The only niche pop culture Halloween costumes you need for 2026

I hope whoever stole my Amazon package was also planning on being Addison Rae buying pickles for Halloween. Online, the race to out-niche each other this Halloween is already heating up. Somehow it’s that time again. Club night links are dropping into group chats and whispers of a possible (but probably unlikely) house party are stirring. As Halloween approaches, so does the annual struggle of finding a costume which sets you apart from the ghosts and vampires of the room, but still lands with the crowd and doesn't take hours to put together.

So, we’ve spent the year racking up our screen time and bookmarking the best pop culture moments of 2026 worthy of a Halloween costume. Read on for our favourite picks.

2016

In January, we kicked off 2026 by travelling back to 2016. For days, our Instagram feeds were clogged with decade-old pic dumps as people posted their former selves. From chokers to blue dip-dye, peace-and-pout selfies to Tumblr quotes, we were all feeling nostalgic for simpler times. It’s an easy, last-minute option for Halloween 2026 – all you need is a flower crown, skinny jeans and a Kylie Jenner lip kit.

THE COUPLE WHO SCALED THE EMPIRE STATE BUILDING

In July, two Russian influencers, Angela Nikolau and Ivan Kuznetsov, made headlines when they scaled New York’s Empire State Building. As helicopters circled, Kuznetsov got down on one knee and proposed, all while flying a flag that read: WHEN THE POWER OF LOVE BEATS THE LOVE OF POWER THE WORLD KNOWS PEACE. While it might be tricky to climb the Empire State building, it’s easy enough to recreate their outfits for Halloween – all you need is the flag, a balaclava and an engagement ring.

ROSALÍA WEARING LOLI’S TOOTH 

There’s no love like wlw love. Rosalía and Loli Bahia have given us some strong couples costume contenders over the past year, and a few solo options too. If you’re not ready to commit to a halo hair moment, Rosalía seemingly took romance to new heights when she stepped out in NYC wearing what appeared to be girlfriend Loli Bahia’s wisdom teeth around her neck. Pair with some gym wear and a set of wired headphones (Oklou’s Tracks Edition, to be exact) to nail the look. Bonus points if you can get your hands on an actual tooth.

ADDISON RAE ON A PICKLE RUN

Pop princess Addison Rae played right into our hands back in August when she was photographed in a perfectly clashing fit on a pickle run. Wearing camo sweatpants by Aviator Nation, a leopard-print top, black boots and a phone tucked into her waistband, Rae struck Halloween costume gold when she shielded her face from paparazzi with a pack of pickles.

THE BLADE ANGELS / ILIA MALININ

The 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics was one of the highlights of the year. For two weeks, the world came together in support of the hardcore athletes, who provided a wealth of entertainment. Beyond their impressive abilities, they brought all kinds of drama – from the curling cheaters to the Norwegian biathlete who confessed to having an affair on live TV. There were several breakout heroes (like the husky who crashed the women’s cross-country sprint qualifiers), but it was the American figure skating team that stole our hearts. Specifically, The Blade Angels, made up of gold medalist Alysa Liu, Amber Glenn and Isabeau Levito. For any men reading this, why not dress as Dazed cover star Ilia Malinin, who skated in distressed jeans and a Balmain hoodie.

CHANNING TATUM’S BUTTERFLY BURNER ACCOUNT

Back in September, internet sleuths became convinced they’d uncovered Channing Tatum’s secret Instagram profile after discovering a mysterious account with Tatum as the only follower. While the actor has since denied the allegations, the account’s turquoise butterfly profile picture makes for a quick-win costume. All you need is a pair of blue butterfly wings and some unresolved feelings about your ex.

BJÖRK’S ECLIPSE LOOK (PLUS ROSÉ) 

The eclipse had Europe in a chokehold this summer as people grabbed their colanders to try and safely glimpse the rare phenomenon. As our designated messenger between Earth and all things extraterrestrial, Björk threw a rave in her native Iceland to celebrate the occasion. Naturally, her outfit did not disappoint. The musician arrived on stage with a glass of rosé wine, wearing a Robert Wun balloon ensemble. It’s a cheap one to recreate: you just need white balloons and a bottle of Whispering Angel. In the same vein, an eclipse couple’s costume (where one of you is the moon and the other is the sun) would definitely win points at any party.

ERLING HAALAND (AND RACCOON) 

Team Norway’s Erling Haaland was the real winner of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The 26-year-old player captured our attention with his golden viking hair, prompting thousands of memes including one that compared him to a spring onion (a moment he recently cited as one of his proudest achievements). Off the pitch, his personality shone through his Snapchat posts and sarcastic responses to fans. We already know he loves a Birkin, but our favourite Haaland moment came when he stepped off a plane carrying a taxidermy raccoon as an accessory.

DOECHII AT DAISY CHAIN FIELDS

Doechii seems to have embarked on a new sartorial evolution. For the past two years, she’s been all about the preppy, Thom Browne moments, but in 2026, she’s going for a more extraterrestrial look. Last week, she dropped a new single “BOMBS” wearing a cyborgian bikini that shot fire from the nipples; earlier this summer, meanwhile, she performed at Olivia Rodrigo’s Daisy Chain Fields festival painted entirely in fuchsia. The Florida rapper and her dancers were all coated in neon pink paint, styled with leopard print bikinis and space age pigtails. Warning: you might end up wearing this costume for longer than just one night.

KIM PETRAS AND CHARLI XCX BAG SWAP

This one might require some screen time to land with the general public. But when Kim Petras and Charli xcx filmed a TikTok together to promote Petras’s track “Autobahn”, an apparently innocent bag swap from one arm to the other was enough for terminally online fans to run with, as they dissected the interaction for signs of tension and “yin to yang imagery”. 

OLIVIA RODRIGO’S DISSOLVING DRESS

Olivia Rodrigo got the internet talking with her wardrobe choices this year. As well as her Dazed cover shoot (obviously), she accidentally sparked an online debate back in May, when she stepped on stage wearing a classic baby doll dress. Then, during a performance of “The Cure” last month, the singer wore a custom Hussein Chalayan frock that dissolved as water poured down on her. The look was a reference to Chalayan’s dissolving SS16 collection, which we interviewed the designer about at the time. 

ANTHONY VACCARELLO’S FINAL YSL COLLECTION

The fashion world went into mourning this month, when it was confirmed that Anthony Vaccarello would be leaving his post as creative director of Saint Laurent. Rumours started to swirl when the designer delivered his gilded SS27 collection – almost entirely made up of gold looks. It was one of the most impressive (and certainly most talked about) shows of the season, but sadly, it was also a shiny bow wrapping up Vaccarello’s decade at the house. For anyone trying to impress their fashion-forward friends this Halloween, all you need is gold fabric, shoulder pads, and ideally, a chandelier or two. 

MUSIC FASHION FILM COVER