In our list, we’ve collected some of the most original, creative, and downright hilarious costumes spotted in recent years. If you’re looking for inspiration or just want a chance to laugh at some crazy ideas – get ready for a fabulous experience filled with tricks and treats. Even Steve Jobs made it on our list….
Guess Who
This couple decided to take both of their favorite rock bands and create an incredible play on words for them. On the left, wearing a melon costume with sunglasses and a walking stick, you have the famous rock band Blind Melon. On the right, we have this beautiful lady dressed as Alice from the 1865 Lewis Carroll novel, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.
In case you haven't noticed, the Alice cosplayer is also wearing chains, making her costume a cool play-on-words of the Seattle-based heavy metal band, Alice in Chains.
This Guy Turned Himself Into Part of a Van Gogh Painting
One of the most popular Vincent van Gogh paintings of all time is the iconic "The Starry Night." This masterful piece of art is a rendering of the east-facing view of the artist's asylum room at Saint-Rémy-de-Provence just before dawn. It's widely regarded as one of Van Gogh's best works and is one of the most recognized paintings in the world.
Somehow, the guy makes himself fit perfectly inside the painting by masterfully combining colors, lighting, and a very handsome suit. Art lovers will go crazy for this costume, as it takes a truly artistic person to manage to insert yourself into such a magnificent artwork without ruining the feel and color palette of the image.
This Jellyfish Costume
This costume may just be one of our favorites for its extraordinary features - the fairy lights that make it glow in the dark! The transformation is truly a beautiful sight and takes us away to some underwater world.
This costume will be the center of attention at any Halloween party, with its glow-in-the-dark LED lighting and battery pack; walking into a room wearing this would make everyone's head turn!
Pizza Rat
Infamous animals can make for very innovative costumes too! Here we have a girl dressing up as the notorious Pizza Rat that was caught wandering New York's subway, carrying a slice of pizza.
Since the video went viral, the Pizza Rat has become an internet sensation!
Bacon, Kevin Bacon
While there's nothing inherently unique or hilarious about a bacon costume, it's still a great solution for anyone who's lacking in ideas or time to create their own costumes. This cute and smart girl, however, wanted to make sure that nobody will forget her bacon costume. How did she do it? Simple — by adding a name tag with the words "Hello, my name is Kevin."
In case you've missed it, the actor that this girl was referencing using her costume is none other than Kevin Bacon!
Bob Ross
Bob Ross was a top-rated painter who hosted his instructional painting TV show "The Joy of Painting" from 1983 to 1994; Ross would paint beautiful backgrounds in the show and provide commentary while doing it.
This guy and his girlfriend decided to recreate the look and style of the beautiful painter, down to the buttoned shirt and jeans combo that he would wear during his shows (and, of course, the incredible afro).
Yikes!
This is probably the scariest costume we have on our list; not only would we give her all our candy, but also our car, and maybe even our house! With those yellow eyes and those realistic-looking scales, it's hand down a good effort.
As terrifying as this costume is, it's definitely creative and a good idea for next Halloween!
Oogie Boogie Baby
If you don't remember Oogie Boogie, then maybe it is time for you to watch the Tim Burton classic. It can be challenging to find a look that's both fun and scary, and the Oogie Boogie man treads that line perfectly!
While Oogie Boogie may be pretty scary, this costume is pretty cute. The jumpsuit is oversized and in a burlap pattern with stitches up the sides of the sleeves.
The Dragon Queen on the Iron Throne
Whether people are dressing up for Halloween or Comic-Con, this costume character proves that a mobility aid can actually be a point of inspiration for a great costume.
Inspired by the character of Daenerys Targaryen from the popular series "Games of Thrones," this Halloween costume is great!
Halloween As a Family
Looking for a family costume idea, why not try this? Dressing up as a group when you're a family is one of the most fun parts of Halloween after having kids.
This family did not have to spend a lot of money to recreate this costume, as most of what they're wearing is homemade and original.
