Not sure what to wear for Halloween? These outfits are set to be the most popular this yearFreaky Nikki, Dolly Parton and whimsical costumes like gargoyles are popular among adults dressing up this year.18 hrs agoCulture

If you’re still on the hunt for the perfect Halloween costume, then you might want to look to gargoyles, Freaky Nikki and Dolly Parton for inspiration – they are all predicted to be popular outfit choices for 2026.

“People don’t necessarily want to look frightening – they want to look extraordinary,” says costume designer Tamar Zaig, who runs a fancy dress hire shop in London and says she’s seeing a “real appetite for escapism, glamour and a bit of dark humour” right now.

And as usual, the year’s major film and TV releases, as well as news and pop culture trends, are also driving outfit choices.

So, here are some spooky ideas to try.

The Traitors is a timely choice, with host Claudia Winkleman’s look easy to pull together. Think fringe, tartan, chunky knitwear and some heavy eyeliner.

Winkleman is “a classic that we see every year”, says the creator behind the popular Love of Huns Instagram account (who did not want to be named). But she “will definitely be making a return this Halloween off the back of all the Traitors love and the icon that she is”.

Ice hockey romance series Off Campus also features in many of the outfit inspiration videos trending online.

The show’s main characters, Dean and Allie attend a Halloween party in the series, with Allie dressed as J-Lo and Dean as Top Gun’s Maverick, which could provide a rather meta costume opportunity for fans or couples.

Another of this year’s most popular TV shows, Widow’s Bay – which scooped up at this year’s Emmy Awards – is also inspiring outfits.

Maria Nichol, 35, a horror aficionado from Ely in Cambridgeshire, plans to dress as Kate O’Flynn’s character Patricia – and is trying to replicate her gothic headdress, which includes antlers and a taxidermy fox, by crafting her own from foam clay, foil and fur.

One of the most replicated outfits looks set to be Nikki from indie horror film phenomenon Obsession, say fancy dress shops, influencers and make-up artists.

The character’s red and black zebra print top went viral earlier this year, selling out online and reportedly leading to a 27,000-person waitlist before returning to stores.

“We’ve had customers asking for Nikki,” says Muhammad Rai from shop Fancy Dress Town in London, with people trying to recreate her with a red corset and wig, “although unfortunately, we currently have none in stock”.

“I’ve had a few people ask me to do that make-up for them,” adds special effects make-up artist and prosthetics designer Meg, from Liverpool.

We might also see a surge in 1990s and 2000s nostalgia, believes Nichol, with party-goers dressed as Buffy, Hilary Duff and characters from Practical Magic, after the film’s sequel was released last month.

As well as Obsession, some of this year’s other top grossing films – such as the Michael Jackson biopic, Spider-Man: Brand New Day and The Odyssey – are also on the cards.

“I’m seeing a lot of Gothic romance and historical influences not only in films such as Wuthering Heights, The Odyssey and The Bride!, but in fashion too, with corsets, lace, dramatic silhouettes appearing on the catwalks, particularly at London Fashion Week,” says designer Zaig.

“Along with Peaky Blinders, I think these kind of productions have brought some great theatrical costume styles back into the spotlight, from elaborate period gowns and Greek mythology to 1930s glamour.”

Classic horror franchises such as Scream and Scary Movie (Scream 7 and Scary Movie 6 were both released this year), should also not be overlooked, say fancy dress shops.

Ghost face masks from Scream have made up 20% of sales at Hollywood Fancy Dress in Bournemouth, says the shop’s head manager Ben Cook.

Meanwhile, characters from hit series Wednesday and Bridgerton are likely to make a return. And outfits from KPop Demon Hunters – which won best animated film at this year’s Oscars – are the current biggest seller for children, according to Cook.

It’s not just fictional characters who might be joining your Halloween night out.

“I also expect to see plenty of instantly recognisable personalities, from the iconic Dolly Parton with her extravagant wigs and rhinestones to political figures such as Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin,” says Zaig.

Rai from Fancy Dress Town also says blonde wigs, cowboy-style waistcoats and microphones are in high demand, following the death of Parton aged 80 in August.

Meanwhile, pop icons Charli XCX and Madonna could make a good duo costume, suggests Love of Huns, following the pair’s collaboration on remix Danceteria Afterhours.

“Both have had enough iconic looks between them, so there’s plenty to work with.”

Other fresh pop culture references could include Mariah Carey and The Last Supper, after the star became a meme for sharing a selfie with the Leonardo da Vinci painting in Milan, they add. It’s “a strong option” that “requires very little arts and crafts ability” – “a blonde wig and an A3 piece of card with The Last Supper printed on it and you’re pretty much there”.

“Low effort, high impact, and the sort of costume that makes absolutely no sense to anyone who hasn’t been keeping up with online pop culture.”

Or another option that could make people smile is the ready-to-drink cocktail brand Buzzballz, Love of Huns suggests. “We know it’s been done before, but dressing up as your favourite flavour is a fab opportunity to show off a bit of creativity.”

The whimsical fashion trend, which has dominated social media feeds in 2026, is also predicted to be a big influence this Halloween for women. Think gargoyles, moths, mushrooms, woodland fairies and 17th Century Pierrot clowns.

In keeping with the theme, Lauren Sidebottom, a TikTok beauty and fashion creator from Leeds, is planning on dressing up as a weeping angel.

The 23-year-old, who studied theatrical makeup at college, says she’ll be creating the look using body paint, grey tights, a cracking makeup effect on her skin, drawn-on tears, and a grey wig.

Women her age are, she says “wanting to look cool, different, not like every other girl,” with their whimsical costumes.

Tiggy Bellinger, 21, from West Sussex, agrees DIY costumes can help avoid people wearing “the exact same thing”.

She has also been sharing whimsical Halloween looks online, including a mime artist, the Very Hungry Caterpillar and a ladybird.

She uses clothes she already has or can borrow, and a bit of creative DIY, to create her looks, with the aim of encouraging others to do the same instead of buying ready-made outfits from fast fashion retailers.

“The fun thing about making costumes and Halloween is the creativity and finding bits and pieces that match and, you know, making things,” she says.

This is also the case for Sophia, 25, who lives in Cambridge and is using a long blonde wig and pink dress she already owns to dress up as Hannah Montana, to chime with this year’s anniversary special.

“Even if you just notice that you have one colour, like, ‘Wow I have a lot of purple’ or ‘I have a lot of this sparkly material that I don’t get to wear often’, and thinking about what characters or what object even that that could remind you of, I think you could get something really creative that other people wouldn’t have.”