Halloween has always been beloved and widely celebrated. The prospect of transforming into whoever you want to be for a night—sans judgement—is almost as appealing as the distribution of free candy. Yet, as the internet and social media have grown, so have the standards for our Halloween costumes.
As soon as the first autumn leaf falls, the public enters a general frenzy, desperately searching for costumes that are “cool,” “unique,” “niche” and somehow still recognizable.
Any Halloween costume can be great if it has sufficient effort put into it. Just beware of “concept costumes,” or more accurately, the glorified everyday outfits. Wearing an orange skirt and a white tank does not make you a cigarette.
Of course, not everybody has the funds to go all out for Halloween. Despite this, almost any costume can be stylized and transformed into something better. With a little personalized touch or twist, any costume can be great. That being said, only a few will be the best—and to be the best, you need to stand out.
Our predictions for the most popular Halloween costumes of 2025 include animals like ladybugs, deer, bees and peacocks. Popular 2024 and 2025 films will be overdone, such as “Wicked” (2024) and “KPop Demon Hunters” (2025), as well as past films and shows like “Coraline” (2009) and anything having to do with the Monster High franchise.
Though they started as more unique, the blue macaw from “Rio” (2011), the nurse from “Silent Hill” and the infamous Coldplay megatron couple scandal are gaining popularity. And while all these ideas are fun for Halloween, we have some recommendations that are easily recognizable and slightly more unique.
Let’s start with television. Many people do “Puss and Boots,” but his love interest, Kitty Softpaws, could be a more rare idea. With the release of “A Complete Unknown” last winter, dressing up as Bob Dylan or Joan Baez would be excellent and special.
A bit more “underground” would be any of the characters from the show “Arcane,” released in late Nov. 2024. If deer costumes are as popular as we predict, try the alternative: the Antler Queen from the thriller series, “Yellowjackets,” released early this year. What about Princess Leia and Han Solo instead of Padme and Anakin, or perhaps more well-known, Superman and Batman instead of Deadpool and Wolverine?
An excellent trio costume for the Harry Potter fans would be Bellatrix Lestrange, Andromeda Tonks and Narcissa Malfoy. Lastly, Morticia and Gomez from “The Addams Family,” Azula from “Avatar: The Last Airbender” and any of the characters from “Gladiator II” are sure to stun.
Costumes based on famous pop-culture events have also become increasingly favored by the public. No duo costume would be hotter than Charli XCX and Troye Sivan, though Lana Del Rey and her “Alligator Husband” would come in close second.
Easier pop culture costumes include Stacy's Mom or any of Addison Rae’s album cover looks. If you have a high budget, we insist someone be Lady Gaga when she “bled out” at the 2009 VMAs.
Lastly, there might be a lot of Labubus walking around come Halloween night, but a more unique and arguably cuter costume would be a Sonny Angel. Combine sexy and spooky: road kill or Marie Antoinette with her head cut off. Concluding this list, here are some final miscellaneous ideas: try out an abominable snowman, an alien or a robot instead of mummies, vampires and werewolves.
Halloween is for having fun and being whoever—or whatever—you want for one night. At the end of the day, the best costumes are the ones where you can tell the wearer has become their character, physically and mentally. Some costumes may be more “niche,” “cool” or “recognizable” than others, but what really makes a costume is the flourish and love you put into it. Come to this spooky game of dress-up and give it your all.