Cat Lady
Everyone can instantly recognize an old cat lady when they see one from talking incessantly to their cats to lifting them up like the scene in "The Lion King." This trope has been used quite often in films and books, which is why everyone knows precisely what you're talking about when you say "an old cat lady."
This kid's Mom helped her create the iconic cat lady look, from the pink robe, the '70s grandma glasses, and of course, the many cats hanging on her as she opens her arms in awe of the world.
A French Kiss
We're really celebrating word puns today, aren't we? This group decided to combine the popular glam rock band KISS with French attire and baguettes. Combining one of the most popular rock bands from the eighties with the french bread doesn't really make sense when you first look at it.
What do these stripe patterned shirts and baguettes have to do with creepy face paint and protruding tongues?
You Won't Believe What a Stormy Night it is Outside!
Moving on to someone who actually put some thought into his costume, we've got this guy here who's going through a terrible storm! Have you ever walked home in the middle of a rainy storm with an umbrella and just had it flip inside out on you while pulling you back?
Everyone who looks at this picture can relate and recognize this harrowing moment of having to take care of your umbrella while your entire body is getting covered in the rain.
What is Cuter than a Carrot Baby?
Everyone loves babies; watching a newborn can make even the most cynical and negative people feel the joy and happiness of a new life. This picture is downright adorable and shows a cute newborn posing as a carrot.
What makes this costume even cooler is that it lets the baby sleep in a very comfortable way while also making him even more adorable than usual. This picture would just make anyone melt in place.
Eleven Came Out Looking Great In Nikes
One of the most popular shows in recent years is Netflix's science-fiction horror series, "Stranger Things."
The series follows a group of boys in the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana, during the '80s, as they investigate and uncover details regarding the disappearance of one of their best friends, as well as the sudden appearance of a girl with extraordinary telepathic abilities who helps them during the search.
Georgie and His Boat
Stephen King's iconic epic horror novel was released in 1986 and caused fans to hate clowns and red balloons forever. Once the novel was turned into a short miniseries in 1990, it began gaining popularity among young millennial audiences.
The opening scene of the film portrays young Georgie, who loses his paper boat during a stormy day, only to get his hand eaten by Pennywise, the scary clown, when he attempts to retrieve it from a sewer ditch.
Weeping Angel
We've had nightmares about the weeping angels. Thanks, "Doctor Who." For those who aren't familiar with the long-running science fiction series, the Weeping Angels are a race of predatory creatures that resemble stone statues.
This costume may only be recognized by "Doctor Who" fans, but it's still an amazing idea!
A Formal Apology
We have in our hearts enough room for about one play-on-words joke per day, and this guy is the first one we've seen so far, so things are OK for now. Apparently, he took the phrase "formal apology" to its logical conclusion by wearing formal attire, including a suit, tie, handkerchief, and even a pocket watch chain like they used to wear in the 19th century.
His tie says "SORRY" on his tie, making the joke quite evident after about 5 seconds of attempting to figure out the meaning behind the outfit.
A Return to Tradition is Sometimes the Best Cure
What this lady did was create a fake bowl of cereal around her, likely using some cardboard and tape. She then added massive rainbow-colored cereals into her human-sized bowl and proceeded to even add a fake massive spoon to the mix. All of this is packed in a comfortable, wearable costume that you can carry with just two straps on your shoulders. This is really one of the better costumes we've seen in recent years.
We hope these entries helped you find inspiration for your next Halloween holiday and believe in you enough to say, "go out there and create a costume that would make us put you on next years' list!"
Starbucks
Starbucks has become one of the most popular coffeehouse chains in the entire world and currently serves over 30,000 locations all around the world. The company has released a new frappuccino in 2017 that was completely different than any of their previous frappuccinos.
It was called the unicorn frappuccino and had a weird pink color due to its content of pink powder, mango syrup, sour blue drizzle, vanilla whipped cream, and a bit of sweet pink and sour blue powder topping.
Florence Meets The (Washing) Machine
This costume is a smart play on words that actually uses these two people to refer to the famous English indie rock band "Florence and the Machine." The group was formed in London in 2007 and became popular shortly after.
