Halloween Costume Inspiration Guide 2024
October is here, which means it’s time to start planning your Halloween costumes! Whether you’re shopping online or sewing them yourself, it’s best not to wait until you see jack-o’-lanterns in the windows.
With the eerie holiday inching closer, we compiled a list of our predictions for the most popular Halloween costumes of 2024 if you’re looking for some inspiration. And one clear trend has emerged this year: taking classic characters and reimagining them with a modern twist.
Psst…Here’s your guide to everything pumpkin spice in NYC!
What’s the best inspiration for costumes? Pop culture! This year, there was no shortage of fun pop culture moments or movie releases that serve as perfect inspiration for costumes.
With the release of Agatha All Along on Disney+ being a hit, we expect to see a lot of witches and their covens walking the city of New York this year. You can get into the witchy vibes by purchasing Agatha’s outfit or recreating looks from the show with pieces from your very own closet!
Beetlejuice made his return to the big screen this year and delivered just the right amount of nostalgia for families. So we weren’t surprised to see the iconic costume back on shelves this year. Bring all the ghoulish fun with a Beetlejuice costume or other spooky and funky characters from the films.
This year was all about nostalgia and the return of classic characters in films. A big one this year has to have been Inside Out 2. The movie was a huge success, and we fully expect to see our emotions trick-or-treating on the 31st. The great thing about this costume idea is that it’s perfect for the entire family. Channel your inner joy and let it come out to play this October.
Speaking of nostalgia, X-Men ’97 came back with a bang, and every comic book lover (myself included) couldn’t get enough. X-Men ’97 was another hit for Disney. This show brought back a classic, bringing older and younger generations together to enjoy some superhero fun.
Staying in the realm of superheroes and the Marvel universe, we expect to see a lot of Deadpool & Wolverine costumes this year. The highly anticipated film did so well at the box office that we’re sure big fans started planning their costumes right after leaving the theater.
With the revival of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, we know that there are kids excited to dress up as one of their favorite crime-fighting turtles, Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo, and Raphael. Trick or treating in NYC as one of the Ninja Turtles just brings the experience to a whole new level.
Paw Patrol has solidified itself as a classic cartoon for little ones everywhere. You can’t go wrong with bringing the crew together this Halloween for a night of patrolling and trick-or-treating.
The success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie means that Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Bowser, and Yoshi costumes will definitely be popping up throughout the city, and it is another fun opportunity to get a family group costume together.
Autobots, roll out! Another huge hit for kids this year was Transformers One. The movie brought back Bumblebee, Optimus Prime, Megatron, and other fan-favorite characters that would absolutely be a hit this year.
You just can’t go wrong with minions. They are another group of characters that are engraved in pop culture, and with the release of Despicable Me 4, this costume would be timely and fun. Head out to grab your candy with all your fellow minions this Halloween!
2023
We expect to see a lot of people bringing back last year’s costumes, so check out last year’s list for some more inspiration.
Barbie
With the Barbie movie being by far the biggest blockbuster of the year, pink will surely be the color of Halloween 2023. But with a doll that’s been around as long as Barbie (and Ken) have, there are tons of iterations to choose from.
There’s of course the classic Barbie, the professional Barbies, the performer Barbies and (a personal favorite) the animated movie Barbies which will likely be making a comeback this Halloween. Time to iron out that Swan Lake tutu!
Mermaids
Another movie phenomenon that hit theaters this year was the live action adaptation of the Disney classic, The Little Mermaid.
A fresh and diverse take on princess Ariel will no doubt inspire many families to put their own spin on magical mermaids. Expect scales to be second only to pink this Halloween.
And if you’re really wanting to get in the spooky Halloween mood, consider trading in the mermaid costume for the much more villainous sea witch aesthetic of Ursula.
Wednesday
And speaking of villainous, the equally wicked and lovable Addams Family has been a Halloween classic for decades. The iconic Wednesday Addams will no doubt be a popular choice this year after the success of the recent Netflix series based around the character.
Once a side character on a family sitcom, Wednesday has now become a role model to young girls who have been called “eccentric” for having tastes and interests that may not fit into what is considered trendy.
Bluey
One might argue that Bluey is the biggest pop culture phenomenon of them all, at least among the littlest of us.
The adorable children’s cartoon is beloved by little girls and boys alike and has recently gone viral among older audiences for its surprisingly mature themes and stories about the everyday obstacles of life and learning to be nice to yourself.
Bluey teaches kids to appreciate not only their family and friends, but themselves. What’s not to love?
Super Mario Bros
Another classic that got a revamping was the Super Mario Brothers franchise. The legendary video game characters were brought to the big screen for the highest grossing animated movie of the year.
The best part is that the franchise offers a variety of unique characters to choose from, from the titular hero Mario to his equally heroic brother Luigi and sidekick Yoshi.
And if you want to subvert expectations, try a Princess Peach costume… you might be the only pink-loving blonde on the block who’s not a Barbie!
Spider-Man
The second highest grossing animated feature this year goes to Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. The most recent Spider-Man iteration, the film centers around Miles Morales, the young hero who has been acclaimed by both critics and audiences of all ages.
The film is a fresh and innovative take on a classic superhero, one who is bound to be selling out red and blue spider-suits this October.
Elemental
If there is such a thing as a sleeper hit for Pixar, then Elemental was just that. This colorful feature centers around two opposite elements that fall in love despite outside prejudices, a powerful message for kids to learn.
Despite its more serious elements (get it?), the central love story is inspired by the quirky romantic comedies of past decades. If you’re dressing up in pairs, then you can’t get more iconic than a fire and water duo.
M3GAN
If you have preteens or teens in the house, then don’t be surprised if M3GAN (pronounced “Megan”) makes an appearance this Halloween. This campy horror film wasn’t released in time for Halloween last year but will undoubtedly make up for it this time around.
If you somehow missed the viral sensation, M3GAN is about a childlike robot doll who is built to be a girl’s best friend before quickly becoming a little too overprotective.
Her appearance is the perfect balance of cutesy and terrifying, a great choice for an older kid who can’t choose between Barbie and Wednesday.
