Some people get their Halloween costume inspiration from celebrities, while others get it from movies, pop culture, or sports. I’ve seen a ton of costumes from TV show fandoms, so here are some of my favorites.
‘Stranger Things’
Stranger Things is a sci-fi horror series written by the Duffer Brothers. There are a total of five seasons, airing from 2016-2026. Set in the 1980s, a group of outcast kids go looking for their friend Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) who mysteriously went missing. On their search, they end up meeting a random girl in the woods, and from that point, the kids’ lives change forever.
The series ended in January, so its renewed popularity makes it the perfect show to take as inspiration. Dress up as “The Party” with your friends, or go as one of the characters for a solo costume.
Stranger Things is a meaningful show because it represents the outcast kids in school and seeing what it was like being one. It gives the audience their perspective and makes them want to feel empathy for them. The loyalty and friendship the kids in the series have for each other is admirable and a way to build a shield from the outside judgment.
‘The Vampire Diaries’
The Vampire Diaries is an American teen television drama series produced by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec. There are a total of eight seasons airing from 2009-2017. The show is based on L.J. Smith’s book series, but with several twists to it.
Located in Mystic Falls, Virginia, teen Elena Gilbert (Nina Dobrev) is mourning the loss of her parents, wondering how she can move on without them. She meets Stefan Salvatore (Paul Wesley), a centuries-old vampire and immediately is drawn to him. His brother, Damon Salvatore (Ian Somerhalder), returns to make him miserable, and Elena gets caught in their web. Secrets that were buried come out, love triangles form, and a once “quiet” town becomes not so quiet.
This series is usually very popular around Halloween time. You can become Elena Gilbert, Katherine Pierce, or a vampire with some Vampire Diaries references to it. If you love supernatural creatures, love triangles, action, The Vampire Diaries would be the perfect show to watch.
‘Supernatural’
Supernatural is an American dark fantasy television series written by Eric Kripke. There are a total of 15 seasons, airing from 2005-2020. The series is about two brothers, Dean Winchester (Jensen Ackles) and Sam Winchester (Jared Padalecki), who are stuck in the family business—hunting supernatural creatures. Their father, John Winchester, goes missing, and the brothers drive around the United States in a 1967 Chevy Impala looking for him.
What draws people in to watch Supernatural is how with every episode, there’s always a new monster-of-the-week but there is a story that connects everything together. The hardships the Winchesters go through, the loyalty they show each other, might make the audience resonate with the characters and connect it to their own experiences.
For Halloween, people would dress as the main trio of the series who called themselves “Team Free Will”—Dean Winchester, Sam Winchester, and Castiel. Castiel is a character that makes his first appearance in the first episode of season four. He makes a significant change in the brother’s lives.