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.
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
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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”.
A rat, but make it brat. Much more interesting than wearing the already overworn brat green on its own. Bring in a rodent element. Spice it up.
3. Keir Starmer’s worst nightmare
POOL/AFP via Getty Images
A dress made up entirely of cigarettes, in reference to the outdoor smoking ban. P.S do not make your own from real cigarettes, it would be prohibitively expensive. This isn’t a Lady Gaga meat dress situation, you will smell terrible for no good reason and you will be incredibly, incredibly flammable.
Courtesy of Prime / Amazon Content Services LLC
It may have come out in 2023, but real ones know that 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.
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
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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!
Bonus points if at least one of you is in a relationship. You win Halloween if you have a threesome.
Will Poulter and Lionel Boyce in The Bear
FX
Move over, Carmy, it’s Luca’s year. Even though people will almost definitely not be able to tell the two apart, this is the hot The Bear costume of 2024.
The Beetlejuice sequel, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, has given us a perfectly good excuse to raise those Lydia Deetz and Beetlejuice costumes from the dead. If you aren’t separating that fringe properly, it doesn’t count!
10. Feyd-Rautha from Dune 2
Warner Bros. Pictures
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. Plus, Folie à Deux comes out on 4 October, so it’ll be peak relevant.
12. Ms Howard from Abbott Elementary
ABC
Think: supply teacher chic. Then pair it with a Bible and some spontaneous song. Congrats, you have becometh Barbara Howard.
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
AFP via Getty Images
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
What better way to protest Keir’s ban than dress up as this icon? Especially if you go to the party with costume suggestion No. 3.
16. Ben Affleck and Matt Damon
PA
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.
PA
Lots of jewellery, flat caps, drip, etc. Then just randomly erupt into arguments mid-Halloween party.
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.
AP
A musical persona that is practically begging to become a costume, get ready for plenty of Chappell Roans for Halloween 2024.
