12 Halloween Costume Ideas for Serious Fashion Fans

You might not be able to nab looks right off the runway like the stars, but you can at least recreate them for Halloween. Thom Browne’s spring/summer 2026 show took place in Paris just weeks ago, so this one is especially timely. If you’re fortunate enough to have any Thom Browne in your closet, this is the perfect time to wear it—but any tailored, suit-adjacent pieces will be helpful in pulling this costume off. Make sure to decorate what you have with some blue, red, and white ribbon so the Thom Browne effect really comes across. Then, all you need to do is purchase an alien mask (and bedazzle it if you feel so inclined). You’ll be the chicest life form in all the galaxy.

If you want to go for something slightly more controversial (yet still in the high fashion realm), check out Duran Lantink’s debut collection for Jean Paul Gaultier. From the second Lantink took his final bow on the runway in Paris, the fashion set has been talking about this collection, with opinions varying wildly. Some thought Lantink was simply following in the path of enfant terrible JPG, while others considered the designs to be disrespectful. The one look that really got people talking was the bodysuit printed with an image of a nude man’s hairy body—full frontal and all. Maybe this piece wasn’t made for the red carpet, but it was most definitely made for Halloween, and it can be easily recreated with a nude bodysuit and some fabric paint (and a whole lot of confidence).

Speaking of controversial, not everyone was pleased to see the forced grins at Maison Margiela, which featured models walking down runway with metal mouthguards that turned smiles into Margiela tags. Like Lantink’s JPG, though, showing up in a look from Glenn Martens’s ready-to-wear debut for the brand will make you the center of the party conversation, and you don’t actually have to stretch your mouth out all night for the sake of the costume. Try using eyelash glue and simply placing four pieces of metal at the corners of your lips—but make sure you smile big for photos. As for the outfit, just grab a black dress and saran wrap and go crazy. It doesn’t get much easier than that.

For our final spring 2026 runway option, might we suggest the cherry dress from Dilara Findikoglu’s latest collection. Sexy, romantic, slightly distraught, this piece is both beautiful and thought-provoking, and can easily be recreated for a standout costume. All one needs is a nude corset and skirt, the sheerer the better. Then, take a trip to the grocery store and pick up a bag of cherries. Smear some across the dress and glue them all over. Disheveled hair and a cherry-stained lip will complete this dreamy costume.

Everyone wants to feel like 10 million bucks on Halloween, and the easiest way to do so is to dress up like Jane Birkin’s original Birkin, the piece that started a fashion phenomenon. Over the summer, Birkin’s Birkin went up for auction at Sotheby’s, where it sold for £8.6 million (or $10.1 million), breaking the record as the most expensive handbag ever sold at auction. Pay homage to the icon and her history-making purse with a Halloween costume that will turn you into the Hermès prototype. This one will definitely require a bit of DIY-ing (perhaps some cardboard strategically cut into the Birkin shape) but there are a few elements that must be included, like Birkin’s initials on the front, and, of course, all the baubles placed on the straps. You might not be able to move around the parties you attend, but you’ll have the most interesting costume without a doubt.

Alexander Skarsgård might be one our boldest style stars (definitely when it comes to the men), and over the past few months alone, the actor has given us loads of red carpet moments worthy of a Halloween costume. At Cannes, he showed up in three different kink-adjacent ensembles to promote his queer BDSM biker drama, Pillion—but his choice for the premiere of the film might be the best option if you want to embody Skarsgård this spooky season. The actor attended the event in a look from Anthony Vacarello’s fall 2025 menswear collection for Saint Laurent, featuring a double-breasted suit jacket and thigh-high leather boots. The beauty of this costume is that it’s simple—you really only need two elements to complete it—but it absolutely packs a punch.

Cardi B’s reign as the queen of couture week continued this summer when the rapper attended multiple Paris shows in jaw-dropping ensembles. Her most notable look came from Schiaparelli, whose runway show Cardi attended in a black dress featuring out-of-this-world shoulders and a cascade of ivory beads. A raven on her arm added some drama and really took this couture moment to the next level.

At first glance, this might seem like an ambitious costume to pull off, but it’s actually workable. You simply need a column skirt as a base, some cardboard or styrofoam to construct the shoulders, and then just a whole lot of beads to create the fringe effect. A stuffed raven perched on your hand will keep PETA from knocking down your door, though if you have a partner who wants to be included, you can try convincing them to dress up like the bird and turn this into a couple’s costume.

There were a lot of memorable moments at this year’s Met Gala, but the one that lends itself most to Halloween is definitely André 3000’s musical ensemble. The rapper and singer-songwriter attended the Met in a jumpsuit created by Burberry in collaboration with André’s own brand Benjamin Bixby. The standout component of this, however, was the piano, modeled after a Steinway Model S baby grand. André’s piano weighed 30 pounds, but you can easily buy a child’s version on Amazon or Facebook Marketplace and strap in to your back for a similar effect. Then, just grab a jumpsuit, red hat, and statement glasses and you’ll absolutely have one of the most unique looks of the night.

If you’re pregnant this Halloween season, I’m sorry, but you have no choice: you absolutely have to dress up like Rihanna at the Met Gala. Really, any of Rihanna’s recent pregnancy looks make for a great costume, but this Marc Jacobs ensemble truly takes the cake. Wrap that bump in a corset, add a cropped jacket, neckerchief, column skirt, and, of course, oversized boater hat, and you’ll surely do the Bajan singer proud.

There will likely be a lot of Labubus walking around this Halloween, but how many Lisa Labubus will you see? Add a creative twist to what will probably be a very popular costume by recreating the singer’s Labubu-inspired look from the London stop on this year’s Blackpink tour. The ensemble might seem complicated, but it really just involves covering a corset, mini skirt, and boots in pink fur. Add a Labubu mask and one of the lil’ guys to your belt (bonus points if it’s a Marko Monroe custom like Lisa’s), and you’ll be serving Pop Mart meets pop princess all night long.

This year marked the end of And Just Like That... and Carrie Bradshaw’s journey for now—as well as the end of an absurd run of outfits that overshadowed every scene of the series. There are so many moments one could pluck from the third season of AJLT for a Halloween costume, but may we suggest the haunted doll look from episode one, or Carrie’s Barbiecore Thanksgiving ensemble from the finale? Either will be instantly recognizable by any AJLT fan, and while some may dress up like SATC-era Carrie in a tutu, we predict that anyone who goes the route of 2025 Carrie will be completely original in their choice.

Ensure your friends are the envy of your Halloween party with a group costume inspired by Saint Laurent’s star-studded front row at the spring 2026 show during Paris Fashion Week. You can each take a celeb, or you can all just embody the overall vibe of this photo. Thrifted nylon quarter zips and lingerie-inspired shorts and jumpsuits will have your crew looking cool and comfortable. You just might feel like you’re being hounded by the paparazzi with all the adoring fans who’ll want to take pictures of you.