Pop Culture Halloween Costumes From A to Z

Updated on 10/19/2020 at 6:30 PM

Stumped for a Halloween costume this year? We don't blame you — there are so many choices! If you're someone who prefers things to be categorized in order to properly process, we can help you. We've taken the liberty to alphabetize all the hottest costumes, whether they be old classics like the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles or fresh options like looks inspired by Cobra Kai and Outer Banks. Whatever your Halloween looks like this year, we have an idea that will suit your plans. Scroll through for the very best pop culture costumes, from A to Z!

A Is For American Horror Story

The Avengers will always be in fashion, but we're all particularly obsessed with American Horror Story costumes and Freak Show is a hard season to top when it comes to Halloween inspiration!

More ideas: Alice in Wonderland, Avril Lavigne, Avatar, American Hustle, Arrow, Alexander Hamilton from Hamilton

B Is For Beyoncé

There are so many great Beyoncé outfits to replicate this Halloween. How will you choose?

More ideas: Baywatch, Barney the dinosaur, Breaking Bad, Beauty and the Beast, Barbie dolls, Britney Spears, Batman, Batwoman, The Beatles, Braveheart, Beetlejuice, Betty Boop, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Breakfast at Tiffany's, The Bachelorette, Black Widow, The Baby-Sitters Club, Black Canary

C Is For Cobra Kai

A black short-sleeved shirt or vest will do the trick for Johnny Lawrence. Wear a black headband on your hairline, and complete your look with comfortable black pants. Ready to fight?

More ideas: Chucky, Clueless, Catwoman, Captain Hook, Carmen Sandiego, Christina Aguilera, The Californians, Cruella de Vil, Captain America, Catfish: The TV Show, Carrie, Catherine the Great from The Great, Cats, Cheer

D Is For Doctor Manhattan

HBO gave Doctor Manhattan a new spin with its hit show Watchmen, and to replicate Yahya Abdul-Mateen II's look, you'll just need a load of nontoxic blue body paint and a black T-shirt.

More ideas: Daria, Die Hard, Dora the Explorer, Django Unchained, Dead to Me, Downton Abbey

E Is For Enola Holmes

Be Netflix's latest young hero by dressing up as Enola Holmes! The detective, sister to the infamous Sherlock and less-infamous Mycroft, sports a number of looks in the movie, so you may not have to go full-on Victorian gown — you do, however, need a magnifying glass!

More ideas: Elmo, Eastbound and Down, Elsa from Frozen

F Is For Ferris Bueller's Day Off

John Hughes movies are a great source for Halloween inspiration, and Ferris Bueller is one of his most iconic characters. What are you waiting for? Go grab your leopard-print sweater-vest.

More ideas: Family Guy, The Facts of Life, Fight Club, The Flintstones, Frankenstein, Frozen, Fargo, The Following, The Flash, Flashdance

G Is For Guardians of the Galaxy

Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy are still superhot this year. It's the perfect costume for a group, or just if you want to get your Gamora on.

More ideas: Girls, Game of Thrones, The Goonies, Ghostbusters, The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Great Gatsby, Gossip Girl, Glee, Green Lantern

H Is For Hunger Games

Katniss and company make for great Halloween costumes, even after the franchise has wrapped up.

More ideas: Hercules, Hocus Pocus, Harry Potter, The Hangover, The Hulk, Harley Quinn

I Is For Love Lucy

There are no less than eight ways to pay homage to I Love Lucy with your Halloween costume. Will you be Grape-Stomping Lucy or Fake-Nose Lucy?

More ideas: Iron Man, Iggy Azalea, The Incredibles, I Dream of Jeannie

J Is For James Bond

If you're in search of an easy costume to toss on, James Bond is one of your best bets. Just suit up and ask for a martini!

More ideas: Josie and the Pussycats, Justin Bieber, Jennifer Lopez, Jack Reacher

K Is For Katy Perry

Though it came out a few years ago, Katy Perry's "Dark Horse" is iconic. It may take some work to replicate her costume, but you'll definitely be recognizable.

