Of course, Millie Bobby Brown’s Eleven is a total superstar, but let’s take a moment to celebrate Stranger Things’ unsung hero Joyce Byers. Beautifully played by Winona Ryder, Joyce displays staggering resilience in the face of adversity and will go to any length to protect the people she loves, which, in Hawkins, Indiana, is no mean feat. Season 3 of the Emmy-winning series saw Joyce a little less distraught and a little more put together than in years past. When setting out to investigate a Russian conspiracy alongside hot-headed police chief Jim Hopper (David Harbour), Joyce opted for utilitarian looks, pairing short-sleeved ringer T-shirts with jeans and blazers or oversized striped button-downs. It’s a stellar costume option: easy to pull together, cool, and comfortable. Make sure to top off your look with the right hairstyle — blunt-cut bangs and shoulder-length waves will do the trick.
I have tried to convince my niece and nephew to dress up as Waffles and Mochi for Halloween this year ever since the show debuted in March and I fell deeply in love with the puppeted chefs-in-training. However, four and six-year-olds are unable to plan several months in advance — and typically cycle through several costume ideas by October 31 — so I’m calling that plan a loss. But why can’t I make a homemade Mochi suit for myself? I’ve done nothing but eat my way through 2020 (and let’s be real, 2021, too) so crafting a pink felt ball to wear around me sounds pretty good. You can’t go wrong with a Michelle Obama-approved costume!
You’ve got two directions you can go with this costume. Father Paul, played by Hamish Linklater (yes, he’s the brother from The New Adventures of Old Christine), is not afraid of color as far as priests go: even in Ordinary Time, his robes are gold, red, blue, and purple. Pick from what you or your clergy have around! Or you can go with the hot priest look: Add a priest’s collar to your favorite black shirt, throw on some jeans, and you’re not a regular priest, you’re a cool priest. Bonus points if you have some blood foaming out of your mouth and a creepy bald angel attached to your shoulder.
Penelope and Eloise are the most obvious duo choice for Halloween this year. But how to choose between the sweet and observant Penelope and her powerful, paragon-of-taste alter ego Lady Whistledown? Will it be the iconic Barbie pink silhouette or a hood paired with the entire town’s rapt attention? Either way, looking fabulous and illuminating social wrongs are a guarantee for this year’s look.
Despite being born fifth in a family of eight, Eloise is anything but a forgotten child. She’s rebellious, quick-witted, and a free thinker, and that extends to her choice of wardrobe: She takes the typical Bridgerton silhouette and makes it her own. A master in the art of layering, she adds fabulous frills, tulle turtlenecks, and always punctuates her looks with her signature off-kilter hair bows that feel oddly contemporary, much like her sensibilities. And, of course, no Eloise look is complete without her best friend and partner in crime, Penelope Featherington.
Upon Christine Quinn’s inaugural entrance to the Oppenheim Group’s office in Season 3 of the Emmy-nominated Selling Sunset, Heather Rae Young says it best — “You look like the Joker!” Christine knows no bounds, and that’s especially true of her fashion — she certainly delivers with this fluorescent-green look. This chic take on The Joker is anchored by the impeccably constructed Off-White plaid skirt, accented by a coordinating Balenciaga micro-purse and Le Specs x Adam Selman sunnies in neon lime, and topped off with 10 pounds of perfectly waved platinum blonde extensions. If there was ever a look to stomp around Gotham in, this is the one.
Mike lies flat on a couch — in the middle of a work meeting — exhausted. Why? “He’s skipping all of his meals and using the money we gave him for food to buy those dumb shirts!” explains an antagonistic colleague named Doug. So begins this hilarious sketch about a businessman who discovers his new favorite shop, Dan Flashes, a store that appeals to middle-aged men via collared shirts priced by the complexity of their hypnotic patterns. While I am not one to ever skip a meal, nor am I a middle-aged man, I admire the gall of spending your per diem on overpriced clothes and can’t get enough of all the audacious characters on I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson. That’s why this Halloween I’ll be harnessing the comedy of the unexpected and the allure of the complicated by donning a Dan Flashes original.
Mean Girls said it best — Halloween is the one day a year that we get to dress up any way we want and no one can say anything about it. So, what’s the perfect costume that combines both femininity and fright? Athena, the Queen Zombie herself from Zack Snyder’s Army of the Dead. Ruling the zombies with fierceness and strength, this queen doesn’t shy away from using her power. Through it all, she maintains love and compassion for her partner, King Zombie Zeus, showing that there’s always more to a zombie than meets the eye.
If you aren’t a fan of gory costumes and instead enjoy dressing glam for the Halloween season, look no further than Ariana Grande. excuse me, i love you, follows the high-ponytail-loving pop princess onstage and behind the scenes of her 2019 Sweetener World Tour — taking it back to the “before times” when we could sway shoulder-to-shoulder in packed stadiums. The film is an especially joyful escape because it features Ariana’s high-pitched bubble-gum pop voice and gives you an at-home experience of her iconic world tour.
Eric Effiong is bold, outspoken, and an absolute joy to be around. He’s everything I wanted to be in high school, so it’s no surprise I see so much of myself in him. In terms of fashion, I love an 80s moment, and some of Eric’s most iconic looks give that. Bright patterns and neon accessories are non-negotiable. Quippy clapbacks and disapproving glares are optional, but highly recommended. I’m not 100% sure I’ll be able to pull off this look for Halloween, but in the words of Moordale’s most iconic student, “rule number one: enthusiasm is more important than technique.”
It’s really awe-inspiring that Zendaya can look so effortlessly glamorous while having a nuclear meltdown. One can only hope to be so mad and so hot at the same time. That was the real takeaway for me from Malcolm and Marie — more than the acceptance speech snub, the brutally intimate insults, or the pitch-perfect soulful soundtrack. After two years of pandemic dressing — a strong rotation of high-end sweatpants in the winter and spandex biker shorts in the summer — the thought of donning a slinky metallic gown with a sky-high slit, and throwing a royal fit while stomping around in 4-inch heels and a full face of makeup is wholly enthralling. It’s just the kind of fantasy and escapism that I’ll be seeking this Halloween, as I use the cover of spooky season to pull off an extra fancy look for the heck of it.
I’ve always been a sucker for kids’ games; I love Red Rover and hopscotch and, of course, Red Light, Green Light. There’s no doubt that half of the costume-going population will be wearing something from Squid Game this year — whether it’s a number on a teal tracksuit over a matching baseball tee; or a magenta hazmat jumper, black rubber gloves, with a mesh fencing-style mask bearing a circle, square, or triangle; or maybe a stylish suit and gloves and a repurposed Dr. Doom mask, you’ll be sure to see echoes of this K-drama on every jack-o-lanterned street. Personally, I can’t resist that looming, creepy doll from the first episode as a costume. The orange-yellow combo of the schoolgirl dress and tulip-collared shirt, the ponytails accented by purple hair clips; it’s all too good. Plus, I get to wear knee socks and mary janes — it’s been a minute there. The challenge will be how to get my eyes to rotate in opposite directions. And . . . Freeze.
*Queue’s Queue: Costumes Edition watchlist is based on titles available in most regions as of October 22, 2021.