10 Easy Halloween Costumes For You & Your Friends In 2022

At long last the empire waistline has made a comeback. If you and the girls are dressing to impress on Halloween night, let the esteemed ladies of fictional 1800s London be your guide. The excellence of Bridgerton’s Regency-inspired costuming lies in their use of colour to differentiate and depict character. Whether you pick Kate Sharma’s jewel-tone satin or Daphne’s Bridgerton-blue gowns, it’ll be easy for you and your besties to align with the different players of this steamy period romance simply through choice of palette. With an array of corset dresses, puff sleeves, tiaras and gloves, this elegant theme is sure to anoint you and your squad the diamonds of the spooky season. 

If tiaras and puff sleeves aren’t your cup of tea, not to worry. This year we saw Tom Cruise break out his aviator sunnies once more to reprise his role of Capt. Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell. The 2022 Top Gun sequel delivered endless eye candy in a wash of blue jeans, bomber jackets and the best of all-American vintage style. The base of this look starts simple with a crisp white tee beneath a layer of army green. Alternatively, you and the squad can keep things nice and eighties with blue jeans and aviator jackets. Not only do these effortlessly cool uniforms make for distinct and easy costumes but you’ll be sure to reach for them well beyond the Halloween season.

What’s turquoise, pink and an actual living nightmare? You guessed it, Squid Game! As we eagerly await the release of Squid Game season 2, this chilling Korean survival drama is never far from our thoughts. The show’s vibrantly coloured tracksuits are not only instantly recognisable but make a great group costume for friends looking to stay cool and comfortable all night long. Opt for red or hot pink hoodies with black gloves to emulate The Guards or look to green tracksuits and white trainers if you’re unfortunate enough to be a player. With the premise of the Squid Game trials being based around playground games, we imagine there’s plenty of party fun to be had with this Halloween theme.

To say Maddie and Cassie’s friendship took a beating during the latest season of Euphoria would be an understatement; but despite this duo’s myriad of flaws, there’s no denying their captivating onscreen chemistry that keeps us coming back for more. The two teens’ very different personalities radiate through their impeccable yet opposite styles with Maddie’s sultry looks dialling up the vamp and Cassie opting for girlish pastels. Between Maddie’s stunning little black dress in episode 1, Cassie’s “Oklahoma” moment and their iconic matching track sets, the best-friends-costume potential here is pure gold and we have never been happier.

Although Grease’s nostalgic 1950s looks have become a common staple of costume parties over the years, in 2022 paying homage to the late Olivia Newton-John couldn’t be more pertinent. From her girlish poodle skirts to the infamous “bad girl” makeover, we find ourselves hopelessly devoted to the stylings of Sandra D. Whether you and your friends are more the T-birds type or a bunch of beauty school dropouts, there’s never been a better time to break out the leather jackets and poofy dresses in honour of an iconic film with a legendary leading lady.

From 1950s nostalgia to 1950s dystopia, Olivia Wilde’s psychological horror Don’t Worry Darling is undeniably one of the most highly anticipated films of 2022. For some who don’t plan on seeing the film themselves, the press coverage leading up to its release has been horror enough to quench any thirst for entertainment. Regardless of whether you’ve bought a ticket or choose to stay at arm’s length, a Don’t Worry Darling Halloween costume is a guaranteed conversation starter in any party setting. Slip into Florence Pugh’s flawless 50s housewife aesthetic with a red lip, apron and pearls before lathering up your plus one with some high-shine pomade, loafers and a knitted polo à la Harry Styles. The more friends you can bring on board, the more this delightfully opportune theme will come to life.

This year Netflix finally gifted us with the Heartbreak High reboot we deserve. From Ca$h’s Eshay looks to Quinni’s ethereal glitter eyeshadow, Hartley High’s teens have delivered a wealth of costume inspo that’s both flawlessly noughties and distinctly Australian. For our fellow Darren and Ca$h shippers, a head-to-toe Eshay look matched with one of Darren’s adorable crop top ensembles is a no-brainer couple or BFF costume, instantly recognisable among a Gen Z crowd. If you want to get even more experimental with makeup and dial up the Y2K, Sasha and Quinni are your girls. Embrace a vibrant metallic eye and break out the Doc Martens to embody this iconic sapphic duo. Find an even more in depth look at the Heartbreak High character wardrobes here.

Speaking of killer eyeshadow, this September, 90s kids were blessed once more with the return of our favourite comedic witch trio. Hocus Pocus 2 is nostalgia bait at its finest with all three original actresses reprising their iconic roles with ease, almost two decades after the original. Although their looks may be a tad mediaeval (and impractical) for the contemporary Halloween scene, the individual autumnal palette of each character will translate beautifully into a modern rendition. With drapes of velvet and corsetry in allocated green, red and purple, this trio costume will make for a fire group pic when you’re out sucking the souls out of children on Halloween night - damn, those movies were kind of dark! 

Only 5 years after the original release of Hocus Pocus, Sarah Jessica Parker traded in her villainous witch comrades for the glamorous women of upper Manhattan and became the one and only Carrie Bradshaw. Alongside Hocus Pocus, Sex and The City had another run this year with their spin off series And Just Like That which quickly became HBO Max’s most streamed show of all time. For besties looking to dial up the glamour this Halloween season, look no further than the extravagant wardrobes of these thoroughly entertaining New York women. For the Carrie of your friend group it’ll be all about embracing outrageous headwear and heels whereas Charlotte is more conservatively inclined in a rotation of pencil skirts and feminine 1950s silhouettes, à la the aforementioned Don’t Worry Darling aesthetic. Miranda is perhaps the most comfortably dressed of the three, often sporting Hamptons-chic trousers and relaxed cuts, and although we’re short a Samantha, there’s no doubt Che Diaz would happily step in with an all-black moment.

You either love them or you hate them, but if one thing’s for sure, you probably can’t escape them. This is perhaps something the Minions and other more traditional Halloween villains have in common. Either way, there’s no denying the cultural force behind these loud yellow beings that somehow managed to secure Dame Julie Andrews for their latest film. All things aside, when it comes to apparel, the Minions are nothing if not consistent. Much like Steve Jobs’ signature black turtle neck or Mark Zuckerberg’s classic grey tee, the Minions’ blue overalls are synonymous with their brand, not to mention the making of a very sustainable capsule wardrobe. Their instantly recognisable denim look is exactly what lends them to an excellent group Halloween costume, which is why this spooky season we’re pulling on our overalls with banana in hand and embracing this incredible cultural phenomenon. If they’re good enough for Julie, they’re good enough for us.