It's unclear whether this costume was made intentionally, seeing that the guy and the girl appear to be unrelated and slightly surprised.
Trophies
This costume is a great family costume; while it may not be the best costume for moving around, it sure makes for a great photo!
There is something about being a true solid gold that makes it unreal.
Who is Grumpy Now?
If anyone has been using the internet for any period of time, it's highly likely that you've stumbled upon the Grumpy Cat meme at one point or another. This cat was pictured by his owner, and the image was then put on Reddit, where it gained viral status and is being spread to this day through various grumpy memes.
This woman decided to embrace the Grumpy Cat meme and become the meme herself.
Who Doesn't Love the Sims?
One of the most exciting video-game phenomenons in the past few decades was the super popular The Sims games. There were four video games in the main series, and they were all hugely successful. These girls correctly copied the effect, which anyone who ever played the games would instantly recognize.
They even went as far as to put the diamond icons above their heads that were used to symbolize various aspects of your sim's mood and behavior. Very cool indeed.
Harry Potter and Fluffy
One of the scariest creatures from the Harry Potter franchise is Fluffy, Hagrid's loyal monstrous three-headed dog. The animal is based on the Greek mythological dog called "Cerberus," often nicknamed the "hound of Hades."
This cute kid dressed as Harry Potter and put two scary dog heads up against the head of their own loyal companion. The result is a very frightening costume for an adorable kid.
Home Improvement
Everyone remembers Wilson from the classic TV show "Home Improvement" with his classic flannel shirt and face that was always hidden behind a fence. The actor, Earl Hindman, passed away in 2003, but thanks to this brave guy, his memory will live on using the magic of some woodcutting and a bit of glue.
We're sure that many fans of the show got a huge smile on their faces when they saw this costume, and we hope that it caused some people to open their computers and put on some "Home Improvement" after the Halloween festivities had ended.
Real Life Error 404 - Costume Not Found
Just take a random white shirt, write "Error 404 | Costume Not Found." and you've just saved yourself the money, time, and energy to actually create a real costume. Something about the guy screams, "I'm not the kind of guy that participates in social events."
Awesome Halloween Costume Rating: 2 cares, effort, and creativity given out of 10.
Bringing the Filters to Life
Snapchat became one of the most popular social media platforms in the world with its unique feature of disappearing stories which force you to continually create exclusive content. As of 2019, the app is still one of the most popular apps in the world, with about 200 million daily active users. Near the end of 2015, the app introduced one of its most popular features — filters.
These two snap chapters decided to test out how cool the filter would look if it was a real-life thing, and we have to say that the results are as creepy as you'd expect.
Here Comes the Anglerfish
Sneaking in the darkest depths of the ocean, the anglerfish is one scary fish. It is named for the way it hunts its prey, with a dangling light at the top of its head, which attracts them, and before they realize it, they're consumed.
In this photo, the two women recreate the fish in all its spectacular glory, with electric lights for special effects.
The World's Most Frugal Bat
What happens when you take an idea for a Batman costume and combine it with the most frugal person in the world? Arguably the most fabulous and least intimidating bat costume ever. This woman took a black hoodie and stitched some dark umbrella parts to create this bat costume.
She basically cut up the umbrella and glued it along with her hands as bat wings and on her head as bat ears.
Alladin with Family
Every Halloween brings with it a myriad of Disney-themed costumes, including Snow White, The Little Mermaid, Frozen, Peter Pan, and more. One of the less featured costumes on this unique holiday is that of Aladdin — but this family seemed to have pulled it off perfectly.
The boy is so cute in his costume and even has a tiny tail that can be seen just next to his elbow. This family definitely deserves applause. Now, all that they need is to find a blue genie and a flying carpet, and we've got ourselves a cast!
Cosplaying As Toy Story's Most Beloved Long Dog
There are plenty of people dressing up in "Toy Story" costumes due to its massive mainstream appeal and the fond childhood memories it still gives us. The film was released in 1995 by Pixar and was actually the first entirely computer-animated feature film in history; It was also Pixar's first film and would make the CGI studio one of the most popular film studios in the world.
