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When it comes to Halloween, there are two camps.
There are those who start a WhatsApp group in September, assigning people to various party-planning tasks alongside creating a Pinterest board of detailed DIY costume ideas. And then there are those who, on the night, reluctantly start rooting around for that cat-ear headband they bought several years ago.
The Kardashians, Heidi Klum and the singer Janelle Monáe fall into the first category. For weeks, Kim has been sharing pictures of her cobweb-adorned hallway as she gears up for her annual party, Klum has been hosting her own “Heidiween” for more than 20 years, with her costumes getting more elaborate each time, and this week Monáe told Vogue that Halloween is her “creative playground”. After previously dressing up as a headless bride and the fly that landed on Mike Pence, this year she has gone for Dr Seuss’s Cat in the Hat character, complete with mechanical tail.
For those of us in the latter group, these Halloween high achievers are enough to make us want to switch off the lights and pretend not to be in when trick-or-treaters start hammering on the door. But don’t panic. There is still time to impress. A costume that riffs on the zeitgeist is perfect for a last-minute party invitation. A sort of IYKYK insider nod, it gives the illusion of having thought deeply about your look, resulting in instant cultural cachet. Best of all, there is no express [insert name of mass-market retailer] order required.
A stolen idea
The group of thieves who broke into the Louvre recently, stealing more than £76m worth of jewels while wearing security vests, have given us one of the easiest costume ideas for Halloween. Just pop on your hi-vis cycling vest and pile on all the jewellery you own. If you have a tiara lying around from a hen do, pop that on too. Very Empress Eugénie.
A faithful accessory
Claudia Winkleman has made a pair of fingerless gloves her Traitors style signature since the reality TV show launched in 2022. DIY by snipping the fingers off an old pair, then pile on the eyeliner.
Jeans and sheux
Remember back in February when Kendrick Lamar commanded the Super Bowl stage in a pair of boot-cut jeans – last seen in the early 2000s – and sparked several hundred memes? Have a root around the back of your wardrobe for that pair you said you’d never wear again but couldn’t let go of. Brown winkle-pickers optional.
Incognito mode
There was a lot going on at the wedding of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez in June, including a foam party and six outfit changes from the bride. But it was Leonardo DiCaprio who really commanded attention as he attempted to go under the radar at the Venice bash by wearing a baseball cap over his face. Imitate at your own risk.
Sleeping on the job
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Finally, a costume that keeps you cosy. Channel the K-pop star Mira from Demon Hunters and wrap yourself in a sleeping bag. If it’s good enough for a fictionalised Met Gala appearance, it’s good enough for a house party.
Best of the bunch
It wouldn’t be an LA farmers’ market without those weekly paparazzi shots of Jeremy Allen White carrying a giant bunch of flowers. The Bear star has been spotted weighed down with everything from sunflowers and tulips to sea lavender, explaining in an interview that he likes to create his own hand-tied bouquets. Just grab some carnations from the local petrol station and you’re good to go.
Hat-trick
Is it a simple bucket hat or an excuse to bang on about how seeing Liam and Noel performing Champagne Supernova live this summer was akin to a spiritual experience? You decide.
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