This year has been a rollercoaster, to say the least, and now that we’re able to enjoy somewhat of a normal Halloween, we should honour all of the icons, characters and cultural moments that made it so memorable. With not much else to do besides hanging out at home, it’s safe to say that most of us spent more time on the internet than we care to admit over the past 12 months.
On the plus side, all of the memes and binge-worthy Netflix shows we consumed have made for some pretty great Halloween costume ideas for 2021. Here are some of the best ones to inspire you.
Squid Game Characters
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Given the explosive and very recent popularity of this Netflix series, you’ll likely be seeing a lot of pink jumpsuit-clad soldiers, tracksuit-wearing contestants, and killer dolls walking around your city this Halloween.
However, if you’re looking for a less obvious costume idea from the hit show, you could dress as one of the VIPs in a gold animal mask and black suit, or as a finalist in a bloody tuxedo with a three-digit number on it. And if you dress as a contestant, you could rock your costume to the Squid Game-themed challenges happening in Toronto and Calgary.
The Bernie Sanders Meme
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The viral Bernie Sanders photo that took the Internet by storm in January is relatively easy to recreate. You can raid your grandpa’s closet for a grey jacket and some warm brown mittens, or hit up your nearest thrift stores to recreate the look. If that’s too much effort, you can get Sanders-inspired mittens on Amazon that look just like the real deal. You can even get a sexy version of this costume on Dolls Kill.
Kim K at the Met Gala
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Another celebrity moment that inspired countless memes was Kim Kardashian’s black getup at this year’s Met Gala. It may not be the easiest costume to put together, but if you can pull it off, you’ll be the talk of the costume party. A version of the costume is available for sale online, but sadly it’s already sold out, but you could use it as inspiration for your DIY version.
Sour Album Cover
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If the new Olivia Rodrigo album was the soundtrack of your summer, this costume idea is a fun one. Plus, it’s easy to put together. All you need to do is get your hands on some colourful stickers and decorate your face with them. You’ll need a purple backdrop and the “SOUR” letters across your tongue for the perfect photo.
The COVID Vaccine
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There’s no denying that the biggest names of 2021 are Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca, so why not make a costume out of it? Party City actually sells a vaccine bottle costume, if you aren’t in the mood to get crafty. You won’t have to explain your costume to anyone at the party, that’s for sure.
Among Us Characters
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The fun multiplayer game that helped us stay connected and sane during lockdown would make the perfect group costume this Halloween. There are Among Us-inspired astronaut jumpsuits in tons of colours for sale on Amazon, so you and your besties can pick your favourites.
Suez Canal Ship
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The gigantic Ever Given container ship that got stuck in the Suez Canal was all anyone could talk about for a hot minute back in March. Of course, the moment is forever immortalized in countless hilarious memes. You could really get creative with this idea and turn it into a group costume, with one person dressed as the Ever Given and everyone else dressed up as the ships stuck behind it. So many possibilities.
The Billionaires’ Space Race
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This is the ultimate trio costume of 2021. Billionaire “space barons” Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk and Richard Branson are in a race to explore the cosmos and their plans are both ambitious and wildly expensive. Bezos even invited Star Trek star William Shatner on board, making him the oldest person to ever go to space.
You could have a lot of fun with this costume. Just get yourself a bald cap and an astronaut helmet and you’re practically a spitting image of the Amazon founder himself.
Olympic Gold Medalist
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The recent Tokyo 2020 games are the perfect excuse to throw this easy and comfy costume together. You’ll need to source a tracksuit in patriotic colours and a medal to wear around your neck, and maybe a bouquet of flowers or a fake torch as an additional prop. You’ll be looking like Team Canada’s record-setting swimmer Penny Oleksiak before you know it.
An NFT
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If you love to get as creative as possible with your Halloween costume, the hottest digital commodity of 2021 is a great choice. There are all kinds of ways to go about this one. You could dress up as one of the most famous NFTs sold so far or as an NFT of your own creation. Just be sure to tell everyone that it’s worth $100K.
