6 Halloween Costumes Experts Predict Will Be Most Popular This Year (Plus How to Make Them!)

As Halloween approaches, the search for the best costume ideas is on. If you're wondering whether it's too early to start planning, it's not: According to data from Pinterest's 2025 Halloween Insights report, searches for all things Halloween start to spike as early as August. That means plenty of people are already planning their spooky season ensembles.

To inspire your Halloween costume choice, we turned to the experts to learn what this year's top trends will be. The overarching themes from Pinterest's data is budget-friendly and nostalgic costumes. "This year, economic uncertainty and a desire for comfort are leading more people to embrace nostalgia, budget-friendly projects, and creative ways to celebrate," the report says.

As a result, searches for 'Halloween sewing projects' were already up by 175% by the end of summer, and increased searches for '90s-inspired looks suggest nostalgia is shaping up to be a big Halloween aesthetic this year. People are looking for "unique" and "niche" costumes, but but searches for "iconic" Halloween costumes—think classics like pumpkins, witches, and Superman—remain popular too. If you haven't decided what to be this year, read on for the biggest costume trends of 2025.

1. '90s-Themed Costumes

The '90s have inspired some of this year's biggest home decor and fashion trends, so you can expect the iconic decade to influence this year's Halloween costumes, too. There has been a 90% increase in Pinterest searches for the phrase "90s Halloween aesthetic," indicating the nostalgia-driven look is still going strong. The decade provides a plethora of fun and easy costume ideas to recreate. Think Friends characters or Cher and Dionne from the 1995 classic, Clueless. One of the best ways to recreate these iconic looks is with thrifted clothing—it's inexpensive, sustainable, and since the decade wasn't that long ago, you'll be able to find plenty of gems to put your costume together.

2. Wednesday Addams

Speaking of '90s nostalgia, the second season of Wednesday —based on the 1991 movie The Addams Family—premieres just in time to give you all the Halloween costume inspiration you need. The good news is, a Wednesday Addams costume couldn't be easier to create at home, making it a great last-minute costume idea if you're in a pinch come October 31st. All you need for this spooky-but-sweet monochromatic look is a black dress, shoes, and stockings, a white collared shirt, and two quick braids in your hair (or a wig) to complete the outfit. Searches for "Addams family costumes" were up last Halloween, and we're predicting the same will be true this year as people look for individual and group Halloween costume ideas.

3. Paddington Bear

Get ready to see lots of Paddington Bear trick-or-treaters this year. The Pinterest report reveals that searches for "Paddington Bear costumes" are up by 130%, following the release of the latest Paddington In Peru movie. To turn everyone's favorite bear into an adorable Halloween costume, you'll need a blue jacket, a red hat, a luggage tag, and a little briefcase or suitcase—which conveniently doubles as a bag for your Halloween candy haul.

4. Wicked Characters

You can expect to see lots of Wicked-themed costumes this Halloween in anticipation of the release of the movie's sequel in November 2025. Glinda and Elphaba are each iconic characters on their own, but together they make for a great costume pairing. While last year Elphaba costume searches were ahead of Glinda searches, this year Pinterest predicts the reverse.

Luckily, both Wicked-inspired Halloween costumes are simple to DIY. Put together a custom Elphaba look with a black dress, a witch hat and broom, and a pair of green stockings and other green accents such as eye makeup, a purse, jewelry, and hair accessories. As for Glinda, think pink—a pink party dress, a fabulous pair of heels, a sparkly wand, and a shiny tiara is all you'll need.

5. Sharkboy and Lavagirl

A Halloween costume search that's seeing a big increase on Pinterest is Sharkboy and Lavagirl. You can go as simple or as elaborate as you choose with this Halloween costume duo. Keep it simple with a pink top and legging base for Lavagirl, or get creative and add painted, ribbon, or felt details and a pink wig. For Sharkboy, start with a dark top-and-bottoms base and add shark detailing using paint, felt, foam, or ribbon.

6. Superman and Supergirl

With the new Superman movie out this year and a Supergirl movie slated to come out next year, we're expecting to see lots of Superman and Supergirl costumes this Halloween. The Pinterest report reveals that searches are up 500% for Superman and 400% for Supergirl, so if you want to get in on the costume trend, here's how you can make them at home. Pull off Supergirl's look with a blue bodysuit and a red skirt, boots, and cape (which you can fashion out of an oversized scarf, thin blanket, or piece of fabric). Add a belt and paint or stick on the iconic "S" on the blue top to finish the look. For a homemade Superman Halloween costume, start with a blue t-shirt and bottoms (jeans will work if you're in a pinch), then add a red cape similar to Supergirl's and complete the outfit with a painted "S" on the shirt.