More ideas: A Kid in Kid Arthur's Court, KISS, Kingsman: The Golden Circle

L Is For Lego

This will require either a full-on costume or some yellow face paint, but getting a group to go as The Lego Movie is so cute, it's totally worth the time and energy.

More ideas: Lady Gaga, The Lone Ranger, Lorde, The Leftovers, LMFAO, Lara Jean from To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You, Little Women

M Is For Mad Men

Mad Men costumes never go out of style. Pay homage to the retro gang!

More ideas: Madonna, Moonrise Kingdom, Marilyn Monroe, Modern Family, Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Maleficent, The Mindy Project

N Is For Never Have I Ever

Are you part of a trio of buds this year? Rep your love for one of Netflix's best new series by showing up as Fabiola, Eleanor, and Devi, aka The Dream Team.

More options: New Girl, Nicolas Cage, Nicki Minaj

O Is For Outer Banks

Outer Banks took Netflix's audience by storm, though the costume options may be lacking in warmth for those celebrating outside this year. Breezy Hawaiian shirts, crop tops, board shorts, and flip-flops are all you need!

More ideas: Orphan Black, Outlander, Orange Is the New Black

P Is For PEN15

Break out your JanSport! Anna and Maya always look perfectly 2000 in the series, so now is your chance to invest in a retainer, hair accessories, and plenty of striped shirts.

More ideas: Prince, The Phantom of the Opera, Pirates of the Caribbean, Peter Pan, Pretty Woman

Q Is For Quentin Tarantino

Quentin Tarantino has created some of the most iconic characters of the past 20 years, and Mia Wallace is one of the easiest costumes to put together.

More ideas: The Quiet Ones, Galaxy Quest, Peter Quill

R Is For Rocky Horror Picture Show

Nothing says "Halloween" quite like The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and there's a whole cast of colorful characters to imitate this year.

More ideas: Rebecca Black, Rosemary's Baby, Rugrats, Rambo, Reign

S Is For Supernatural

Though you may not initially think of it, Supernatural is full of creative costume ideas. Why not round up all your friends and go in on it together?

More ideas: Spider-Man, Star Trek, Sonny and Cher, Star Wars, Sons of Anarchy, Sherlock Holmes, Saved by the Bell, Spring Breakers, Superman, Sesame Street, The Simpsons, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Sleepy Hollow, Scott Pilgrim, Scandal, Sixteen Candles, Sister Night from Watchmen, Selling Sunset

T Is For Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Though the turtles themselves are kind of scary in the latest iteration, you could always be Casey Jones!

More ideas: The Twilight Saga, Top Gun, Tinker Bell, True Detective, Teen Wolf

U Is For The Umbrella Academy

You get seven strong options when it comes to The Umbrella Academy: Klaus, Ben, Five, Vanya, Luther, Diego, and Allison. If there are more people who want to be involved, there are plenty of other characters!

More ideas: Underworld, Ursula from The Little Mermaid, Steve Urkel

V is for Veronica Mars

All you need is a long-lens camera and a leather jacket to pull off Veronica Mars, one of our many favorite pop culture costumes of all time.

More ideas: The Vampire Diaries, V for Vendetta, Van Helsing, Vikings

W is for Wayne's World

Wayne and Garth make excellent costumes, and they're just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Halloween-worthy Saturday Night Live characters.

More ideas: Willy Wonka, The Walking Dead, The Wizard of Oz, The Witches of Eastwick, Winnie the Pooh, World War Z, Warm Bodies, Winona Ryder

X is for X-Men

No matter what size your group is this year, there are plenty of X-Men to dress up as. Male and female, young and old, there's an X-Men for everyone.

More ideas: The X-Files, Xanadu

Y is for Ygritte

I hope you have a giant dirty fur coat laying around, because it'll come in handy for just about any Game of Thrones costume — especially Ygritte.

More ideas: Yoko Ono, Yogi Bear, Yoda, Young Frankenstein

Z is for Zissou

Wes Anderson films are prime Halloween inspiration, and Steve Zissou is particularly unique.

More ideas: Zombieland, Zac Efron