shoes and the styled hair yourself.
Porcelain Doll
Similar to the creepy doll look in the Annabelle costume, cracked porcelain doll makeup is a popular Halloween style. It usually involves doing delicate, doll-like makeup with large eyes and pink cheeks, then drawing spidery black cracks across your face to make yourself look like a broken doll. You can make it even creepier by drawing a hinged mouth to look like a ventriloquist’s doll. Here are various broken doll makeup tutorials to inspire you. If you don’t have the time or the skill, you could just do some basic facepaint and then wear a porcelain doll mask over the top. You could even buy a full porcelain doll costume if you prefer. You also have more control over hair style.
