What Your Halloween Costume Says About You, by Ainsly Griggs

By Ainsly Griggs

The whole point of Halloween is to dress up as someone you’re not, but somehow, even when we’re in costume, our personalities still manage to shine through. Whether it’s the costume you’ve been planning since July or the last-minute outfit you threw together an hour before the party, there’s usually a little more to it than meets the eye. Of course, these assumptions aren’t always accurate, but there are definitely some patterns worth pointing out. So, whether you’re offended, amused, or feeling a little too seen, let’s see if your Halloween costume says more about you than you’d like to admit.

BLACK CAT / ANIMAL COSTUME

Starting off with my dear friends dressing up as animals this year, I just want to say: I get it. Mean Girls may have given the animal ear costume a reputation for being reserved for girls who want to dress a little more promiscuously, but nowadays, there are plenty of other ways to do so, so you’re off the hook.

This costume doesn’t necessarily scream lazy, but it does give the impression that Halloween snuck up on you. Maybe you’ve been too busy to plan an elaborate costume, maybe you didn’t feel like spending money on something you’ll wear once, or maybe you looked in your closet and realized you already owned everything you needed. I respect it, you’re working smarter not harder. Especially when some people aren’t always keen to dress up. But if you’re going as an animal this year and tell me you put a lot of thought into the costume, I can’t guarantee that I’ll react with a straight face.

Now if you are doing an animal besides Cat, I have to give you points for creativity, but suspect that saw a cute headband at the store and decided to build an entire outfit around it. Either way, you understood the assignment without doing too much. You go Glen CoCo.

DISNEY PRINCESS COSTUME

If you’re dressing up as a Disney princess this Halloween, I have a few theories about you. First, you might be a parent trying to make their kids Halloween memories more magical, a Princess is a good rolemodel, so it’s sweet to emulate that on Hallowen. Or you might actually be a kid who wants to be a princess, and live happily ever after.

Or, and this is the one I’ve seen the most as of late, you’re a sorority girl who loves a good group costume, but cares more about looking good than costume accuracy.

Which is okay, you’ll still be recognizeable for the most part.

But let’s be honest with ourselves. You just want an excuse to wear a corset in a pretty color, put on a tiara, and feel like the main character for a night. And who can blame you? Halloween is basically the one time of year when you can wear your tiara all day and noone will question it. Because pink corset or not, you are a princess.

POP STAR COSTUME

If you’re dressing up as an iconic pop star for Halloween this year, chances are you’re an actual princess in real life. And I mean that in the best way possible. I’m talking to the Zara Larsson cosplayers, the girls recreating Katy Perry’s “California Gurls” music video, and the Sabrina Carpenter fans who have spent the last three months planning their outfits down to the last rhinestone. If you’re going as a pop star, you probably have money, patience, or an unhealthy level of dedication to your favorite artist. Maybe all three.

Emphasis on the money though. Let’s be honest, even if you make it, these costumes are not cheap. Between the wigs, boots, sequins, accessories, and whatever custom piece you somehow managed to find online, you’ve probably spent more on your Halloween costume than some people spend on an entire weekend out. And if you made your costume yourself? I genuinely have to tip my hat to you, because that takes a level of commitment I simply do not possess.

But that's what makes these costumes so good. You're not just dressing up as a celebrity; you're recreating a moment in pop culture. You probably love music, appreciate a good performance, and understand that sometimes the outfit IS the moment. And if you show up looking like you just stepped off the stage at the VMAs, I hope everyone gives you the attention you deserve.

THE SERIAL KILLER COSTUME

You're a little weird, and that's cool. You probably love horror movies, know way too much about fictional murderers, and have been waiting all year for an excuse to cover yourself in fake blood without anyone questioning it. While everyone else is trying to look cute, you're committed to making people a little uncomfortable, which is what Halloween is all about. It is supposed to be at least a little scary.

Somewhere along the way, the holiday became an excuse to wear a corset, a hat and go out drinking. And while there's absolutely nothing wrong with that, there's something refreshing about someone who remembers that Halloween is, in fact, the spooky holiday. Because let's be honest, walking into a Halloween party and seeing a Minion making out with Elphaba from Wicked is its own kind of horror movie.

That being said, there is a fine line between being a horror fan and making people genuinely concerned for their safety. If you're going as Patrick Bateman as a guy, it’s a bit of a red flag, so I strongly suggest practicing a little social distancing from me. Some characters are better left fictional.

CLOWN COSTUME

You like makeup. That's it. That's the personality analysis.

