It’s almost Halloween, baby! That time of the year when everyone dresses up as one of two things: a mythical dead entity (ghost, vampire, zombie) or a person or concept that is both wry and timely (a can of Poppi, Sydney Sweeney’s sports ad, whatever British celeb ends up being weird on the this year). Why this is how we celebrate this ancient Celtic pagan ritual I do not know, but there’s no time to ask questions: you need to settle on a costume before that house party, pronto. We don’t all have the funds, time and wherewithal of the queen of Halloween, Heidi Klum.
To that end, below, find 10 last-minute Halloween costume ideas inspired by 2026 pop culture. All you’ll need is a few quid and some commitment to the bit. You can thank me later.
Bethenny Frankel at Burning Man
TikTok content
No, Bethenny Frankel – formerly of the , and now of eating salads on TikTok fame – did not travel to a war-torn country this summer, as a cursory glance at some of her videos (tattered encampments, dust-smothered road trucks) may have suggested. She was, in fact, at Burning Man – which can cost “festival goers” thousands of dollars to attend. This one’s actually quite easy to pull together. All you’ll need is some metallic goggles, an alarmingly-sized cowboy hat and some white silk pyjamas absolutely destroyed by dust. Want to go all out? Learn the lyrics to the Notorious BIG’s “It Was All A Dream” for an impromptu performance.
John Travolta in a beret at Cannes
Lesbians, gather round. I’ve found a costume that does not require us to deviate too far from our natural garb. (I actually think I wore this exact outfit last Thursday?) If you want those around you to know that you are in fact wearing a costume and didn’t just come from work, then don’t forget to repeatedly position your fingers and thumbs into an odd yet strangely compelling triangle formation throughout the night.
Kim Kardashian on a Lime bike
The fact Kim Kardashian even knows what a Lime bike is feels destabilising, a bit like when you consider the fact that 50 Cent and Charlie Chaplin were, at one point, alive at the same time on earth. Again, this is a straightforward one to pull together: just throw on some Skims leggings and a padded bra if you need one, get a fresh blow-out and walk outside to claim the nearest Lime.
Charlize Theron as Calypso in
Look, just because it was the Bronze Age – around 1200 BCE – doesn’t mean that Calypso wouldn’t have looked absolutely snatched… as demonstrated by Charlize Theron in Christopher Nolan’s , in which she wore a series of gaggy boho dresses. Finding said dresses should be relatively easy: just Google things like “Californian coastal chic” or “asymmetric midi-dress” and you’ll come across something appropriately Calypso soon enough.
How many miles do you think Harry Styles and Zoë Kravitz have collectively racked up during their endless excursions around New York? I’m not sure I’ve walked as much in my entire life as these two have in 2026. This one’s more of a couples costume, so there’ll need to be two of you to make it work. Think: sunglasses, caps, navy workwear, long coats, blue Levi’s jeans and a general aura of mystery and displeasure.
Natalie from the book
Just get a white trad-looking dress, dunk the hems in mud and carry a stuffed toy cow around, or something.
Hawk and Piña from
I tend to think that couples costumes work best when they’re a little bit niche and a little bit knowing. For example: get yourself a blonde bob wig and a boxy suede jacket, plus a crew-neck black knit for your significant other and , you are Hawk and Piña from The Invite. This one’s good because everyone can spend an awkward amount of time trying to figure out who are and then eventually you can say “Hawk and Piña!” like it’s a big reveal and everyone will be like, “Ohhhh.”
2016
In 2026, we were all briefly yet rabidly obsessed with 2016 – which was a bad year, but not as bad as this one. Dressing up as an entire year might sound difficult, but I actually think it could be fairly uncomplicated. Just rifle around for an old Thrasher hoodie, some Dr Martens and a tattoo choker and pose a lot with your tongue out while throwing up the peace sign with both hands. This is the scariest Halloween costume on the list because you’ll look kind of like you did at school slash uni, except now you’re Googling things like “neck tightening procedures”.
The Gallagher brothers
I assume you don’t need me to tell you how to dress like the Gallagher brothers, but just in case: shade your eyebrows in with a Sharpie, wear a parka zipped right up to the chin and some tiny John Lennon shades and act a bit lairy.
Sarah Pidgeon and Paul Anthony Kelly as Carolyn Bessette and John F Kennedy Jr in
Everyone dresses up like them anyway, so they may as well do it with their chest. Also, everyone knows the true purpose of Halloween is to look sexy without making it too obvious that you’re trying to look sexy.
