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You can say what you like about 2024, but it has been a brilliant year for costume-worthy pop culture moments. From characters from Dune 2 to Charli XCX’s brat, there’s a wealth of things to dress up as this Halloween while still seeming ultra relevant.
So say goodbye to the Paris bedbugs and the many, many Barbies and Kens of 2023, because Halloween 2024 is here, and your costume needs a little bit of that recency bias. That little bit of Moo Deng je ne sais quoi.
From Drake and Kendrick, to Ben Affleck and Matt Damon’s much-memed romance, here are our top picks for your potential Halloween pop culture costumes.
1. Sabrina Carpenter and Barry Keoghan
In their weird little Met Gala get-ups or in her Espresso gear. Or even just a Man United shirt and an Irish accent for Barry if you’re feelin’ lazy. Just remember to say the Joker is “sart of like an evil porson”.
2. Charli XCX and Troye Sivan
Gay son, thot daughter, holy spirit. All you need is a good wig and a great wig for Charli, plus a little tiny tank top and baggy trousers for Troye. Bonus points if you can do the Get Me Started dance (no one can).
3. The end of vapes
I.e a dress covered in your used disposable vapes, to mark the end of an era following the government ban.
4. Saltburn
It may have come out in 2023, but it took until early 2024 for Saltburn to really blow up. Plus, it’s ripe for costuming: suits of armour, stag ears, angel wings, cobweb dresses. You’ve got choices.
5. Olympic shooters
His and hers costume: the Turkish Olympic shooter with one hand in his pocket, and the badass South Korean shooter with her little eye gear. (N.B. ‘Olympic shooters’ also includes Raygun, on account of her name).
6. Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce
A good excuse to re-wear an Eras tour costume and a good excuse for your boyfriend or girlfriend to wear shoulder pads. You’re welcome!
7. The Challengers trio
Bonus points if at least one of you is in a relationship. You win Halloween if you have a threesome.
8. Anyone from The Bear
Men with nice arms: get yourself a blue apron stat! Then pair with either fake tattoos and a white t-shirt (Carmy), eyebrows (Luca), a bandana (Sydney) or a beanie (Marcus).
9. Beetlejuice
The Beetlejuice sequel, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, has given us a perfectly good excuse to raise those Lydia Deetz and Beetlejuice costumes from the grave. If you aren’t separating that fringe properly, it doesn’t count!
10. Feyd-Rautha from Dune 2
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Yes, you could go as a Fremen, or as Florence Pugh’s princess character with her lovely chainmail wigs. Or you could go the whole hog, whack out the bald cap and paint your teeth black. Welcome back Feyd-Rautha.
11. Harleen Quinzel from Joker: Folie à Deux
Good news for blonde women everywhere, it’s officially socially acceptable to dress as Harley Quinn again — this time you just have to get a bit Gaga with it. Even if the new movie was... disappointing.
12. Ms Howard from Abbott Elementary
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Think: supply teacher chic. Then pair it with a Bible and some spontaneous bursting into song. Congrats, you have becometh Barbara Howard.
13. Broken Biden
Wear a suit and a little American flag pin, but every time someone asks you a question you have to pause for three minutes or answer as if they’ve asked you something entirely different. Walk into a few walls. Job’s a good’un.
14. Partially assassinated Trump
Once again, a suit, a flag — and a bloody ear. Watch out if you’re a redhead, though, might start getting a bit Van Gogh-y.
15. The smoking duck meme
duck chuckling smiling head shake while smoking gif pic.twitter.com/z3mwfLSDkN
— ☕️ (@newdiaryentry) July 3, 2024
The standout meme of 2024. We miss you every day, smoking duck meme.
16. Ben Affleck and Matt Damon
A running conspiracy this year has been that Matt Damon and Ben Affleck are in love. This one might be a little tough unless you look really similar, or maybe print out “I’m with Matt” and “I’m with Ben” T-shirts. Jennifer Lopez optional.
17. The Unknown from the Willy Wonka experience
Need I say more? This costume was undoubtedly originally purchased from a low-rent Halloween costume shop so it should be perfectly possible to replicate.
18. Drake and Kendrick
Lots of jewellery, flat caps, drip, etc. Then just randomly erupt into arguments mid-Halloween party.
19. Nara Smith
You’ll need a ridiculously sleek and expensive looking ballgown, a fake pregnancy belly, a whisk and a bowl. This is the perfect Halloween costume for if you also want to look hot.
20. Chappell Roan
A musical persona that is practically begging to become a costume, get ready for plenty of Chappell Roans for Halloween 2024.
20. Moo Deng
Considering how there’s a pretty good case for this tiny hippo being TIME’s Person of the Year 2024 (aside from her not being a person, boooooo!), why not make her your Person of October 2024 by dressing up as her for Halloween? Biting encouraged, if not mandatory.
21. The Brat album
It was the soundtrack of the summer (even if a month after its release some media outlets declared they’d already done a 360 on it). But Charli XCX proved them wrong by releasing a successful remix version in October. Wear your best Brat green and print out your preferred cover of the two.
22. Glowed-up Mark Zuckerberg
The Meta CEO had a surprising (read: disturbing) glow-up this year. The simple version of the look to replicate is the slightly elevated Zuckerberg from his Meta talk on AI: just rub on some deep tan, curl your locks, pop on a blue tee and importantly: wear a silver chain. Or you could be more predictable and replicate his tux on a surfboard moment — don’t forget the beer in hand.
23. The Menendez brothers
All you need is your best late 1980’s style preppy basics and a friend to match you to do Halloween as the on-screen versions of Lyle and Erik from Netflix’s trending series.
24. The tennis ball from Challengers
Another option in the green things of 2014 niche: the literal ball from the movie of the year. Be sure to print the ‘Wilson’ logo out and stick it on your acid green look for clarity.
