It’s October and Halloween season is upon us! 2023 has been a huge year for pop culture which means a whole slew of new halloween costumes. While many of the options are going to be overdone, there are some fun pop culture opportunities that can set you apart from the crowd. Here is a guide of some iconic pop culture moments that you should avoid for a costume, and others that are just as iconic but also unique.

Costumes to avoid if you want to steer away from the crowd

Barbie: One costume that is going to be more overdone than any other this year is Barbie and Ken. They do make a great couple costume or a fun solo effort and there are so many choices from the movie. That being said, half of the country is going to wear some variation, and it’s going to seem tired. Barbie is definitely the movie of 2023 and has already inspired everyday fashion, so expect Halloween to take pink to the next level.

The Eras Tour: One of the biggest concert tours of all time visited Detroit this summer: the Taylor Swift Eras Tour. Tons of friend groups are definitely going to each take an “era” and dress up as it. As incredibly groundbreaking as Swift has been this year, these costumes, not so much. On top of the tour already inspiring numerous costumes, the Eras Tour film is hitting theaters just weeks before Halloween so people will be riding the high of that into the holiday weekend.

Wednesday: Following Halloween 2022, a modern spinoff of the classic show The Addams Family debuted on Netflix, focusing on the show’s dark and spooky daughter Wednesday. Wednesday is tailor-made for Halloween. It is spooky, dark, and everything else that a classic Halloween costume should be. Wednesday and her bubbly best friend Enid are perfect for any best friend duo. Because it is so perfect, tons of people will don the iconic black dress and braids, and get lost in the crowd.

The Detroit Lions: The Detroit Lions have had a great season so far this year, some may even say they will make it to the Superbowl (or at least the playoffs)! Due to this unexpected success, many people are either going to plan a fun costume in full detail about their favorite lions player, or forget to plan, throw on a Lions jersey and call it a day.

Fun options to stand out from the crowd

The Little Mermaid: Barbie wasn’t the only childhood icon that came to life this year. In June, the live-action version of “The Little Mermaid” hit screens across the world. Halle Bailey had a month as the big screen’s it girl before Margot Robbie snagged her crown. Barbie-mania caused people to forget the great and groundbreaking interpretation of this Disney classic. There are so many notable characters, including Ariel, that would make for a great friend group or solo costume and it isn’t likely that it will be overdone.

Beyonce: In 2022, Beyonce made the comeback of the decade releasing her first album since 2016. It was already a massive success, but her tour took the queen to a whole new level. Due to the fact that “Renaissance” was released before Halloween last year, the iconic disco ball cowgirl outfits aren’t going to be as overdone as Taylor’s Eras and it is a glam and trendy aesthetic that would make the perfect costume.

Taylor and Travis: Speaking of Taylor Swift, many “Swifties” with boyfriends are probably pushing their significant others to dress up as one of the Eras, like I listed above. That being said, recently Swift made waves with Chiefs player Travis Kelce when they went public with their relationship. It is the perfect way for couples to combine their interests and create an adorable costume. Half of teenage guys in the world probably already have a Kelce jersey in their closet. It is so cute and due to the success of the Lions and Eras tour, probably won’t be quite as overdone.

Hailey and Justin: Hailey and Justin Bieber recently made (pink) pop-culture waves in New York City. Hailey was dressed up for the launch of her Strawberry Glaze lip balm in soft red clothing and strawberry jewelry, while Bieber was wearing a gray sweat suit. It was a moment the internet couldn’t stop talking about and inspired tons of memes. It would be a simple but hilarious couples costume that most people won’t even think about doing.

Hopefully this helped you find a great costume idea that makes you stand out from the crowd, or maybe even inspired a new idea that isn’t even on here! Happy Halloween