One of my favorite things about Halloween, besides getting to dress up and go out with my friends, is the creativity that manifests itself in costumes that I see both in person and online. From elaborately designed masterpieces to niche internet references it’s always fun to see how people express their humor and creativity. As a broke college student who didn’t put that much effort into my costumes this year, I’ve had so much fun seeing all the creative costumes online that people have come up with and here are some of my favorites.
- “Gnarly” by Katseye
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If you’re as chronically online as I am, it’s safe to say that you probably know who KATSEYE is. This up and coming global girl group has been dominating TikTok with their music and dancing and it was hard to go anywhere without hearing their oddly addicting hyperpop song “Gnarly” this summer. Using the first few lyrics turned into group costumes was such a fun and unique concept and a perfect use of turning pop culture into a costume.
- The Very Hungry Caterpillar
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I absolutely love when people reference childhood shows or books in their costumes and dressing up as The Very Hungry Caterpillar is not only original, but also so cute. The caterpillar hat and dress with fruit patterns are perfect for this concept and not only is it a perfect throwback to childhood nostalgia, but it’s also an adorable outfit.
- Classy Elmo
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The concept of Elmo as a rich woman from the 20’s might be the most original costume I’ve seen this year. I’m not sure if the words “Elmo from Sesame Street” and “1920s fashion” have ever crossed my mind in the same sentence, but oddly enough it’s perfect. As the first comment on this video states “I never realized how Elmo’s speech is that of a dramatic rich woman with a transatlantic accent” and now I can’t unhear it.
- Children’s Playground
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The time and effort put into this costume must have been insane, and luckily this woman documented the process on her TikTok (go check it out). Complete with rotating tic-tac-toe boards, a slide, and a ladder I’m in awe of the creativity and skill required to build it. It’s definitely a testament to having a costume vision and perfectly executing it.
- Cake
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My first impression of this costume was seeing this creator thrifting a pair of heels and turning them into slices of cake for her costume. The shoes themselves were so impressive that I knew I had to come back to her account on Halloween and the main costume did not disappoint. The cake headpiece along with the fan, decorated corset with cherries, and obviously the stunning shoes make me absolutely obsessed with this whole costume. It’s a perfect example of dressing up as a simple concept or object but being able to make it extravagant and flamboyant.
- Just Dance Rasputin Character
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Growing up playing Just Dance with siblings or friends is a core memory for a lot of Gen Z. Notorious for being fast paced and difficult to keep up with, the dance to “Rasputin” was a staple for playing Just Dance. This costume of the Just Dance Rasputin character is absolutely perfect and brings me back to trying to beat my sister’s scores and almost dying from all the jumping and dancing involved. Down to the white bodysuit and Wii remote, this costume is easily recognizable yet still original and the creator knowing the dance by heart completes the whole look.
Whether you spent months coming up with and putting together your costumes or you put on cat ears and a skirt from Amazon (like me), I hope everyone enjoyed their Halloweekend and got to express themselves through whatever outfit they chose. Even though the holiday is over, I’m already looking forward to seeing and planning next year’s costumes.