Are you curious about which costumes are flying off the shelves for Halloween 2024? Revelers are looking to the big screen for inspiration.
“It’s a big movie year,” Nikki Balles, Spirit Halloween’s senior director of PR and brand image told Yahoo Entertainment about 2024’s popular costumes. “You’ve got Beetlejuice, Deadpool & Wolverine, Inside Out 2 and Terrifier 3. We’re selling tons of that merchandise, and, of course, Ghostface is huge this year too!”
With Halloween spending projected to hit a record $11.6 billion this year, the seasonal retailer is ready to meet the demand across its 1,525 locations. But for Balles, it’s not as scary as it sounds.
“Halloween is about being who you want to be for a day without any judgment,” she said.
The latest costume trends
The store’s bestsellers are as diverse as ever, Balles said.
Fan favorites like Beetlejuice characters Shrunken Head Bob, Lydia, Delores and Astrid are top picks, alongside characters from summer blockbusters like Deadpool & Wolverine and Inside Out 2, including the emotions Envy, Anger, Disgust and Anxiety.
It’s not only about movies either, said Balles. Many shoppers are preparing to channel characters like Pomni from the viral hit The Amazing Digital Circus, and CatNap, the villain from the Poppy Playtime game series.
Coordinating family costumes — from kids to pets — can add a fun (and often mildly chaotic) twist, but as Balles explained, that’s all part of creating unforgettable Halloween memories. Costumes inspired by popular kids’ fare like Bluey, Sesame Street and Despicable Me are perfect for those picture-worthy moments.
Social media trends are also spilling over into real-life Halloween costumes. TikTok trends like the Mob Wife aesthetic, Taylor Swift’s “Eras Tour” ensembles and the Skibidi Toilet craze have become Spirit Halloween bestsellers.
Raygun, aka Rachael Gunn, the Olympic breakdancer who stole hearts at the Paris Games, is among this year’s top costume searches on Google. Sabrina Carpenter fans are also in luck. Costume searches of the “Espresso” singer ranked high on Google, beating out Lady Deadpool, Minions, characters from Dune, and yes, a Chipotle burrito (you read that right).
There were a few surprises, too.
“We’re seeing pirates really pop off and we really don’t know why,” Balles said. “I think there’s going to be a pirate invasion happening this year, like Steampunk. There’s a whole bunch of options you can do to accessorize and make your own pirate.”
When it comes to costume choices, Balles said men and women use different dressing-up strategies.
“Guys definitely lean towards easy,” she said, pointing to beer helmets or grandpa costumes. Women often take things up a notch with makeup, accessories and wigs.
Embrace the fun
Though some adults have a love-hate relationship with Halloween, Balles said the holiday is about embracing a sense of humor.
When the retailer found itself the butt of a recent Saturday Night Live sketch that playfully poked fun at its annual store takeovers, Spirit responded in jest.
“SNL had fun with us, and we had fun right back,” Balles said. “We’re always encouraging people to have fun because Halloween is not about taking yourself too seriously.”
For those not feeling the festivities, don’t sweat it. There’s a party pooper costume with your name on it.
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