By the time October 1 hits, many already have an idea of what they’ll be dressing up as for Halloween. From family-friendly group looks to pop culture references for your office costume contest, we’ve got some ideas to help you show off your style.
And, while Americans will spend upward of $9 billion on Halloween this year, the popular ideas we share below quickly become affordable with some DIY and shopping hacks to help you save.
Top Costume Ideas for Kids
First up, let’s look at some kid-friendly costumes. Once you’ve figured out what the kiddos will wear, you can focus on your own costume.
There’s a lot of superhero inspiration to choose from, including Wonder Woman, Spider Man and even Power Rangers. Don’t forget you can easily DIY a Lego Batman costume as well.
While it’s easy to throw an a T-shirt emblazoned with the symbol of your child’s favorite hero and matching pants (or tutu), you can find affordable licensed costumes online from a place like Costume Box to help them really get in character.
Of course, if your kid is more into fairy tales, you might consider a Moana-themed look, which is still a popular Halloween costume this year, or a character from the live-action Beauty and the Beast. You can also go classic with a Star Wars theme, which is typically another easy DIY. And as the franchise grows you’ll have even more characters to choose from.
Best Family-Friendly Group Costumes
Many of the kids Halloween costume ideas can easily apply to the whole family, especially when you get into teams of superheroes. For example, with the new Justice League movie coming out this year, it’s easy to find a look for each member of the family.
You can also look to TV shows for inspiration, and, depending on the age of your kids, you could easily pull off a “Stranger Things” theme (although we suggest going DIY by looking through thrift stores for the ‘80s-style looks, getting a box of eggos, and using battery-operated Christmas lights).
Depending on the size of your brood, you can go classic with costumes that are based on famous movies like “Alice in Wonderland,” “Beetlejuice,” “Ghostbusters,” and “Jurassic Park” (the kids in the role of the dinos). Of course, Disney is always a great muse for costumes with its almost endless supply of television and movie characters.
Our Favorite Costumes for Couples
Since “Wonder Woman” was the top grossing film of the summer, it makes sense that many Halloween costume would be based on the franchise. As a couple, you could base your look off the movie as Wonder Woman and Steve Trevor (or Dr. Poison). Wonder Woman was also paired with many of the other heroes in the comic books, including Superman, Batman, and even Aquaman.
Taking another page from pop culture, you could choose your outfit from popular TV shows including “Game of Thrones,” “House of Cards,” “Westworld,” and “The Walking Dead” — just don’t forget to use a HalloweenCostumes.com coupon code when you buy your costume.
However, if you’re looking for something less common, you could DIY a look, pulling inspiration from things that classically just go well together like peanut butter and jelly, soap and a loofah, Bob Ross and a happy tree. Just remember to keep it simple so you don’t blow your budget at the craft store on the pieces of your custom-made Halloween costumes.
No Group? No Problem — Fun Solo Halloween Looks
While many of the ideas on this list can stand alone, like Wonder Woman, you can likely let your personality shine more with an individual costume. From pop culture, politics, musicians, and your favorite books, television, and movies, rocking a solo Halloween costume means you won’t have to compromise on your costume concept.
Whether you pull from the books, the classic movie, or the recent reboot, “It” remains a great source for creepy costume ideas. “American Horror Story” and “The Walking Dead” both boast many scary looks you can wear for Halloween.
For those looking to make more of a statement, there will be no shortage of MAGA and Trump paraphernalia for either side of the aisle.
Another popular trend for individuals is piggyback or inflatable costumes — just be sure to take some videos of yourself if you plan to dress like a dinosaur.
Costumes Shouldn’t Break the Bank
Halloween comes but once a year. While you’ll want to make the most of it, you won’t want to throw your budget out of whack for a single night.
Luckily, with these ideas, and savings through Goodshop, you’ll be able to compete in any costume contest and have the cash left over the the November 1 candy sales. Happy haunting!
Guest Post by Lauren Keys
Lauren Keys is editor-in-chief at DealCrunch.com, an online publication that highlights the retail industry’s movers and shakers, up-and-coming startups, influencers, business solutions, and more. With deep dives into brands and trends, DealCrunch keeps readers informed of relevant retail industry and shopping news.