Every October, the same debate takes over the group chat. Do you play it safe with a classic and risk being the fourth vampire at the party, or do you go topical and hope people actually get it? We vote topical. Always. There’s no better feeling than walking through the door and hearing someone shout your costume’s name before you’ve even set your drink down.
Lucky for us, 2026 has been extremely generous with material. A baby monkey broke the internet’s heart back in February, and a reality TV finale somehow turned a pair of Dickies overalls into a fashion moment. The memes kept rolling in after that, and most of them translate into costumes you can pull together from your own closet plus one or two strategic buys. Halloween also lands on a Saturday this year, so the parties will be packed, and the pressure to show up with something clever is very real.
So we did the scrolling for you. These are the looks that’ll have your friends pulling out their phones!
1. Punch And His Orangutan Bestie
If you were online at all in February, you know Punch. The baby macaque at Ichikawa City Zoo in Japan was rejected by his mom shortly after birth, so his keepers gave him a stuffed orangutan to cling to. Clips of him dragging that plush everywhere turned into a full global obsession. The toy, IKEA’s Djungelskog, sold out in several countries and started showing up on resale sites for way more than retail. The costume is simple and ridiculously sweet. Throw on a brown fuzzy onesie or monkey ears, then carry a big orange plush all night long. The one rule is that you never put it down, not even to grab snacks. Got a partner who’s willing to commit? Put them in orange faux fur and let them be the orangutan while you hang off their arm the entire party.
2. Rob And Maura From The Traitors
Nobody saw this fashion pairing coming. Rob Rausch took the win on The Traitors in the same light blue Dickies overalls he’d basically lived in all season, while Maura Higgins showed up to the finale in head-to-toe latex, beret included. Put the two side by side, and you’ve got the most chaotic couple costume of the year. The glam half needs a black latex or faux leather mini, long shiny gloves, and a patent beret with slicked hair. The other half is even easier: overalls, a white tank, and a silver chain. Draw a few snake tattoos on your arms with liquid eyeliner, and people will clock you instantly! Want to go the extra mile? Carry a fancy handbag and let everyone ask about it.
3. Bad Bunny’s Halftime Show Uniform
Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show was a cultural moment, full stop. He performed in Spanish and brought Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin along for the ride, but the outfit is what we still think about. Instead of flashy couture, he wore custom Zara in cream. His first look was a football jersey-style sweatshirt with trousers and a tie, printed with his mom’s surname, Ocasio, and the number 64 for the year she was born. Later he layered a cream double-breasted blazer over the top. Recreating it is refreshingly low effort. Go monochrome cream from head to toe, grab a plain jersey or sweatshirt and add iron-on letters for Ocasio and 64. A skinny tie and a football tucked under your arm finish it off. Bonus: you can actually dance in this one, which matters when someone inevitably queues up ‘DtMF.’
4. Serena Neel, In Whichever Era You Want
If Serena Neel isn’t on your For You page yet, prepare to lose an afternoon. The TikTok creator blew up with her Angel Tree shopping hauls, and then she just kept going. She repaints her bathroom every single month. She bakes sourdough. She once bought out a small pickle company’s entire inventory, and delivery drivers who stop at her house find snacks and surprise gifts waiting for them. That range makes her the perfect group costume, because every friend can pick a different Serena. One of you shows up in paint-splattered overalls with a roller, another carries a sourdough loaf in an apron, and whoever is bravest goes full pickle. Line up together, and you’ve basically recreated her feed!
5. The Artemis II Crew
Some memes are funny. This one made grown adults cry at their desks. In April, Artemis II sent Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen around the moon, the first crewed trip that far out in more than half a century, and we followed every minute of it. Four astronauts means this is a ready-made group costume. Grab orange jumpsuits to match the crew’s launch suits and add NASA patches, plus a helmet if you can find one. The detail that’ll make it land? A little plush clipped to your suit. The crew brought one named Rise along as their zero-gravity indicator, and it became a star in its own right.
6. Erling Haaland, Viking Mode
The World Cup took over the summer, and for plenty of Americans it was their proper introduction to Norway’s Erling Haaland. Between the long blond hair and the goal celebrations, he’s basically a walking costume already. Pull on a red Norway kit, add a long blond wig, and top it with a Viking helmet. If your friends want in, turn it into a crew of Norway fans and recreate the rowing celebration that made the rounds online. Just make sure the living room has enough floor space.
7. Nikki From Obsession
Horror fans, this one’s yours. Obsession went from surprise release to one of the year’s biggest scary movies, and Nikki’s party outfit has been all over TikTok costume boards way earlier than anyone expected. The look is a red and black animal print top with black leather shorts and knee-high boots, plus whatever silver necklace you already own. Add a splash of fake blood, and it goes from cute to unsettling in about thirty seconds. That’s the sweet spot, if you ask us.
8. Miranda Priestly, Back In Business
Twenty years after the original, The Devil Wears Prada 2 finally happened, and Miranda Priestly reminded everyone why she’s the blueprint for icy bosses. Her look is instantly recognizable and doesn’t take much. The wig does all the heavy lifting, so invest in a sharp silver bob. Add a black faux fur coat and oversized sunglasses with something purple underneath. Then commit to the bit by dropping your coat on the nearest counter the second you arrive. If your bestie wants to match, send them as Andy in a blue cable knit sweater. Cerulean, obviously!
9. Allie And Dean From Off Campus
BookTok girlies already know. Prime Video’s Off Campus, adapted from Elle Kennedy’s hockey romance series, gave us a Halloween party episode, and Allie and Dean’s costumes are about to be everywhere. She shows up as Jennifer Lopez in that famous green Versace moment, and he comes as Maverick from Top Gun. For Allie, find a plunging green palm or jungle print maxi and the biggest gold hoops you can find. Dean needs an olive flight suit, aviators, and Top Gun patches, because without the patches you’re just a person in a jumpsuit. We love a costume of a costume. Very meta. Very fun.
10. Zendaya’s Odyssey Press Tour
Zendaya turned the press tour for Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey into a moving runway, and Law Roach deserves a trophy for it. Every stop brought something more dramatic than the last, including a gown with actual wings. This is where group costumes get fun. Have each friend pick a different press tour look and walk in together like a fashion-week lineup. Going as a duo? One of you is Zendaya, and the other is Law Roach with long hair, dark sunglasses, and an oversized fit. Want something lower effort? Her Athena from the movie is an off-white hooded linen dress, and nobody has to know it took you five minutes.
Whichever look you land on, the secret is commitment. Stay in character and don’t you dare put the prop down! Which costume are you claiming before your friends beat you to it? Be sure to let us know by tweeting us at @thehoneypop or visiting us on Facebook and Instagram.
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