Weird Barbie, Roman Empire or Travis Kelce? What to dress as this Halloween

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This year has been a boon for pop-culture news, offering a wealth of topical options for anyone hoping to turn heads or start conversations at Halloween parties this year. Forget the classic witch or spooky ghost costume, why not lean into something more timely and relevant?

Bianca Faye, a costume artist and owner of The Costumery in Reservoir, says pop-culture often influences costume choices – from the biggest celebrities of the year to recent blockbuster films.

“Wednesday has been the most popular with young kids, as well as Mario and Luigi from The Super Mario Bros. Movie. We’ve also had a few people come in who are having Barbie parties,” Faye says. “There’s magic in dress-up … It allows you to rediscover that energy of being a child again.”

From TikTok trends to A-list couples, here are some topical costume ideas perfect for 2023.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce will probably be the go-to couple to dress as this Halloween.Credit: Gotham/GC Images

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce

It would be sacrilege to omit arguably the most talked about couple this year: pop superstar Taylor Swift and NFL tight end Travis Kelce.

But which of their outfits to choose from? Swift’s red lip classic thing is certainly a must, but this could be paired with the now-famous red and white Kansas City Chiefs (Kelce’s team) jacket she wore to her first game, or the bejewelled denim shorts she wore to the second. As for Kelce, his most notable outfits would either be his Chiefs uniform or his blue and white “bedroom set”. It’s dealer’s choice.

A striking actor/the writers’ strike

Hollywood’s actors have been instructed on how to not be a scab this Halloween – by avoiding costumes of characters from struck work. While this doesn’t apply to everyday folk, some may still wish to express solidarity with striking actors, who are still picketing.

One way of going about this is to dress up as a striking star. Track down a SAG-AFRTA (the Hollywood actors’ union) shirt, create a fun placard and stomp around the party demanding streaming residuals.

Dress up like a SAG-AFTRA member this Halloween, replete with a creative placard.Credit: AP

Another option is to go as the strike itself, though keep in mind that the writers have already struck a deal and are no longer picketing. Regardless, you could dress up as a piece of paper with a diagonal line through it (aka, a strike… Get it?). This is guaranteed to have people guessing.

Pregnant Rihanna at the Super Bowl

Who could forget Rihanna debuting a baby bump during her February Super Bowl Half-Time Show performance? She and A$AP Rocky welcomed their new son in September.

All you need is a red boiler suit and breastplate, and you’ll surely stand out.

Rihanna and her bump at the Super Bowl Half-Time Show.Credit: Getty

The Matildas

After the year they’ve had, who wouldn’t want to go as Australian megastars Sam Kerr or Courtnee Vine? Don the green and gold, grab a soccer ball and plaster on a game face. And look! There’s already a handy guide to help you mimic Kerr’s personal style.

Score some of your own goals by dressing up as Australia’s hero, Sam Kerr, this Halloween.Credit: Edwina Pickles

The Roman Empire

Everyone is already thinking about it, so why not lean into it? This is, of course, inspired by the TikTok trend, which suggested all men frequently think about the Roman Empire – as in the architecture, fun helmets and emperors.

Like most viral trends on social media, there isn’t much more to it. Just dress up as a gladiator, a robe-clad emperor or a street merchant, and you’ll immediately be the talk of the party – at least among the men, supposedly.

X (Twitter) vs Threads

A more conceptual option is inspired by Elon Musk’s Twitter transformation and its “nemesis”, Meta’s Threads app, which was launched in July. Nothing much came of the app battle, but Threads still seems to be hanging around (by a thread?) and people are still hesitant to call Twitter “X”.

Creating this look is simple: one person wears a black shirt with a white X on it and the other wears a black shirt with the white Threads squiggle.

Weird Barbie

Let’s be real, everyone will be dressing up as Margot Robbie’s Barbie and Ryan Gosling’s Ken. Try mixing it up by embodying the coolest chick in the film: Weird Barbie (played by Kate McKinnon). You can be as messy and goofy as you like, and no one will bat an eye – do the splits on a wall, draw on your face, wear five skirts and comfortably strut around in Birkenstocks. The sky is the limit when your entire shtick is being a weirdo.

Kate McKinnon as Weird Barbie is a source of inspiration.

Bianca Faye said there had been some demand for Barbie-themed costumes, including Kens and Weird Barbie. Her own daughter, Denique, was embracing the Weird Barbie theme in the shop this week.

Bianca Faye (right) fits out daughter Denique with a Weird Barbie outfit for Halloween.Credit: Justin McManus

A beige flag

This TikTok trend saw users define what they consider possible warning signs for a relationship, often something that seems boring or incompatible. Whether it’s liking pineapple on pizza or how they over-pronounce the “l” in “salmon”, TikTok has people assessing their dates at every turn.

The dress code is straightforward: Dress in all beige. You get bonus points for acting like the dullest person in the room.

Find out the next TV, streaming series and movies to add to your must-sees. Get The Watchlist delivered every Thursday.

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