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The Best Celebrity and Pop Culture Halloween Costumes That Are More Timeless Than Trendy
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Each Halloween brings trendy costumes ripped from the headlines and getups inspired by pop culture’s biggest moments, and while a trendy costume can be a great way to commemorate the year that was, it can sometimes age poorly (or be downright confusing) to look back on. Simply put, dressing up in the best Halloween celebrity or pop culture costume doesn’t have to mean putting on a costume that probably won’t make sense in six months.
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Plus, while it can be fun to put on a new, more elaborate costume each year à la Heidi Klum, there’s a case to be made for the kind of costume you can revisit down the line — memorable, timeless pop culture costumes that don’t require a ton of explanation.
Whether you need an easy, last-minute costume or you’re looking for an outfit that’ll impress more people than it’ll confuse, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite celebrity and pop culture costumes that you can wear in 2024 — that’ll still make sense come 2025.
Michael Jordan’s “Flu Game”
Dressing up as an athlete is easy enough since every athlete has a uniform. But if you want to make the costume a little less basic, you can recreate a specific sports moment, like Michael Jordan’s famous “flu game.” Jordan led the Bulls to a game 5 victory against the Utah Jazz while stricken with a stomach bug.
Nike Air Jordan 1 Low
$115.00
Using Halloween as an excuse to go sneaker shopping? Count us in. The Air Jordan 1 is a tried-and-true sneaker classic that completes the look (as long as it’s in black, red, and white).
Michael Jordan Mitchell & Ness Jersey
$299.99
A Jordan jersey is pricey, but it’s the kind of thing that can be worn more than once (not just on Halloween).
Vicks DayQuil & NyQuil
$19.97
According to The Last Dance, Jordan’s “flu” was more likely severe food poisoning, so Dayquil wouldn’t have been much help. But don’t let pedantry ruin a good costume.
John Lennon
A costume that’s easy to pull off is John Lennon, thanks to the rock and roll icon’s signature round eyewear and long hair that he sported late in the Beatles’ career and after their breakup. You can keep it out of Harry Potter territory by adding Lennon’s famous “New York City” t-shirt.
Vintage Round Metal Sunglasses
$11.99
A pair of round glasses is key to the look.
Light Brown Wig Long
$15.99 $19.99 20% off
A long-hair wig is the best way to get Lennon’s 70’s look.
New York Men's Ringer Tee
$21.99
John Lennon sported a sleeveless version of a very similar t-shirt in one of his most iconic photos.
Elton John
Elton John has sported many looks over the years, but few are as iconic and instantly recognizable as his sequined Dodgers uniform. You can buy a ready-made version online, and cap it off with a pair of oversized sunglasses.
Baseball Uniform Full Set
$55.99 $68.99 19% off
This costume includes a cap and belt and comes in a range of sizes.
Oversize Square Glitter Sunglasses
$7.99
A pair of oversized sunglasses helps finish the look.
Sigourney Weaver as Ellen Ripley in Alien
If you have unlimited time and resources, you could dress up as a Xenomorph from the Alien franchise, but Sigourney Weaver as Ellen Ripley might be a little easier. A gray jumpsuit is key to the look, as is a head of curly hair. If you don’t want to carry a prop gun, you can bring Jonesy the cat along instead.
Klossus Long Sleeve Coverall
$43.98
This coverall features similar angled zips found on Ripley’s uniform. For those with a smaller frame, Dickies makes a similar style for women.
USCSS Nostromo Iron On Patches Set
$19.95
This set of patches includes the USCSS Nostromo logo featured on Ripley’s uniform.
Aurora Ginger Cat
$9.99
This ginger cat is a similar color to Jones, the other sole survivor of the USCSS Nostromo.
Thelma & Louise
Looking for an easy pop culture couples’ costume? Thelma & Louise is not only iconic and recognizable, but the individual components work outside of Halloween — anyone can pull off a pair of light blue Levi’s, not just Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon on the lam.
Levi's Ribcage Jeans
$98.00
A pair of vintage jeans will look best, or you can buy new, such as these light-wash high-waisted jeans from Levi’s. Add a western belt and a bandana to complete the look.
Free People New Frontier Western Bootie
$158.00
A pair of white cowboy boots, a white tank top, and a bandana complete the Louise look, while Thelma wears a sleeveless black band t-shirt and large square sunglasses.
Robert Pattinson as Edward in Twilight
Despite the film’s lack of narrative subtlety, the costumes from Twilight are fairly subdued. After all, these vampires don’t wear giant black cloaks. You can pull off Edward’s look with a gray peacoat, glitter makeup, and artfully tousled hair. A red apple makes for a cheap, convenient prop.
Marc New York Wool Blend Peacoat
$89.97
A gray peacoat similar to this one is what Edward wears through much of the first Twilight movie.
Unicorn Snot Face & Body Glitter Gel
$14.99 $15.99 6% off
“This is the skin of a killer, Bella!”
Arnold Schwarzenegger in Terminator 2: Judgement Day
Before he was the Governator, Arnold Schwarzenegger was the Terminator. Despite the film’s reportedly $100 million budget, Arnie’s look is surprisingly easy to pull off. A black leather Moto-style jacket and dark sunglasses paired with a black tee and pants are all you really need, and you can add a small red light to the sunglasses for a robotic look.
Rhodes Vintage Jacket
$178
A leather moto jacket is the most important element of Schwarzenegger’s Terminator 2 costume.
100 pcs 3mm Red LED Diode Lights
$5.99
A small red diode light taped behind a pair of black sunglasses will sell the look. You can power it using a small coin battery.
Uma Thurman as Mia Wallace in Pulp Fiction
Dressing up as Uma Thurman as Mia Wallace in Pulp Fiction is as easy as it is timeless, and the same could be said for most of the characters in the film. An oversized white dress shirt, black pants, and a bob wig are all you need. Bonus points for the bloody nose.
OneDor Costume Bob Wig
$15.29 $16.99 10% off
A jet-black bob wig is an essential component of the look.
Everlane Oxford Shirt
$88
A roomy white button-down, like this one from Everlane, completes the look and can be worn for plenty of other occasions.
Kyle MacLachlan as Dale Cooper in Twin Peaks
The ’90s supernatural drama remains an enduring icon (and The Return is criminally underrated). Kyle MacLachlan’s Dale Cooper is a relatively easy costume to pull off that’s sure to be a hit with TV fans. A trench coat, white shirt, and black tie are the basics, but every good costume is about accessorizing. Add Cooper’s tape recorder and a cup of coffee (preferably a damn fine one).
Quince Long Trench Coat
$129.90
Quince makes an affordable take on a trench coat that’s similar to the one from the show.
Twin Peaks Sheriff's Department Mug
$15.95
This Twin Peaks mug comes from Paramount’s gift shop, which has tons of great Twin Peaks merch.
Freddie Mercury at Live Aid 1985
Queen at Live Aid in 1985 remains one of the band’s most enduring performances, and Freddie Mercury’s on-stage outfit is iconic despite how simple it is. You may already have most of what you need to pull it off — the core components are simply a white tank and light-wash jeans. Studded accessories and a mustache (real or fake) complete the look.
Calvin Klein White Tank Top
$32.20
Calvin Klein’s white tanks are available in a pack of three.
Good Fella Black Moustache
Designed for a gangster costume, this mustache would also work well for a Freddie Mercury costume.
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