25 Best Pop Culture Halloween Costume Ideas for 2023

Make an entrance (and earn a lot of laughs) with these Halloween costumes inspired by Barbie, The Little Mermaid, Ted Lasso, Taylor Swift, boy bands, TikTok trends and other iconic 2023 moments.

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September 26, 2023

You can always be a witch, ghost, vampire or ghoul for Halloween, but that's not nearly as fun as using your costume to make a witty reference to 2023. Let this year's wildest moments, biggest movies (we're looking at you, Barbie), TV shows, celebrity couples (Kylie Jenner and Timothée Chalamet or Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce, anybody?), concert tours and more inform your look, and rock one of these incredible pop culture Halloween costumes. Here are our top 25 in no particular order.

Barbie from Barbie

We may as well start with the highest-grossing movie of the summer and in Warner Bros. history. Barbie was a pink dream come true and provided endless Halloween costume inspiration. Choose your favorite look (1980s-style Rollerblading Barbie? Cowgirl Barbie, perhaps?) and go at it alone, or grab a friend — or a Ken! — and coordinate for an epic photo.

Ken from Barbie

If you're looking for a low-effort but delightfully on-trend Halloween costume, then this tie-dye sweatshirt is for you. Proudly declare that you're "Kenough" whether you're by yourself or with a Barbie. Bonus: You'll be comfortable all night.

Mojo Dojo Casa House Ken from Barbie

If you really want to steal the spotlight, then opt for a "Mojo Dojo Casa House" Ken costume. All you need is a faux fur coat, fingerless gloves, a black headband and a large horse medallion. (A sassy attitude wouldn't hurt either.)

Ariel & Friends from The Little Mermaid

Disney's live-action The Little Mermaid made quite the splash at the box office this year, and now's your chance to be part of that world. Cast your entire family as characters from the movie, like Ariel, Flounder, Sebastian, Scuttle, etc. If you have a wicked sense of humor (or just want an excuse to belt "Poor Unfortunate Souls"), snag that Ursula costume for yourself.

Rihanna at Super Bowl LVII

Pregnant people of the world, rejoice! Although she's since welcomed baby #2 with A$AP Rocky, Rihanna served up some serious maternity Halloween costume inspiration during her viral Super Bowl LVII halftime show. To pull off a similar look, layer a red mock neck with a red leather bustier, red cargo pants and a prop microphone.

Taylor Swift at The Eras Tour

It's safe to say that it's The Year of Taylor Alison Swift. Channel the Eras Tour in all its three-hour glory with a hero piece, like a pink fringe jacket for "Midnights," a purple taffeta dress for "Speak Now (Taylor's Version)," a "Not a Lot Going On at the Moment" shirt for "Red (Taylor's Version)," etc. And whatever you do, tie the look together with a stack of friendship bracelets.

*NSYNC Reunion

It's been a decade since they said "Bye, Bye, Bye" (sorry, we had to) but *NYSNC is officially back! Celebrate their VMAs reunion by grabbing four of your closest Gen X or Millennial friends and donning a mix of blue and gray blazers.

Beyoncé at The Renaissance Tour

Disco ball cowboy hats, sequin skirts and silver boots? Say less. Evoke Beyoncé and the Renaissance Tour by dressing head-to-toe in metallics. A giant, glittery fan and a horse-themed cuff bracelet or necklace would make flawless accessories.

Belly from The Summer I Turned Pretty

"Skater Belly" might be our favorite nickname for Isabel Conklin yet. Lean into this fun look from The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 2 with a neon orange crop top, floral bike shorts and a set of retro-looking roller skates (and, of course, an infinity necklace). Need something comfy for the end of the night? Change into a "Team Conrad" or "Team Jeremiah" T-shirt.

Hailey & Justin Bieber

Admit It: You're just as obsessed with Hailey and Justin Bieber's wildly different going-out looks as we are. Capture one of their most notable clashing ensembles with a red strapless mini dress and matching heels for you and a pink baseball cap, gray hoodie and yellow Crocs for your partner.

"Threads" App

2023 was the year we said goodbye to Twitter and hello to Threads. Rep the new text-based app with this brilliant spools of thread sash. A metal chain and ribbon bandolier hold everything together, while corded rope allows you to secure the sash over your shoulder.

