Popular Halloween costumes for 2023

Costumes and candy are synonymous with Halloween. Individuals may spend weeks or months trying to come up with the perfect costumes for their trick-or-treating excursions or Halloween parties. Many children and adults also enjoy costume themes, in which they dress up to coordinate with others in their group.
There is always a steady selection of classic costumes that appeal to Halloween revelers, including vampires, cats, witches, and pirates. But one only need look to pop culture to come up with costumes unique to a particular year or era. The following are some costume ideas that figure to be wildly popular in 2023.
—Barbie: Due to the release of the mid-summer motion picture “Barbie,” starring Margot Robbie as the titular character and Ryan Gosling as “Ken,” there are bound to be many pink-clad trick-or-treaters traveling through neighborhoods this fall. Barbie always has had an impressive wardrobe, so fans of the film can dress up in any of her signature looks.
—Ariel: Disney has reinvented many of its popular animated classics into live-action retellings, and “The Little Mermaid” took its turn this year. Life is more fun under the sea, so costumes for Ariel the mermaid and her underwater friends and foes figure to be popular.
—Creed: Rocky’s boxing spin-off series “Creed” gave fans its latest installment with “Creed III” in 2023. The boxing champ dons all-white or all-red color schemes in this movie, and fans may want to emulate that in their costumes.
—Geralt of Rivia: “The Witcher” fandom is widespread, and viewers were treated to another season of the Netflix series this summer. This is the final season with Henry Cavill in the titular role (Liam Hemsworth is reportedly set to take over), so fans may be inspired to dress the part for Halloween this year.
—Jigsaw: “Saw X” will be released on October 27, and the Jigsaw Killer might be a choice for those looking to instill fear around the neighborhood.
—Wednesday Addams: Fans took to the inspiring new Addams Family spinoff that explores life through Wednesday’s eyes. With her signature black frocks and pigtails, it doesn’t take much to look like this macabre teen.
—Nepo Baby: The phrase “Nepo Baby” grew wings this year with the spotlight placed on many celebrity kids whose rise to fame may have been pushed along by their successful parents. All it takes is a pair of jeans and plain white T-shirt with “Nepo Baby” on the front to pull off this look.
—Ted Lasso: The main character from the Apple TV series potentially has made his last appearance on the pitch, as the most recent season, which premiered in March, is rumored to be the show’s last. Nevertheless, Lasso’s goofy, down-to-earth-isms and unique look will live on through those who wear his signature mustache, jacket and visor.
Halloween costumes run the gamut of classics and pop culture references. This year people are bound to see some common threads in neighborhoods across the country.
Get your pet ready for Halloween
Dressing up for Halloween is one of the more enjoyable ways to celebrate the spooky season. It’s not uncommon for people to be planning their costumes well ahead of Halloween. It’s never too early to begin thinking about the thrills, chills and candy to come.
Pet owners often choose to include their companion animals in Halloween festivities. Data from a 2022 PetSmart national survey unveiled that more than 755 of pet parents planned to dress their pets up for Halloween and other fall occasions.
Some city-dwelling individuals even planned to match their pet’s fall attire to their own. In 2019, the National Retail Federation estimated Americans would spend $490 million on pet costumes in 2020, which was more than double the figure spent around a decade prior.
Rubies, the largest manufacturer of pet costumes in the U.S. and Europe, shared these statistics in 2022, many of which will stay consistent this year.
—Vermont, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Utah and Maine are the states most likely to have dress up their pets.
—A pumpkin, hot dog and bat are the three most popular pet costumes. Star Wars-themed costumes also are favorites year after year.
There are plenty of costumes and pet clothing designed for pets, but not all of them are recommended by humane organizations or vets. Those who choose to include pets in Halloween festivities should keep these tips in mind when selecting costumes.
—Can the pet move properly? Check to see if the clothing item is sized appropriately so that it is not restrictive. Make sure the pet can walk properly, jump, groom, and relieve itself. Do not leave pets in costumes for too long, as they may affect the animal’s ability to control body temperature.
—Is your pet stressed? Look for behaviors that may indicate the pet is stressed by wearing the costume. Pets feeling anxious may groom excessively or make more noise than usual. Dogs may pant a lot or yawn. If a pet is pawing or pulling at the costume, it might be making the animal uncomfortable. Dogs tend to be more tolerant of costumes than cats, though each pet is unique.
—Can body language be relayed? Pets use body language to communicate with other animals. Costumes could interfere with that ability. If the pet will be wearing the costume indoors and not in proximity to other animals, it may be fine. Pets who will be walking outdoors and come into contact with other companion animals might act differently and other animals may act aggressively when faced with a pet in a costume.
—Is it safe? Choose costumes that do not impede the pet’s vision or its ability to walk. Select materials that are fire-retardant and nontoxic.
Pet costumes are quite popular on Halloween, and pet parents can have fun celebrating while also keeping pets’ comfort and safety in mind.