For many, September marks the end of summer and the beginning of Fall. Naturally, this kickstarts the early Halloween excitement.
For those looking to indulge in the Halloween festivities, attention turns to what they are going to be dressing up as. While some opt for classic costumes such as devils, black cats and ghosts, others take it as an opportunity to dress up as characters from culturally significant films and TV shows.
With this in mind, Nick Drewe, trend expert at online E-commerce platform, Wethrift, has analysed global Google Trends data for the past month, to determine which popular characters are the most in demand for Halloween lovers to emulate in 2023.
1. Harley Quinn costume +153% past month
Although the sequel of the infamous Joker movie is not due for release until October 2024, there’s already plenty of hype around the upcoming release since it wrapped up filming in early April.
And with star of the show, Lady Gaga sharing a behind the scenes snap of her portrayal of Joker’s famous sidekick and lover, Harley Quinn, the internet is already going wild for all things Harley this Halloween.
With a bleached blonde bob, bright red lipstick, and dark, messy eye makeup, the on set photo of Gaga as Harley has already received over 32.4K comments on the original Instagram post. It’s likely that many fans will be looking to recreate this first glimpse of Harley Quinn, an entire year before the movie’s release. Alternatively, people may be opting to create Margot Robbie’s adaptation of the character from the 2020 release, Birds of Prey.
2. Ghostface costume +84% past month
The infamous slasher villain ‘Ghostface’ from the Scream movies is a Halloween staple and classic choice of costume dating all the way back to the 90s. With the release of the Scream 6 earlier in the year, demand for the costume is high, with searches for ‘Ghostface costume’ increasing by 84% over the past month.
With another Scream film in the works, it’s likely this cult classic villain costume will be in high demand across the holiday season this year.
3. Barbie and Ken costume +76% past month
Given the global impact that Greta Gerwig’s blockbuster Barbie movie has had, it won’t be surprising to see a wave of Barbie-inspired outfits for Halloween this year. Everyone loves a coordinated couples outfit for Halloween, so what better than Barbie and Ken?
It seems like the world is already embracing the Barbiecore trend ahead of Halloween, with searches for Barbie and Ken costumes having already skyrocketed by 76% over the past month – this number is likely to increase even further demand as Halloween draws closer. From Barbie’s classic bleach blonde hair, and pink, sparkling jumpsuits, to Ken’s beachwear or now iconic fur coat, Barbie and Ken are likely to top the list of this year’s most popular Halloween looks.
4. Super Mario costume +67% past month
With the release of the Super Mario movie in April 2023, it’s likely we’ll see plenty of the classic red and blue dungarees and fake moustaches during this year’s Halloween festivities.
In fact, searches for ‘Super Mario costume’ increased by 67% over the past month, so whether you’re opting for Mario or Luigi this year, the classic video game characters will likely be among some of the most popular choices of Halloween costume for this year.
5. Wednesday costume +43% past month
The hit Netflix series ‘Wednesday’ has had an undeniable impact on pop culture over the past year, from viral TikTok dance routines, to a whole new generation of Wednesday Addams fans, it is sure to be a top pick this Halloween.
Interestingly, the series was released on Netflix after Halloween 2022, meaning that this year is the first year that people get to replicate Jenna Ortega’s adaptation for Halloween parties. The classic look encompasses black dresses, ruffles, frills, oversized collars paired with dark hair and gothic-style makeup.
6. Little Mermaid costume +41% past month
With the live action remake of the Disney classic, The Little Mermaid hitting cinemas in May this year, a wave of Mermaid inspired beauty and fashion trends dominated TikTok and Pinterest, dubbed as ‘mermaidcore’.
With a 41% increase in global searches over the past month, demand for Little Mermaid costumes is on the rise, with plenty of people planning an Aerial-inspired look for this year’s festivities. Create the look with red hair, and sparkling iridescent clothing and makeup for a glamorous take on fish scales.
7. Oppenheimer costume +17% past month
Another cinematic phenomenon of 2023 entering the list of trending costumes is Oppenheimer.
Of course, we were all present for the great ‘Barbenheimer’ weekend of July 2023, as fans around the globe flocked to cinemas to watch Barbie, Oppenheimer, or in many cases, both films back to back. It’s no surprise that both of these characters have made it to the list of trending costumes this year.
As a relatively simple look to replicate, Cillian Murphy’s character is seen sporting formal wear, a long trench coat, and a wide-brimmed hat.
