As Halloween approaches, the impact of social media on this year’s costume choices couldn’t be more obvious.
Platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and X are not just inspiring costume ideas but setting the trends and driving a new wave of creativity, making Halloween more tied to pop culture than ever before.
“What we’re seeing this year, which might be a little bit different from previous years, is what has been trending a lot online,” said Shannon Power, pop culture and entertainment reporter at Newsweek. “People are trying to get really creative.”
One major trend involves popular singers, such as Chappell Roan and Sabrina Carpenter.
“The searches for them for Halloween costumes have just absolutely skyrocketed,” Power said. “It just goes to show that they’re really in people’s minds, and they really have triggered the imagination of people.”
Both singers have a signature style.
“Sabrina Carpenter has this sort of old vintage Hollywood glamour look, so you could easily throw something together at home or go to a thrift store and put something together,” Power said.
Chappell Roan, on the other hand, takes a lot of inspiration from drag queens.
“Anything goes with Chappell Roan because she wears this really dramatic onstage makeup,” said Power. “Just as long as you’ve got the long, red curly wig.”
Other trends are more unconventional with costumes inspired by viral memes and online sensations.
A lot of people are trying to dress as Moo Deng, a baby hippo at a zoo in Thailand, that has become a global star through social media.
“You really have to be creative to dress up as Moo Deng,” Power said. “There may have to be a bit of out-of-the-box thinking when it comes to dressing up as a baby hippo, but I think what’s important is that you look sort of oily and slippery.”
The Australian breakdancer Rachel Gunn, who goes by “Raygun,” is also a popular idea after her viral performance in the Paris Olympics this summer.
One of the lasting images of the Olympics was the performance of Gunn, who did a “kangaroo dance” among other questionable moves during her routine.
“People are really thinking outside of the box and getting super creative with their Halloween costumes this year,” Power said.
As usual, movies from this year have inspired some of the top costumes, including Lady Deadpool from Deadpool & Wolverine.
“It’s a very sexy outfit with a long blonde ponytail, so a lot of people are planning to dress up as that this year,” Power said.
Popular costumes from Beetlejuice Beetlejuice include Shrunken Head Bob and Delores, Beetlejuice’s ex-wife.
Google has released a “Frightgeist” website with data on trending costumes, with the top three currently being Shrunken Head Bob from Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Raygun the Australian breakdancer and CatNap, a character from the video game series Poppy Playtime.
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