The trendiest Halloween costume ideas for students

Warwick University students have never needed an excuse to dress up. As Halloween draws near, the stakes are even higher than usual, and the costumes promise to be the wildest we’ve seen all year. Whether you plan on attending a pub crawl, a circle, a club event, or a flat party, here is some inspiration for cheap and easy, but nevertheless iconic costumes, tailored around the clothes you may already have in your wardrobe. You might even need a couple of costumes to rotate over the Halloweekend, so get ready to take note.

You definitely know at least three friends with rogue cowboy hats lying around, and with the recent surge in cowboy boots, you might already have everything you need

After a recent burst of incredible blockbusters, we’ve got plenty of film character costumes on the horizon this October, inspired by both the classics and the new releases. Film-inspired costumes are also great for a group of friends wanting to synchronise. As Pharell Williams sings in Minions 4: “Who will you be tonight? That’s the question”. For those of us with denim dungarees lying around, perhaps going as Gru’s minions could be the perfect group get-up. With the success of the 2024 musical film adaptation of Mean Girls, I think we can also expect plenty of Reginas, Cadys, Gretchens and Karens to haunt the streets. Bring out those plaid mini-skirts, strappy vests and cardigans. Halloween might not be on a Wednesday this year but be sure to wear pink for this iconic dress-up choice.

For the couples out there who loved Greta Gerwig’s Barbie, there is a fountain of inspiration to be taken from the many looks modelled by Barbie and Ken. From unbuttoned Hawaiian shirts to leotards and legwarmers, the options are near-limitless. To take a trip down memory lane, couples could also be inspired by the movie Brokeback Mountain and replicate one of the most iconic Western and LGBTQIA+ duos.  You definitely know at least three friends with rogue cowboy hats lying around, and with the recent surge in cowboy boots, you might already have everything you need. To travel just a bit further into the past, why not look to the movie Fight Club, especially those with a killer red leather jacket at the ready, and go as Tyler and Marla (or the Narrator). These iconic couple costumes can be sported by any combination of genders with a bit of creativity. After all, isn’t creative license all part of the Halloween fun?

Instead of the over-done ‘black cat’, reach for your printed goods and bounce off those

As well as our favourite media characters, it’s important not to forget the well-loved, traditional figures we associate year after year with Halloween. Many of the Halloween classics can be created with clothes and makeup you already own. So, let’s run through some of the ‘old-but-gold’ costumes you could consider this year. Clowns: they can be scary and horrific, but also chic. With the stereotypical makeup consisting of an extended smile, triangles above and below the eyes, and perhaps a red nose, the look can be very beginner-friendly for makeup novices. Pair a striking clown-inspired makeup look with any combination of stripes, checks, or ruffles to complete costume. Next, with deep cherry red being the colour of the season, perhaps you have the perfect crimson attire to go as a traditional Halloween devil. Again, with some spooky, blood-inspired makeup, you may not need to buy any additional accessories to portray this timeless costume. Another incredibly simple costume is the corpse bride: a white dress and makeshift veil can make this a quick and comfortable choice. A pale base makeup and darkened eyes will tie the costume together, and extra points are awarded for a haunting bouquet of dying flowers.

With the rise in popularity of animal print, you might have a super easy animal costume at your fingertips. Instead of the over-done ‘black cat’, reach for your printed goods and bounce off those. Do you have a sleek leopard print skirt? A zebra-striped jumper? Maybe even a pair of cow print trousers? Once you’ve found your statement piece, you can get practising with some animalistic makeup. You might go for a simple nose and whiskers or take it even further by bringing the animal print into your makeup. There’s nothing a bit of eyeshadow and liner can’t achieve with practice.

Whatever you get up to this Halloween, hopefully these costume ideas have provided you with some inexpensive inspiration. Enjoy this year’s spooky season and above all, be sure to keep yourself and your friends safe during the festivities.