One character that doesn't seem to get as much attention from fans, though, is Slinky Dog, who participates as one of the cutest and most remembered characters in the film. These two ladies decided to create a low-budget version of the character and use both their bodies to do so.
Jon Snow White
From the famous "Game of Thrones" series: the series' main protagonist, Jon Snow. This is quite an awesome costume and is also reasonably easy to make, as you only need a long black wig, a black fur coat, an outfit, and an unshaven beard.
We applaud you, Jon Snow White.
Chefs Halloween Uniform
The ingenious design behind this costume is what makes it so unique. Everyone who has seen the great movie, 'Ratatouille' will appreciate the reference, and seeing that it was so popular, most people will enjoy the thought behind it.
Displaying the rat inside his chef hat will endear not only foodies who enjoyed the movie but also anyone who has a sense of humor!
Peter Pan's Shadow
Like all Disney films, Peter Pan is one of those movies that have served as the inspiration for many costume ideas.
Most people chose one formidable character that's easy to recognize, but this Halloweener decided to take a different approach and instead chose Peter Pan's shadow, which only makes a brief appearance.
Walter White Times Two
One of the most creative costumes on our list, which undoubtedly took a long time to think of and even a longer time to execute, is this brilliant portrayal of Walter White's evolution through the iconic "Breaking Bad" series, often cited as one of the best shows of all time.
Fans of the show will undoubtedly appreciate this costume more than any other during Halloween. Whoever made this should be proud of himself.
The Domino in the Details
It's a great feeling when you and your friends arrive together at a Halloween party in matching outfits. It might seem like dressing up as a pizza may have been a mistake, but I can hazard a guess that this was intentional.
The trick to pulling off a punny costume is giving people a few seconds to "get it" first, their brow will furrow, and then boom, totally realization.
Mr. and Ms. Pacman Make Out in Loving Union
It's always heartwarming when a couple decides to dedicate their Halloween costume to a retro video-game character that we all love and admire. Mr. and Ms. Pacman were some of the first video games of all time and dominated the arcade games arena for many, many years.
These are clearly homemade costumes, likely done using cardboard and really funny tights. We'd like to congratulate this beautiful couple for dressing as our favorite retro characters.
This Realistic Wooden Doll
Although this doll costume isn't the scariest on the block, wooden dolls are definitely creepy! The detailed wood grain paint makes her wooden frame highly believable.
We can't help but wonder how long it took to achieve this look!
Holy Guacamole
Here's another costume that plays on words for those who didn't get it - it's Holy Guacamole and Holy Cow!
Also known as butter fruit or alligator pear, the versatile and blessed avocado is a popular choice and definitely a crowd pleaser!
Jelly Belly Jelly Beans
What's sweeter than a jellybean? Colorful, easy, and frugal, what a great idea if you need a costume last minute!
All you need is a transparent trash bag, a $1 bag of balloons (Dollar store), and a printed logo. To finish the look, simply cut a hole in the bottom for the legs and also arms.
Walt Disney, Back From The Dead
It has been revealed that before he died, Walt Disney, with the belief that technology would improve enough to eventually re-animate him and allowing his aging self to experience a longer and healthier life in the future, arranged to have himself frozen in a cryonic chamber full of liquid nitrogen which will preserve his body after death.
While this story is apparently just a fable, this guy brought the story to life with a well-executed Halloween costume.
A Steve Jobs Impression
Spending Halloween in the Apple Store might be an unusual way to celebrate the holiday, but in this context, it's quite genius! Dressing up as Steve Jobs and hanging out at his company's Apple store makes for one dedicated Halloweener!
This may not be the spookiest of costumes, but it definitely is clever!
Hannibal Meets Clarice
Who can forget 1991's brilliant portrayal of a murderous cannibal psychopath who has an appetite for young detectives? When Anthony Hopkins first took the role many decades ago, moviegoers were absolutely horrified and subsequently avoided fava beans for many years to come.