Regardless of who you are, you've willingly chosen to cover your face in a questionable amount of paint, which tells me that the costume itself was probably just an excuse to experiment with a new makeup look. Maybe you recently bought a palette with colors you have absolutely no practical reason to use, or maybe you've been waiting for an opportunity to recreate a look you've saved on Pinterest since August. Either way, Halloween has finally given you a reason to go all out. You're probably artistic, a little experimental, and not afraid to look ridiculous in the name of serving a lewk. You understand that makeup isn't just about looking pretty; sometimes, it's about creating an entire character. The exaggerated blush, the dramatic eyeliner, the little painted tears, the perfectly overlined red lips — every detail is intentional, and you want people to notice.

Of course, there are different types of clown costumes. If you're going for a cute, pastel clown, you probably spend too much time on TikTok and have an extensive collection of lip products. If you're going for a genuinely terrifying clown, you might be a horror enthusiast who enjoys watching people become visibly uncomfortable around you. And if you're doing a full circus clown with a giant wig and oversized shoes, I have to assume you’ve lost a bet.

Either way, I hope your makeup lasts all night, because there's nothing worse than spending two hours blending face paint just for it to melt off before the party even starts.

THE COWBOY / COWGIRL

Any variation of this costume — cowboy, cowgirl, farmer, country singer, or whatever version of the Western aesthetic you've decided to go with — tells me there's a little country in you.

You probably listen to Ella Langley and Morgan Wallen, have at least one country song in your rotation that you know every word to, and secretly love the idea of living on a ranch, even if the closest you've ever been to farm life is visiting a pumpkin patch.

But that doesn't necessarily mean you're a full-on cowboy. Because if you actually lived on a ranch and wore cowboy boots every day, this wouldn't exactly be a costume, would it? No, this is about embracing your little country side for one night and finally having an excuse to break out those cowboy boots you bought because they were cute, not because you had anywhere to wear them.

And if you're going as a farmer instead, I'm assuming you're either committed to the rural aesthetic or you saw overalls in your closet and decided to make them everyone's problem. Either way, add a hat, grab a pair of boots, and call it a day. Yeehaw.

MONSTER HIGH DOLL

A few years ago, I would've called you unique for this one, but Monster High has officially made its way back into the mainstream. I'm not mad about it.

If you're dressing up as a Monster High doll this Halloween, you're still very cool, and I'm willing to give you extra credit for the effort.

Unlike some costumes that require nothing more than a pair of ears and an outfit you already own, this one takes actual dedication. You're coordinating colors, figuring out the hair, recreating specific makeup looks, and making sure every accessory matches the character. Whether you're going as Draculaura, Frankie Stein, Clawdeen Wolf, or another member of the crew, there's a good chance you've spent an unreasonable amount of time studying reference pictures. However, I want to address something that has been very controversial this Halloween, Clawdeen Wolf is Black, so if you think it’s a good idea to darken your skin for this costume…think again. Theres plenty of ways to be freakishly fierce without darkening your skin, xoxo.

Moving on. This costume tells me you're either artistic, really into fashion, or the type of person who genuinely enjoys putting an outfit together from scratch. You probably appreciate a good color scheme, know the difference between a cute outfit and a look, and understand that the accessories are just as important as the clothes themselves.

And let's not forget the nostalgia factor. You might have grown up watching Monster High, collecting the dolls, or wishing you could dress like them in real life. Now that the aesthetic is back, you've finally got an excuse to live out your childhood dreams, except this time, the outfit is probably way more expensive.

Carry on, Diva.

THE CHRONICALLY ONLINE / MEME COSTUME

You're funny, you're creative, and there's a very good chance that your sense of humor has been permanently shaped by the internet.

I'm talking about the people dressing up as the brothers from The X Factor, recreating viral TikTok moments, or showing up as some incredibly specific meme that only makes sense to people who spend six hours a day scrolling. Your costume might not make sense to your parents, your grandparents, or anyone who hasn't opened TikTok in the last six months, but the second someone recognizes it, you know you've found your people.

This tells me that you have a pretty good sense of humor and enjoy being in on the joke. You're probably the person sending memes to the group chat at two in the morning, quoting viral audio in everyday conversations, and making references that leave everyone else wondering what on earth you're talking about. You don't necessarily need to look glamorous or even particularly cute; you just want people to laugh. And sometimes, that's a lot more entertaining than showing up in a mini skirt.

You might also be participating in what people affectionately call “Gay Halloween,” where the costumes are less about dressing up as a traditional character and more about turning random internet references, niche cultural moments, and incredibly specific anecdotes into wearable outfits. Like what do you mean you’re dressed as the 2026 Lettuce virus? Or the Monkey Ipad Kid? The more obscure the reference, the better. It's not about looking scary or sexy; it's about finding the one person at the party who understands exactly what you are.

Of course, there's a risk that nobody will get your costume. You could spend hours putting together the perfect niche reference, only to have everyone stare at you blankly while you explain the joke.

You're not dressing for the masses; you're dressing for the chronically online, and that's a community of its own.