17 Unique Halloween Costumes for 2024
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According to the Allure version of the Farmer’s Almanac, fall begins on September 1. Once the clock strikes midnight, we’re breaking out the fall decor, queuing up horror movies, and planning Halloween festivities. We’ve been waiting all summer for this.
And this spooky season expect a fresh crop of unique Halloween costumes. You’ll see a new generation of pop stars (fewer J.Los and Britney Spears, more Chappell Roans and Sabrina Carpenters), characters from upcoming films that are sure to become classics (Wicked lends itself to some creative Halloween makeup), and looks that allow us to pour on the glitter—and lots of it.
Don’t have time to do it up? We hear you and, of course, you have options, too. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with just popping on some cat ears or wearing an apron and calling it a chef's costume. Ahead, you’ll find the best Halloween costume ideas and beauty products you can use to pull everything together.
Brat
If you never got the chance to fully embrace Brat Summer before we moved into Demure Fall, consider Halloween your moment. All you’ll need is a baby tee, Y2K cargo pants, platform boots, a French manicure, and smudgy eyeliner (or skip the makeup and pick up some black-out rectangle sunglasses). But it’s not Brat if it’s not acid green. Try streaks of lime in your hair like Charli XCX (the inventor of Brat) has here or a wash of Brat green eye shadow.
Chappell Roan
If you already know the “Hot to Go” dance, you’re halfway there. Chappell Roan is the ideal Halloween muse since her look changes from concert to concert. You could go with Governor’s Ball Chappell and do a head-to-toe ode to the Statue of Liberty, transform into an over-the-top, butterfly-like Coachella Chappell, or mimic her album cover as a classic Midwest pageant princess. We like this red-and-black burlesque look that feels especially apt for Halloween and lets you have some fun with campy makeup.
Sabrina Carpenter
What do you call more than one Sabrina? A pack? A peck? A bushel? Whatever the correct term, we expect to see a lot of Sabrina Carpenters out on Halloween—and for good reason. It’s like a classic Brigitte Bardot costume, but with higher hemlines, swoopier curtain bangs, and a bedazzled microphone. If you want to be pitch perfect, you’ll need her signature doll-like blush, created by her makeup artist with two shades of Armani Luminous Silk Cheek Tint.
Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift
Admit it: You bought a Kansas City Chiefs jersey (and maybe even watched an entire football game for the first time) because Taylor Swift started dating Travis Kelce. If you’re looking for a couple’s costume, you can wear your jersey and tell everyone you bought it for Halloween—seriously, no other reason, that would be silly!
You’ll need a cat eye, red lipstick, and a partner who would only need a matching T-shirt and hat (a very minimal effort for those who are less than enthusiastic about the party you’re dragging them to).
Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo Wicked Press Tour
Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo have been gifting us with Glinda and Elphaba-coded looks for every appearance this year in anticipation of their new musical, Wicked. With the movie hitting theaters in November, Halloween is the perfect time to grab a friend and color coordinate a pink and green BFF duet—er, costume.
Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders
We may not be able to hit the split jump in the “Thunderstruck” kickline (a new hip would be expensive), but being a Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader for Halloween means you have all the glamor without the trauma. Get a group together to form an entire squad and remember the cardinal rule in Texas: The higher the hair, the closer to God.
Mob Wife
The mob wife trend lost steam when the weather got warmer and faux fur coats lost their appeal, but we still think it makes a killer (no pun intended) Halloween costume. You’ll need lots of tight-fitting leopard print, a statement coat, plenty of bling, a sultry smoky eye, and, of course, a French manicure.
Cowboy Carter
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If your Halloween plans involve a real-life boogie and a real-life hoedown (and even if they don’t), Cowboy Carter Beyoncé should be there. You’ll need thigh-high boots, a white cowboy hat, and the longest platinum wig you can find. Unfortunately, the horse will need to be hitched at the door.
Zendaya Challengers Red Carpet
Zendaya serving preppy tennis looks (see what we did there?) for her Challengers press tour are what Halloween costume dreams are made of: chic, recognizable, and very wearable beyond October 31. Look for white collar rugby shirts and tailored trousers or a crisp white shirtdress. Accessorize with a tennis bracelet (because, of course), dewy skin (we like a combo of Fenty SoftLit Dewy Foundation and Saie Glowy Super Gel), and a bouncy blonde lob.
Billie Eilish
We all want to be as cool as Billie Eilish when we grow up (even if you’re, uh, over a decade older than she) and Halloween is the perfect excuse to try it on for size. All you’ll need are baggy cargo pants, an extra-large jersey of your choosing, wire-rimmed glasses, and a bandana.
Penelope Featherington from Bridgerton
Our love of Bridgerton continued this year with the release of season three and Penelope Featherington’s memorable regal looks. You’ll have to look beyond the racks of a regular store to find a Georgian-inspired dress, so head to a costume shop or thrift store to live out your romantic fantasies. Finish the look with royal curls, floral barrettes, and rosy, barely there makeup.
Harley Quinn from Joker: Folie a Deux
Lady Gaga’s take on the DC villain is more subtle (though, a bit grittier) than the Harley Quinns of yore. Instead of multicolor pigtails and pastel eye shadows, keep things grungy with slicked-back hair, a smudgy, soft red lip stain, and a little haphazard black eyeliner.
Carmy and Sydney from The Bear
We love a costume that's already in our closet. Carmy and Sydney from The Bear just require worn white tees, aprons, and a bandana for Sydney (here, some headscarf styling tips straight from the head of the show’s hair department). Bonus points if you bring homemade snacks to the party.
Team USA Gymnastics
Your group of friends can do Team USA gymnastics in a few ways. If you’re in a warm climate, go all in with sparkly red, white, and blue leotards. If your Halloween weather is usually cold or threatens to be icy, you might want to opt for white tracksuits and Olympic medal hardware that you’ll have to fake unless you’ve got a mean double-pike vault.
Lana Del Rey at the Met Gala
Lana Del Rey’s new album Lasso drops in September, so we’ll be deep in our feels by late October. If you want to keep the vibe going for Halloween, we like Lana’s woodsy, ethereal Met Gala look, which you should be able to piece together with a trip to the craft store and some backyard foraging. Just be careful not to poke anyone’s eye out.
Astrid Deetz in Beetlejuice
In 2024, Lydia Deetz will crown her daughter, Astrid, as queen of Halloween costumes. With the long-awaited Beetlejuice sequel in theaters, we’ll be back in our red (or black!) wedding gowns with a bored teenage attitude. Some things never change.
Black Cat
Black cat costumes get a little been there, done that after a while. This year, we prefer Ariana Grande’s cat burglar from her “The Boy is Mine” video. You’ll need a skintight pleather minidress, a lacy cat mask, and mesh elbow-high gloves with loooong black nails.
Read on for more beauty inspiration:
- Easy Halloween Makeup Ideas to Get You Through Spooky Season
- Halloween Nail Ideas That Are Scary-Good
- The 14 Best Press-On Nails for an Easy, Breezy Mani in Minutes
Now, watch Cindy Crawford's 10-minute routine for a classic supermodel look:
