Who Are We Dressing Up As This Year? From Pop Culture to Halloween

From blockbuster characters to viral personas, Halloween displays everything we've obsessed over.

By Catherine Ursitti

The costumes we choose are never random, especially in 2026. A single viral clip can make someone recognizable overnight, and a decades-old celebrity can suddenly become relevant again. The result is a Halloween lineup that feels like a capsule of recent cultural obsessions.

Many of this year's most anticipated costumes come straight from the screen. The sequel to The Devil Wears Prada brings Miranda Priestly back into the spotlight, channeling high-fashion authority in her iconic sunglasses paired with razor-sharp tailoring. Marty Supreme also gives us another distinct look: retro sportswear. The renewed buzz around Euphoria has placed Nate and Cassie’s outfits from their rather eventful wedding in the spotlight.

With Christopher Nolan's highly anticipated The Odyssey putting Greek mythology back in the cultural spotlight, Athena offers a compelling costume option: a flowing white dress, gold accessories, metallic armor, and elaborate headpieces. You can easily pull off Nikki from Obsession with a red halter top and black shorts, and the viral pirate from The Backrooms could be a striking getup. Of course, Glinda and Elphaba remain popular contenders. The pink and green pairing is a staple for friends seeking an instantly recognizable duo.

Music has always shaped Halloween, but this year's options exhibit just how expansive that influence has become. With their virality resurfacing, Michael Jackson and Dolly Parton represent the enduring appeal of musical icons. Jackson's red leather jacket or single sparkling glove and Dolly’s iconic blond hair are both instantly recognizable and timeless.

Zara Larsson's Midnight Sun tour aesthetic offers a colorful, playful costume. It could also be interesting to replicate Olivia Rodrigo's look from her music video “The Cure,” or Bad Bunny's halftime performance in a monochrome, all-cream ensemble. In Off Campus, Allie’s Jennifer Lopez costume brought the spotlight back to Lopez’s unique off-duty look.

For one weekend in October, our costumes become a record of what stood out to us most in 2026. Under the wigs, makeup, and meticulously planned outfits, we aren’t just dressing up as strangers. We're dressing up as the familiar, resonant culture we've been consuming all year.