Ted & Team from Ted Lasso

We're not ready to say goodbye to Ted, and we have a feeling that you aren't either. Make like your favorite football coach with an official AFC Richmond jacket, white visor, chevron mustache and whistle. And if you want to recruit a whole team for your Halloween costume? Snag several AFC Richmond jerseys, a soccer ball and maybe even a ref uniform.

Olivia Rodrigo in "GUTS"

It's definitely not a bad idea to dress up like Olivia Rodrigo this year. Pay homage to her sophomore album "GUTS" (and the music video for "bad idea, right?") by rocking a cropped light blue sweater, a silver skirt, a red heart necklace and black Converse. Polish it off with a bold red lip.

Kylie Jenner & Timothée Chalamet

If you're looking for an epic couple's costume outside of Barbie and Ken, consider Kylie Jenner and Timothée Chalamet at the U.S. Open. You can easily recreate their lowkey look with a fitted black shirt, light-wash jeans and narrow sunglasses for Jenner and a black zip hoodie and matching cap for Chalamet.

Taylor Swift & Travis Kelce

Here's another couple's costume idea we love and that absolutely everyone is talking about right now: Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce at Arrowhead Stadium. Casually allude to the budding romance with a Chiefs shirt, VIP lanyard and red-and-gold pom poms for Swift and a light blue tracksuit for the tight end.

Miles Morales from Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

The beauty of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is that your whole family can dress like Spider-Man and it'll still make sense. If you have a kiddo in your crew, snag this dark blue suit to designate your Miles Morales.

"Brownie Tuesday" from Joy Ride

Joy Ride was a romp, and the costumes — particularly during that K-Pop dance scene — did not disappoint. Transform into the "Brownie Tuesday" idols with hero pieces like silver parachute pants for Deadeye, an electric blue wig for Lolo, a metallic skirt for Audrey and a bejeweled bustier for Kat.

The Heeler Family from Bluey

Bluey is back! And that calls for one adorable (and oh-so cozy) family costume inspired by the Heeler family. Parents can slip into the Bandit onesie or opt for a dog ear headband, while the ankle-biters can take their pick of the Bluey and Bingo outfits.

Michael Jordan

Air confirmed what we already knew: Michael Jordan is the GOAT. Emulate Mike for the night with a Chicago Bulls-inspired jersey or tank, matching athletic shorts, black basketball shoes and an NBA Series ball tucked under one arm.

Portia from The White Lotus

The only thing more captivating than the coastal Italian views in The White Lotus Season 2 was Portia's choice of outfits. Embody Tanya's chaotic personal assistant with a zebra-print bikini top, a rainbow tie-front cardigan, khaki cargo pants and a pair of lotus flower earrings.

Nepo Baby

Who could ever forget about Hailey Bieber's hilarious clapback? Flaunt your own nepo baby status with a DIY T-shirt, a black shoulder bag and some high-waisted boyfriend jeans for good measure.

"Beige Flag"

Now here's a Halloween costume that's clever and adorably inoffensive. Take cues from a popular TikTok trend and dress like your "beige flag" — a behavior that's a little quirky but otherwise completely harmless. Think having to make an "L" with your finger to identify your left hand, leaving a few sips in the bottom of your coffee cup, knowing the names of all the dogs but not the names of their owners at the dog park, etc. Just shop a beige lounge set and a pack of plain label stickers.

John Dutton from Yellowstone

You can be the head of the family, the owner of one of the biggest cattle ranches in the U.S. and the governor of Montana all in one if you dress like John Dutton from Yellowstone. All you need is a cowboy hat, a button-up shirt and an official Yellowstone Dutton Ranch vest. But if you want to go above and beyond, you can grab some sunglasses and a glass of whiskey.

Mario & Friends from The Super Mario Bros. Movie

If you have a competitive streak and several people with whom you're trying to coordinate Halloween costumes, then go as characters from The Super Mario Bros. Movie. With a few key accessories, you can completely transform into Mario, Luigi, Toad, Yoshi, Warrio and Princess Peach. For a fun touch, carry around a Bowser plush.

M3GAN from M3GAN

Who knew that M3GAN was such a trendsetter? Conjure thoughts of the creepy child-sized robot and the killer dance moves that inspired legions of TikTok users by slipping into this khaki frock. Don't forget to cock your head and stare blankly into the distance while you're at it!

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