Tomorrow is Halloween, which means that people of all ages will be dressed up in costumes. With various trends going viral on Twitter, TikTok and Youtube, there will be no shortage of meme-inspired costumes this year. Here’s a list of what I think will be the top Halloween costumes of 2019.
Stranger Things
The third season of Netflix’s hit show, “Stranger Things,” became one of this summer’s hottest releases. With a handful of iconic characters, it’s likely that there will be hordes trick-or-treaters or party-goers wearing costumes inspired by the show. From the loveable trio of Dustin, Steve and new addition Robin to the feminist duo of Eleven and Max, characters from the show will be one of this years’ most popular costume inspos. Both Amazon and Party City feature complete costume kits and individual pieces that are perfect for mixing and matching.
Area 51
Over the summer a Facebook event was created by an anonymous user with the goal to storm the highly-guarded military building Area 51. The mysterious base is infamous with swirling rumors about hidden aliens or secret tests, making no tale too far fetched. The event spread like wildfire with over a million responses to the event; while the raid didn’t actually occur (a massive rave did) the memes from it will definitely make for plenty of awesome space-themed costumes. Many stores sell space–themed sets, but if you really want to stand out no matter where you go on Halloween, you may want to check out the inflatable alien costume sold on Amazon, which became popular after being featured in a viral tweet and on David Dobrik’s Youtube channel.
Pennywise
The hit movie “It: Chapter Two” was released this year and with it came everyone’s favorite child-killing, cheerfully-dancing clown, Pennywise. The second film finally let Pennywise step out of the shadows, making his creepy makeup and outfit easily recognizable. Pennywise is one of the most iconic clown characters in history and his signature outfit is the perfect way to spice up the original scary clown costume. Pennywise costumes, as well as others inspired by the movie, can be found here.
Kombucha Girl
The app ‘TikTok’ has taken over the internet, becoming one of the most downloaded and frequently used social media apps of all time. The app’s purpose is to create and share short videos. Users range from young children to adults, and this combination of ages has led to the creation of some of this year’s funniest memes. The self-proclaimed ‘Kombucha Girl’ became a meme after a video of her went viral on both TikTok and Twitter. The video documents her hilarious reaction after trying Kombucha for the first time, and the best part about this costume is how simple it is. The only thing you need is some kombucha and a black t-shirt. I expect this to be the number one costume for those who don’t like going all out for Halloween.
VSCO girls & E-boys/girls
TikTok has also been instrumental in launching the style trends of VSCO girls and E-boys and E-girls.
A VSCO girl (named after the popular photo editing and social media app) is a style trend based on girls who wear oversized pastel t-shirts, scrunchies, Birkenstocks or chunky Filas and who always have a Hydroflask and reusable straw on hand. The phrase gained popularity through TikTok and is a fairly easy costume to create, especially considering that many people already have all of the items needed to make it. All of the items needed to complete this look can be found at popular clothing brands such as Urban Outfitters and Forever 21.
On the other side of the spectrum are the E-Boys and E-girls (the E is short for emo). Another style trend that found its start on TikTok, this style features dark clothing, silver chains and painted nails. Essentially, it’s just a fashion-forward goth style. Similar to VSCO girls, this trend will be an easy costume to create as most of the items are already in everyone’s closets or can be bought for a low price. Many of the pieces can be bought at Zumiez or Hot Topic.
Animals
Stepping away from ‘trendy’ Halloween costumes, these next few are costumes that have solidified their place in the Halloween hall of fame. Starting with one of the easiest and most popular costumes for college students: animals. Anyone from any age can dress up as a dog or a cat, but wild animals are always a popular choice for teens and young adults. The best part about animal costumes is that they can be as simple as ears and a patterned shirt or as extravagant as a full bodysuit. Tigers, cheetahs and zebras (oh my) are just a few of the wild creatures that are sure to be seen a lot this year. Anyone wanting to go this tried-and-true route should take a trip to the thrift store Savers, as their Halloween section is great if you’re wanting a DIY costume.
Superheroes and Villains
This year has been jam-packed with movies and shows with superhero and supervillain characters. From the wildly popular ‘Avengers: End Game’ to the recently released ‘Joker,’ there’s no shortage of mask-wearing, crime-fighting (or crime-committing) characters to choose from. Clown makeup allows for a quick transition to the Joker and there’s dozens of characters from the Marvel universe that make for an easy costume. Then there are those who take it to the next level with the exact replicas of superhero suits from the movie and spot-on makeup. No matter how the costume is executed, it is always a safe option to choose. Almost every store has some clothes or accessories that will work for a superhero style costume.
Professions
This area of costumes is, in my opinion, one of the most overlooked costumes by far. Some of the best costumes I’ve seen are ones that mimic uniforms from firefighters, doctors and police officers. Although these costumes are not as popular as they once were, I have a feeling there’s going to be a resurgence in this area. While some may consider these costumes to be basic, I think that there’s nothing wrong with doing with something classic. Party City features multiple full sets of costumes in this style.
Devil & Angel
I typically don’t like the idea of doing ‘couples’ costumes or outfits that have to be paired with something else, but the combination of a devil and angel have always stuck out to me. Dressing up as symbols that are typically associated with death gives the perfect light-hearted yet spooky vibe that I love. What makes this duo stand apart from other combined costumes is that it doesn’t have to be done with a significant other. Any two friends can go as a devil/angel combo and make it look good. In addition to that, this is one of the costumes that can be done a multitude of ways. It can be as simple as a pair of horns and a halo or done up with wings and complete outfits. The accessories needed can be bought nearly anywhere, but if you want something cheap and easy, check out Savers.
Decades
The last entry on this list is one of my personal favorites because every decade brings so many new styles and trends that can be used for costumes later on. And, with a new decade approaching it will be so fun to do a throwback to the 2010s– get ready for low-ride jeans, pink tracksuits and headbands. Without a doubt, though, the ’70s remains the most beloved decade for costume inspiration. While other decades, like the 80s, 90s and 2000s have good costume ideas, there’s something so fun about wearing loose-fitting clothing in floral prints. Depending on how much money you are willing to spend, there are tons of vintage clothing stores, like McFly’s Vintage Store and Urban Outfitters. However, if you’re not wanting to break the bank Party City and Savers have good options for finding an outfit to match the decade.
Story by Alieu Jagne