The Best Celebrity and Pop Culture Halloween Costumes, From Timeless to 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 2025 — that’ll still make sense come 2026. And if you’re looking for some trendy ideas from TV and movies, we’ve included picks from popular 2025 shows like The Pitt and Severance.

Noah Wyle in The Pitt

If you’re looking for a last-minute Halloween costume, Noah Wyle as Dr. Robby in The Pitt is an easy one to pull off. The doctor typically sports a blue zippered sweatshirt, black scrubs, and a stethoscope. A weary expression helps, too.

Extra Heavyweight French Terry Zip Hoodie

$54.00 $108.00 50% off

Buy Now at gap

A basic zippered hoodie, like this one from Gap, will help complete the look, particularly worn over black scrubs.

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Deluxe Costume Stethoscope

$7.99

Buy Now at spirit halloween

A stethoscope is an easy, affordable prop to add, along with gloves.

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Leonardo DiCaprio in One Battle After Another

One Battle After Another is one of the most talked-about movies of the year and a “stone-cold masterpiece,” according to Rolling Stone’s David Fear. DiCaprio’s character, Pat, wears a distinctive look throughout the film of a bathrobe, oversized shades, and a beanie. Bonus points if you can find his old-school phone.

L.L. Bean Scotch Plaid Flannel Robe

$89.95

Buy Now at l.L. Bean

This robe from L.L. Bean is a close match for the one worn in the film, but won’t fall apart after just one wear.

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Keegan Square Sunglasses

$15.00

Buy Now at urban outfitters

As for the sunglasses, the bigger the better.

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Helly R. in Severance

Severance costumes have been a buzz since the show first premiered, and they’ll likely remain popular this year, following the release of season 2 this spring. Britt Lower’s character, Helly R, has a distinctive look that’s relatively easy to pull off.

L.L. Bean Soft Stretch Supima-Blend Tee

$49.95

Buy Now at LL Bean

A blue turtleneck is arguably Helly’s signature look throughout the second season.

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Severance Keycard ID Badge

$13.99

Buy Now at etsy

Praise Kier.

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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.

Michael Jordan Mitchell & Ness Jersey

$299.99

Buy at nba store

A Jordan jersey is pricey, but it’s the kind of thing that can be worn more than once (not just on Halloween).

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Vicks DayQuil & NyQuil

$19.97

Buy On Amazon

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.

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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

Buy Now On Amazon

A pair of round glasses is key to the look.

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Light Brown Wig Long

$15.99 $19.99 20% off

Buy Now On Amazon

A long-hair wig is the best way to get Lennon’s 70’s look.

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New York Men’s Ringer Tee

$21.99

Buy Now On Amazon

John Lennon sported a sleeveless version of a very similar t-shirt in one of his most iconic photos.

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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

Buy Now On Amazon

This costume includes a cap and belt and comes in a range of sizes.

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Oversize Square Glitter Sunglasses

$7.99

Buy Now On Amazon

A pair of oversized sunglasses helps finish the look.

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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

Buy Now On Amazon

This coverall features similar angled zips found on Ripley’s uniform. For those with a smaller frame, Dickies makes a similar style for women.

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USCSS Nostromo Iron On Patches Set

$19.95

Buy Now On Amazon

This set of patches includes the USCSS Nostromo logo featured on Ripley’s uniform.

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Aurora Ginger Cat

$9.99

Buy Now On Amazon

This ginger cat is a similar color to Jones, the other sole survivor of the USCSS Nostromo.

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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

$51.75 $98.00 47% off

Buy On Amazon

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.

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Free People New Frontier Western Bootie

$69.97

Buy at nordstrom

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.

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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

Buy at nordstrom rack

A gray peacoat similar to this one is what Edward wears through much of the first Twilight movie.

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Unicorn Snot Face & Body Glitter Gel

$14.99 $15.99 6% off

Buy Now On Amazon

“This is the skin of a killer, Bella!”

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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

Buy On Amazon

A jet-black bob wig is an essential component of the look.

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Everlane Oxford Shirt

$74 $88 16% off

Buy at everlane

A roomy white button-down, like this one from Everlane, completes the look and can be worn for plenty of other occasions.

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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

Buy at quince

Quince makes an affordable take on a trench coat that’s similar to the one from the show.

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Twin Peaks Sheriff’s Department Mug

$15.95

Buy at paramount

This Twin Peaks mug comes from Paramount’s gift shop, which has tons of great Twin Peaks merch.

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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 (4-Pack)

$49.50

Buy at nordstrom

Calvin Klein’s white tanks are available in a pack of three.

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Good Fella Black Moustache

$4.20

Buy Now On Amazon

Designed for a gangster costume, this mustache would also work well for a Freddie Mercury costume.

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