This year, the most popular Halloween costume amongst adults was the witch costume, with 5.6 million people planning to wear it, according to the National Retail Federation.
Despite the popularity of these more traditional outfits, a growing number of costumes are inspired by social media trends. According to Pew Research, 90% of teenagers in the United States use YouTube, and around 60% use Instagram and TikTok.
As teenagers are exposed to trends through these platforms, many are inspired by pop culture rather than traditional costumes, such as junior Timmy Zinzuvadia, who wore a “Mrs. Doubtfire” costume.
“Obviously, its really funny to see some random guy in a really big fat suit and old lady’s clothes. It kind of brings the community together, and makes us all laugh. It’s a really good time,” Zinzuvadia said.
Even adults are turning to social media for themed outfit inspiration. Carlmont Spanish teacher Eva Parker wore a “sick seven” Halloween costume, inspired by her students’ references to the viral “6 7” meme. This meme has become viral on social media, even gaining enough popularity to win Dictionary.com’s 2025 Word of the Year.
“I figure if I am obnoxious and cringe by saying it, then they’ll stop saying it. Also, I like to make my students laugh,” Parker said.
Another popular pop culture costume among students was a Labubu onesie. According to Statista, approximately 1.3 million videos on TikTok feature the labubu hashtag.
Besides the rise in social media, this new era of lively Halloween costumes can also be attributed to companies’ desire for increased profits.
This new custom, which allows for unique costumes, also enables companies to generate more profits. When people buy trendy costumes, companies have more opportunities to sell new costumes to consumers every year.
“I feel like when I was a kid, I was like, the same thing; a ghost, a witch, whatever. And I feel like it was very stereotypical Halloween costumes. Now, I feel like people are more creative, like doing puns or group costumes,” Parker said.
Group costumes have also gained popularity, adding a social element to the process of selecting a costume. Sophomores Hanna Wee and Kimberly Tam matched in their ‘Toy Story’ alien onesies for school on Friday.
“Halloween means getting to coordinate costumes with your friends,” Wee said.
Referencing social media allows for students to more easily choose a costume that will connect to other students.
“A good Halloween costume is funny. Someone has to look at your costume and laugh,” Wee said.
