11 easy Halloween costumes inspired by quite the unhinged year

When it comes to Halloween, you can pretty much divide people into two distinct camps: those who spend all year prepping for 31 October to roll around so they can pull out all the stops with multiple costume changes, and those who don all black and leave it at that. However, as with most things in life, there are those of us who fall between two stools, vaguely wanting to make some sort of effort, but always manage to leave things until the last minute. I see you. You are valid and your costumes matter too.

Now, I am as much a staunch advocate for cat ears and a witch’s hat as the next average white woman, but there’s something about the appeal of a pop culture reference that I just can’t ignore. It’s in the spark of recognition while ordering a drink or waiting in the bathroom queue: “Are you dressed as Leo Varadkar picking his nose at a UK music festival circa 2019?”, I imagine them saying. “Yes,” I will nod knowingly, “Are you a stuffed olive from the 2008 classic Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging?” We laugh, then we cry, because we know one another on a spiritual level. A lifelong friendship ensues.

From references to some of the biggest blockbusters to hit theatres in recent years to more subtle nods that only the more chronically online among us may appreciate, here are some Halloween costume suggestions inspired by the whirlwind that was 2023…

Barbenheimer

Obviously, we fully expect Barbie to be ubiquitous this year. I want to see every iteration: roller skating Barbie, existential dread Barbie, weird Barbie, all of them. But if you’re looking for a couple’s costume that speaks to the gendered divide of cinema over the past year, Barbenheimer is the one. If you didn’t catch the debate, it was basically as follows. Girl = silly, fun, pink; Boy = dull, boring, serious. If your other half doesn’t feel like going as Mr. Oppenheimer, he could always ride along on a toy horse, fresh from his Mojo Dojo Casa House and embody Ryan Gosling. After all, you are everything, and he’s just Ken.

The Irish at the Oscars

Yes, we may have been robbed, but that doesn’t write off the great feeling of Irish pride that bubbled throughout the country when we earned a grand total of 14 nominations at this year’s Academy Awards. While the nominations were across An Cailín Ciúin, Aftersun, Avatar: The Way of Water and An Irish Goodbye, it’s The Banshees of Inisherin crew that I hope to see channelled this Halloween. Whether it’s on the red carpet or in their flat caps, it’s the definition of squad goals.

Shiv Roy

A show that continues to alienate me from discussions and has been spoiled for me time and time again throughout the year, Succession was on everyone’s lips throughout 2023. I may not have seen it, but I know all about Shiv Roy and her two-piece beige power suits and turtle necks. Alternatively, if you wanted to go extremely low key, you could always throw a pair of runners for the subway into a ludicrously capacious bag in an attempt to attract the attention of the overly intense wealthy elite?

Hailey and Justin Bieber

In a true testament to the value of outfit planning before an event, the Biebers stepped out for a Krispy Kreme X Rhode press event, and it was clear that one of them did not understand the dress code. Obviously, the internet exploded with hilarity, and this went right into the Justin-Hates-Hailey annals alongside him closing a car door in her face, and leaving her behind while running from the paps. Discourse aside, this is a great option for the ladies that want to look good while their boyfriends aren’t all that bothered. A red mini tube dress for you, a grey sweat set for him. But dear god, don’t let him forget the yellow Crocs or ridiculous hood-and-hat combo.

The Pope

Correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t think it qualifies as blasphemy if it’s AI generated. A few months back, I was stopped in my tracks while scrolling through Twitter at the sight of Pope Francis strutting around the Vatican in a white puffa jacket. Sadly, it was pretty much immediately confirmed as the work of some dark AI sorcery, but its costume-able potential remains. Button up your East 17-esque coat and pop on a big cross necklace and you’re pretty much there.

Gwyneth Paltrow on trial

Quiet luxury? Gwyneth Paltrow, like, invented it. To refresh your memory, the Goop founder was being sued for over $300,000 by a well-to-do 76-year-old retired optometrist who alleged that she skied into him back in 2016, and she was countersuing for a classy and symbolic $1. From the Jeffrey Dahmer aviator shades to her luxurious, high-end neutrals, Paltrow transformed the courtroom into her own personal catwalk. And I loved that for her.

Ryan Tubridy and Noel Kelly

Noel Kelly #Tubridy‘s agent, is wearing that suit for a bet, right?#RTÉ pic.twitter.com/EhpGkiewUq

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— Obstrepero (@BocktheRobber) July 1, 2023

Name a more iconic duo… I’ll wait. Okay, all jokes aside, the RTÉ payment scandal was one of the biggest dramas to hit the airwaves this year, and the image of the former Late Late Show host and his agent arriving at the Oireachtas has been permanently etched on my brain. It brought back up a snap of Noel Kelly in his black and white striped suit with Y2K micro sunnies, Tubridy in his grey two piece with that skinny sky blue tie… it’s just too good. Brown suit shoes are a must here.

Taylor Swift

The Eras Tour has had Swifties in a chokehold for what seems like an eternity, and now that it’s been released in cinemas, it almost feels like we’ve entered into a whole new universe ruled by Tay-Tay herself. From clips of her fans losing their minds (and popcorn) as they dance along in movie theatre aisles to TikToks of concert goers planning which album they’ll be dressing as, there is infinite potential for a Swift-inspired Halloween costume this year.

‘Travis I’m Pregnant’

If you’re pregnant but don’t feel like getting your belly out à la Rih Rih, perhaps the next best option is taking along a ‘[Insert name of partner here] I’m Pregnant’ sign and walking a mile in the shoes of one Mrs. Kourtney Kardashian Barker. Then, you and your other half can lean into being obnoxiously obsessed with one another all night long, engaging in as much PDA as you please.

Doja Cat as Choupette

Perhaps one of the most memorable looks from this year’s Met Gala, Doja Cat lived up to her feline name as she took to the carpet as none other than Choupette, Karl Lagerfeld’s beloved cat. This one would require some prosthetics and a cat-eared hood, but if you’re going to commit, commit. Think of it as the highly elevated, very 2023 version of a sexy black cat.

A nepotism baby

A very fun one for a group of friends, why not make your costume a call back to the nepotism baby discourse? The New York Magazine iconic cover may have come out in December 2022, but you best believe that conversation stayed rampant well into this year. You could pick an iconic nepo baby to embody — Lily-Rose Depp, Dakota Johnson, Maya Hawke — or you could pare it back and wear a simple slogan tee à la Hailey Beiber.