Halloween kind of feels weird this year.
Should we be celebrating? Should we get together with friends? Do we need to incorporate masks into our costumes?
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There are so many unanswered questions, but if you decide that some safe Halloween fun will help cheer you up during this depressing year, you’re going to need a good costume idea.
So, whether you’re going to a small Halloween get-together with a few friends or just dressing up for the “likes” on Instagram, here are some last-minute Halloween costume ideas that are perfect for this traumatizing year that is 2020.
1. Joe Exotic
Who: The star of Netflix’s true crime docuseries “Tiger King,” that premiered just as the pandemic took over in the United States.
Why: Because at the beginning of quarantine, Exotic made us all realize that our lives weren’t nearly as bad as this guy’s. Every Zoom happy hour had a discussion about “Tiger King” and wacky Exotic.
What you’ll need: A mullet wig, a fake handlebar mustache, acid-washed jeans, anything mesh and a trucker hat.
2. Carole Baskin
Who: The other star of Netflix’s irresistible “Tiger King." She also competed on the current season of “Dancing With The Stars.”
Why: Baskin became the villain of “Tiger King,” even though her male counterparts, Exotic and Doc Antle, are actual and accused criminals, respectively (Exotic is currently behind bars and Antle is charged with wildlife trafficking).
Even if you do think Baskin killed her husband, she’s still an easy costume to throw together.
What you’ll need: Literally anything tiger or cheetah print. Oh, a flower crown and a bike wouldn’t hurt, either.
3. Dr. Anthony Fauci
Who: Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and a lead member of the Coronavirus Task Force.
Why: Dr. Fauci has been at the forefront of insight and advice on what Americans should do ever since the COVID-19 pandemic began in early 2020. He has also been a medical adviser to every president since Ronald Reagan. He was virtually unknown to the average American before 2020, but he has now become a household name.
What you’ll need: A gray wig (or some flour for your hair to make it gray/white), a lab coat and a face mask.
4. The cast of ‘Schitt’s Creek’
Who: Johnny, Moira, David and Alexis Rose are the characters in the Emmy-award winning Canadian comedy “Schitt’s Creek.” They are played by Eugene Levy, Catherine O’Hara, Daniel Levy and Annie Murphy, respectively.
Why: “Schitt’s Creek” has been a beloved show for many years, but it wasn’t until recently that it started getting the love it deserves. Not only is the entire Rose family hilarious and eccentric, but each of the characters has such a defined style that it’s easy to come up with costumes for any of them.
What you’ll need: For Johnny, a nice tailored suit. For Moira, any outfit that is black and white, and you’ll need a wacky wig to go with it. For David, an oversized black sweater, black skinny jeans and white sunglasses. For Alexis, an oversized hat, a miniskirt and high heels.
5. ‘Folklore’-era Taylor Swift
Who: She’s arguably the biggest pop star in the world, and Swift released a surprise album this summer.
Why: “Folklore” took everyone by surprise, and that’s not just because there was zero promotion behind it. Swift went for acoustic guitars and stripped-down production for her eighth studio album. It began a new era in Swift’s storied career.
What you’ll need: Cardigans! But seriously, anything warm that you would wear while walking aimlessly through the woods. Think of a fall fashion Pinterest board.
6. Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Who: A Supreme Court justice who is responsible for so many Americans having equal rights, especially women.
Why: The legendary Supreme Court justice died of cancer in September, and many Americans who looked up to her were crushed by the news. She is a historic American icon, and her look is pretty easy to nail down.
What you’ll need: Your hair pulled back in a bun, glasses, a judge’s robe and a fancy white collar.
7. Banana bread
Who: A delicious and easy bread made with lots of ripe bananas.
Why: When quarantine started, everyone finally realized they had time to bake all of the things, and that included banana bread, arguably one of the easiest breads to make. If you didn’t bake banana bread during quarantine, you weren’t doing it properly.
What you’ll need: A banana costume and a loaf of bread to carry around.
8. USPS mail carrier
Who: The fine folks who deliver our mail every day.
Why: The United States Postal Service became a hot-button topic when people decided to vote by mail this year instead of in-person because of the pandemic. Supporting USPS and buying stamps became a new form of activism.
What you’ll need: A blue button-up shirt, blue shorts or pants and a blue bucket hat. Bonus: Have a stack of mail with you.
9. Cardi B in the ‘WAP’ music video
Who: Best-selling rapper and in general an iconic human being.
Why: Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion surprised us this summer with a true gift -- the music video to their smash hit “WAP.” Not only is the song addictive, but the music video is full of visuals and Cardi doing her thing.
What you’ll need: A bright pink bathing suit, matching long gloves and a pink scarf.
10. A Zoom call
Who: A video conferencing program that became very popular once the pandemic started in early 2020.
Why: While you can FaceTime or Skype with your friends, family and coworkers, it seemed that Zoom became the video app of choice. From work meetings, birthday parties, weddings and happy hours, it seems like everyone has been on Zoom this year at least once.
What you’ll need: A piece of cardboard cut with a whole in the middle to look like a screen.
11. Adele on ‘SNL’
Who: Pop superstar and one of the best-selling artists of all time.
Why: Adele pops out of the shadows only when she has a new album coming out, so that’s why it was shocking to find out she was hosting (and not performing) on an episode of “SNL” this month. While she was nervous in her monologue, by the end of the show, she had smashed it.
What you’ll need: Blond wig, black outfit and a British accent.
12. Ina Garten
Who: Legendary Food Network chef and host of “Barefoot Contessa” who is known to like a martini or two.
Why: Garten has always been around, but in April as we all began to lose our minds in lockdown, Garten posted a video on Instagram of her making a cosmopolitan cocktail, except it was in a GIANT martini glass. Only in quarantine is it not frowned upon to drink a cocktail that big.
Bonus points if you have someone else to dress as her adoring husband, Jeffrey.
What you’ll need: A black bob wig, oversized blue button up polo and a martini glass. How easy is that?
