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Barbie, Kylie Jenner, Bridgerton and more pop culture-inspired moments to craft your Halloween look
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There’s no denying that pop culture has a stronghold in our lives and you can see it in a big way on the spookiest day of the year: Halloween. It’s when the weirdest and wildest costumes take centre stage while many dress up in looks inspired by the biggest moments in pop culture.
Pop culture has certainly changed the holiday in recent decades. Looking back, Halloween is based on the pagan festival, Samhain. It was celebrated by ancient Celts in Ireland, France and the United Kingdom. The festival was a celebration of the end of the harvest season and the beginning of the harsh winter to come.
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In the 19th and 20th centuries, costumes were mostly bats and skeletons and witches, but soon the idea of disguising oneself as other characters became a trend. The age of Golden Television in the 50s mainly contributed to the rise of pop culture Halloween costumes. In the 70s, 80s and 90s it was the horror phase with Freddy Kreuger, Michael Myers and Jason Voorhees, followed by iconic fun, characters from Clueless, Twilight, Harry Potter in the 2000s — when social media and the internet had many go viral.
In the last few years, cultural moments have also seeped into costumes like Kim Kardashian’s 2021 Met Gala look, a head-to-toe black Balenciaga bodysuit.
One of the biggest phenomena this year was the film Barbie — it’s no-brainer that this costume will be everywhere. It wasn’t just the film that was a box office hit, Mattel had Barbie collaborations with over 30 brands, including Roots, Zara, Vans, OPI, Fairmont Hotels, Air BnB and more.
So while Barbie, Ken and Taylor Swift are big trends this year, you will also see The Little Mermaid, Wednesday Adams and more. We rounded up 10 pop culture-inspired Halloween costume ideas for 2023.
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Western Barbie
Why buy: One of the more recognizable Barbie costumes from the film is this all-pink Western look. Featuring a pretty pink top and pants set, this movie-inspired outfit is chic for any Barbie fan. You simply need to accessorize with a matching hat, bandana and pink boots to complete the look.
Price: USD $59.99
Where to buy: Spirit Halloween
Barbie and Ken
Why buy: Another popular Barbie and Ken costume is the iconic rollerblading set. The set comes with a leotard for Barbie and a shirt for Ken, along with a pink visor and neon green elbow pads and knee pads.
Price: Barbie, $59.99 | Ken, $69.99
Where to buy: Party Expert | Party Expert
Wednesday Adams
Why buy: The rave dance performed by Jenna Ortega as Wednesday Adams on the Netflix series Wednesday is another costume that’s instantly recognizable and perfect for the holiday groove. This set comes with a black ruffled dress paired with a belt.
Price: USD $49.99
Where to buy: Spirit Halloween
Nepo baby
Why buy: When the magazine article that named all the Hollywood nepo babies went viral, Hailey Bieber was seen wearing a simple white tee with the slogan “nepo baby.” Pair the tee with low-rise jeans and you’ve got an easy and hilarious costume that won’t break the bank.
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Price: $22
Where to buy: Etsy
M3GAN
Why buy: If you can do a trippy dance number with your hands and feet (see viral TikTok videos), you can easily work this M3GAN outfit, based on the movie of the titular name. To transform into the spooky life-like doll, all you need is this dress and bow along with ballet shoes.
Price: $79.99
Where to buy: Party Expert
Little Mermaid
Why buy: The live-action Disney movie introduced the modern Ariel so there’s no better timing to sport the Disney princess this year. The Little Mermaid costume is a blue, green and purple dress with mermaid scales and ruffled ends to mimic the tail.
Price: $69.99
Where to buy: Party Expert
Cocaine Bear
Why buy: If you want to go comfy with a dash of humour, these bear pajamas will instantly remind everyone of the hilarious Cocaine Bear film. And this one’s an easy one. All you need to do is dress up and carry around some baby powder.
Price: $43.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Taylor Swift
Why buy: Taylor Swift’s sold-out shows around the world for her Eras tour means Swifties are likely going to dress up as the pop singer this Halloween. This ‘A Lot Going On at the Moment’ Eras tee is a simple look to recreate. Pair it with black dazzling shorts and a hat.
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Price: $30.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Queen Charlotte/Bridgerton
Why buy: The Netflix original series Queen Charlotte, released earlier this year, is still a hot trend. Dressing up as Queen Charlotte or Kate Sharma is a great option as there are many regal Victorian dresses to choose from. The best part is that you can reuse the costume for a themed birthday party or event.
Price: $142
Where to buy: Amazon
