As a lifelong Floridian, there are very few pieces of winter clothing I’ve ever felt were truly worth purchasing — with one huge exception. 10 years ago, I purchased an orange puffer vest. That orange vest has helped every member of our family be Marty McFly for Halloween at least once. Sometimes we dress it up with a skateboard, other times we’ve made cardboard camcorders, and one year I even bought a white wig and popped on a lab coat, complete with a “Save the Clock Tower” flyer in my pocket to accompany the kids as Doc Brown. And while Hill Valley citizens may have confused the iconic vest for a life preserver, nobody in 2025 is thinking anything other than Marty McFly when they see someone sporting it on top of blue jeans and layered button-up shirts. (Patrice Downing)
Are you looking for the perfect couple’s Halloween costume this year? Does your wife have long hair, and love to walk around in frumpy, lounging attire? Do you have the right kind of hair to mold into a middle-aged man, Vietnam veteran chic? Then there is the perfect costume for you! Capture the volatile yet loving relationship between Jeffrey “The Dude” Lebowski (or “His Dudeness” or “Duder” or “El Dudorino,” if you’re not into the whole brevity thing) and Walter Sobchak (everyone’s favorite Jewish movie character) from the iconic Coen brothers cult classic comedy, The Big Lebowski. Your wife can walk around in utter comfort for the duration of the Halloween festivities, along with a wonderful fake goatee from the store (or a nice crocheted one, if she is talented in that way). You can walk around in your nicest fishing vest and yellow tinted aviators, while having the excuse to yell all your responses all night (while claiming you are calmer than your wife), and blaming everything on Vietnam (like some of your older male relatives might already, which will make for great conversation starters). Wrap up your Halloween celebration with a two-hour dive into one of the funniest and most quotable films of all time! (Shane Conto)
Listen, capeshit is everywhere. Superheroes are increasingly becoming more passé by the minute. We all know this. But dressing up as a superhero is still fun. So what do you do? You thumb your nose at the entire prospect by wearing a superhero and/or supervillain outfit from a satirical parody that makes fun of the genre, while embracing all of its silliness. A collection of internet videos turned into a very short feature film showcases the titular villain, Dr. Horrible making blog posts about how he continually gets thwarted by his nemesis, Captain Hammer. Frustrated as Dr. Horrible may be with his villainous deeds being stopped, the Doc becomes further enraged when Hammer also steals the affections of the Doctor’s love interest, Penny, leading to all kinds of comedic and dramatic tension. Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog is a fun flick to go back and watch, especially because it serves as a throwback to an earlier, better time on the internet. But what makes these outfits so great is that they’re a fun way to satirize the superhero genre, while referencing an obscure entry in the genre, and they’re also easy costumes to make. A lab coat with a pair of goggles on your brow, or some baggy cargo pants with a simple, brown, printed tee with a hammer on the chest, and boom, you’re done. Efficient, accurate, and hilarious. What’s not to love?! (Heath Lynch)
Dungeons & Dragons is certainly having a moment, and I’m sure as they are at cons, there will be no shortage of Critical Role or Dimension 20-inspired getups. However, if we’re looking cinematically, my mind went Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves as I was trying to come up with a fun Halloween costume. Though the main cast would make for silly costumes, what immediately put a smile on my face was the Fat Dragon our adventurers meet during their quest. Although it could certainly be worn by adults, the image in my head conjured up just how absolutely a baby, toddler, or someone of generally a waddling age would look in that costume. You’d win the holiday for sure. (Jake Bourgeois)
Do you have a red knit beanie and a love of Wes Anderson films? Well then, you have a Halloween costume. The Team Zissou crew’s crimson beanie can be mixed and matched for a dozen different signature looks from The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou to help you transform into your favorite crew member with a quick dip into the depths of your closet. For a classic Steve Zissou signature look, pop on a powder blue button-up and slacks, and don’t forget to slide into your Adidas 3-Stripes if you’ve got them. Maybe you’re more of a Klaus? No problem — the same beanie goes great with a turtle neck and shorts (baby blue of course) to transform you into the most loyal member of Team Zissou. Do you have a light blue track suit in the bottom of a drawer waiting for a comeback? Well today’s the day, slap on the beanie, and now you’re Ned. And if powder blue is not your color, have no fear. That tuxedo pushed to the back of your closet looks great with a beanie. Don’t worry if it’s still too warm to wear a full tux; you can always go Klaus style with short pants on the bottom. The possibilities one little beanie can bring as a costume are as expansive as the ocean Team Zissou explores. (Patrice Downing)
We all have those movies that we passionately love that just no one else saw. As I’ve said before, The Man from U.N.C.L.E. is one of mine. It’s got a great ‘60s feel to it, and the costuming plays a key role in that. When I was trying to think of something striking, Alicia Vikander’s Gaby’s wardrobe immediately popped into my head. Does she look good in everything they put her in? Yes, but more than that, everything pops with something unique and colorful. Trying to accurately recreate something from her wardrobe would probably cost more than I’d like to think about (and I’m certainly not pulling it off), but it captures the spirit about what I loved about this thought exercise — that feeling of being at a party (again, just another reason why this is a thought exercise and not aimed at ME specifically), locking eyes with someone from across the room, and sharing that nod or look that lets you know they totally get what you were going for. (Jake Bourgeois)