This guy, however, likely isn't cunning or brutal, though he might be witty and creative. With what seems to be one of the creepiest costumes of the year, we have Mr. Lecter here carrying himself in his own straight jacket and iconic mask.
Stranger Things Cosplay With a Catch
This cute couple also decided to dress up as characters from the popular "Stranger Things" series. In the show, Winona Ryder plays Joyce Byers, the mother of one of the missing boys who does everything in her power to find him. She begins to experience strange visions and starts to communicate with her son through lights and various psychic premonitions.
The guy in the picture, however, is not cosplaying as one of the characters; he's actually pretending to be the wall. These are some of the most original "Stranger Things" costume combinations we've seen in a while; nice!
A Cup of Hans Solo
Every Halloween, you'll find numerous amounts of "Star Wars" cosplayers who love the chance to pretend to be their favorite characters from the iconic franchise.
This fantastic Han Solo impersonation took one of the coolest costumes in the world and made it even better by creating a smart play-on-words reference — Ever heard of Solo Cups? They're a very successful company that sells cups to almost every theater and stadium in the United States.
All Hail The Headless Horseman
Finally, we're back to some right old creepy Halloween costumes. This one is based on a mythical folklore figure that appeared in the middle ages called The Headless Horseman.
This costume wasn't too hard to make but definitely looks very cool — just take a person and put him on a horse in a 19th-century costume with a headless stump at the end, oh and a horse! This one definitely deserves a high ranking as a creepy Halloween costume.
Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds" Makes a Return
Fans of horror movies will instantly recognize this costume as a reference to the classic Alfred Hitchcock film, "The Birds." Most people have missed this film since it was released back in 1963 as a black and white movie, but it definitely became somewhat of a cult classic as the internet often references various horror scenes from the films that were scary back then but look like comedy in today's perspective.
The lady in this picture dressed up as Tippi Hedren, a young socialite and main protagonist of the film. It's not too hard to create her look; you just need a '60s blonde wig and some fake crows.
A Return to Childhood
What a great collective effort to bring these little toy green soldiers to life! To recreate these costumes, all you need are green jumpsuits and some friends who are on board.
These action figures were the main characters in the wars, where the deciding factor of your imagination determines who wins.
Stock Photos!
Stock photos are professional photographs of common places, landmarks, nature, events, or people that are bought and can be used for various purposes. Name any situation, and you are bound to find a stock photo for it.
This guy had a unique idea, why not make a costume out of one! Printing a large stock photo and then proceeded to cut out the head, which he fastened to his body.
Look Who Popped Up
This costume is a throwback to those who used Microsoft Word back in the day. Dressing up as Clippit, the paperclip that popped up to help computer users navigate the program.
Usually, Clippit pops up when you're using the program and offers to help you with what you are doing; not everyone loved it, though. This girl costume is, however adorable, while Clippit may have been a well-intended nuisance, this girl's outfit is one reason Halloween is a great season.
Oh, Samsung!
This costume is a straight swipe at one of the biggest smartphone manufacturers in the world. Referencing those Samsung phones that had a glitch and exploded, being a danger to their users, this costume sure is scary.
While today, Samsung's latest smartphones are adjudged as safe to use, their shady past won't be forgotten in a hurry.
A White House Baby
We all may need to think twice before casting our vote in the next election, as this is one adorable candidate! Dressing up her baby as the president while being his bodyguard is a great way to pay homage to the blockbuster film while disguising your baby carrier.
Babies look adorable in everything they wear, of course, but Halloween is the one night a year when we can dress them up as a debate podium for your pint-size presidential candidate.
Scary Signs
If you're really looking to scare people, consider this hilarious costume that is truly everyone's nightmare. What's scarier than a low battery icon on your smartphone, laptop, or any electronic device? We can all relate to this, which is what makes this costume so brilliant!
Just add some face paint to make this the scariest costume of all time. This costume is all at once clever, creative, fun, and a little bit terrifying.