Halloween has a nasty habit of sneaking up on me.
One minute it’s September and I’m still finding sand in a swimming bag. The next, one of my children announces at 7.40pm on a Sunday that they need to be “something scary but also cute” by Friday.
This year Halloween lands on a Saturday (31 October), which for lots of us means it sits right at the end of October half term, with a school parade or party wedged in somewhere.
The good news is that this year’s trends are surprisingly easy. Toy Story 5, Bluey, Pokémon and Spider-Man are all doing the rounds, alongside KPop Demon Hunters, and most of them can be pulled off with a hoodie, some felt and a lot of confidence.
The bad news? If you’re buying rather than making, the popular sizes go first. Toddler Bluey costumes tend to disappear fastest, so it’s worth deciding sooner rather than later.
1. Toy Story 5
Toy Story 5 arrived in cinemas this summer, so Woody, Jessie and Buzz are suddenly everywhere. It’s also a brilliant family costume, because there’s a role for every age and half the outfit is already in your house: a checked shirt, a cowboy hat and anything cow print.
Why we’d do it: Everyone recognises it, and nobody has to explain who they are.
Watch out for: The cowboy hat will be lost by 4pm. Bring a spare, or a very tight chin strap.
2. KPop Demon Hunters
If your house has been singing along for the last year, you already know. The Huntr/x trio (Rumi, Mira and Zoey) is perfect for siblings or best friends, and it’s more about the styling than the costume: coordinated colours, chunky boots and dramatic braids. Rumi’s are the signature. There are more matching family costume ideas from ABC News if you want to see how other families are doing it.
Add Derpy for whoever wants to be the funny one.
Why we’d do it: Easy to split between three friends, and you can wear the clothes again afterwards.
Watch out for: The songs will be stuck in your head until Christmas.
3. Bluey
The toddler favourite, and probably the comfiest costume on this list. A blue or orange hoodie and joggers, ears on a headband and a tail pinned to the back is all it takes. No scratchy polyester required. If you’d like to make the ears yourself, this no-sew animal costume tutorial shows how to do felt ears and tails.
Why we’d do it: Toddlers can actually move in it, and it doubles as pyjamas.
Watch out for: If you’re buying a ready-made one, the toddler sizes sell out first.
4. Inside Out
This is my pick for a family with children of very different ages. Everyone chooses an emotion (Joy, Sadness, Anger, Anxiety or Envy) and wears the matching colour. A plain T-shirt and a bit of face paint is honestly enough.
Why we’d do it: It scales to any family size and everybody gets to pick their own character.
Watch out for: Finding five plain T-shirts in the right colours. Order online early rather than hoping the supermarket has yellow in stock.
5. Pokémon
Pokémon turns 30 this year, which means it’s one of the very few costumes that parents actually remember. A yellow hoodie, two ears on a headband and brown felt stripes on the back make a very convincing Pikachu. Add red circles on the cheeks and you’re done.
Why we’d do it: Cheap, cosy and a rare chance for us to dress up as something we genuinely grew up with.
Watch out for: Face paint on sensitive skin. Test a small patch first, and don’t leave it until the morning of the parade.
6. Spider-Man (and the superhero squad)
Spider-Man: Brand New Day came out at the end of July, so the superhero corner of the playground is having a moment. A hoodie, a cape and a mask will do the job, and there’s a good chance your child already owns at least two of them.
Why we’d do it: Endlessly reusable. It will be worn again on a random Tuesday in March.
Watch out for: Masks. Some schools don’t allow them in the classroom, so check the dress-up rules first.
7. The Halloween classics
Black cats, bats, ghosts, pumpkins and witches never go out of fashion. Give each family member a different one and you have a group costume that needs almost no thought. The Everymom has more than 50 family Halloween costume ideas if you want to browse a wider range of themes.
For the ghost, skip the full bed sheet (a trip hazard on every set of stairs) and go for a white hoodie or T-shirt with a face drawn on.
Why we’d do it: Cheap, scalable and impossible to get wrong.
Watch out for: Nothing, really. That’s the point.
The “I forgot until 30 October” costume
Black clothes plus one unmistakable accessory: cat ears, a witch’s hat, a cape or a pair of fangs. One good prop does most of the work.
And because children change their minds at least twice before the day, it’s worth having a back-up. Their favourite dress-up clothes count as a costume, and nobody has ever been arrested for sending a child to a parade in an Elsa nightie.
Before you head out
- Comfort first. It’s an October evening, so make sure there’s room for a jumper or a warm layer underneath.
- Be seen. Reflective tape or a few glow sticks on a dark costume make trick or treating much safer.
- Patch test the face paint a day or two before, especially on sensitive skin.
- Check the school rules on masks, weapons and props before you spend a fortune.
And on the subject of sweets, after Oreogate I’m staying well out of it. Whatever your house rules are, decide them before your child sees the bucket.
So which would I pick?
For the whole family: Inside Out.
For toddlers: Bluey.
For big fans (and best friends): KPop Demon Hunters.
For nostalgic parents: Pokémon.
For maximum reuse: Spider-Man or the classics.
For a lack of time and energy: cat ears and a black T-shirt.
If all else fails throw on a pillow case and attach a white sock and you’ve got yourself a Dobby outfit (been there…done that…was a hit!)
