For most of us, Halloween involves panic-ordering something with two-day shipping and pretending a $10 pair of cat ears is convincing. Celebrities, on the other hand, treat Halloween like the Met Gala with fake blood and extravagant wigs. They treat it like a personal brand exercise with prosthetics, glam squads, and a mood board. A lot of famous people still phone it in–throw on that corset, add animal ears, and call it couture–but every so often, someone takes it seriously enough to become part of the Halloween canon. The best costumes don’t have to be expensive…but they must be intentional, referential, and committed to the bit. These are the ones that still live rent-free in my head.
Harry Styles as Elton John (2018)
Some celebrities are “inspired by.” Harry Styles did a historical reenactment in 2018. His recreation of Elton John’s 1975 Dodgers Stadium look was a reincarnation. The bedazzled baseball uniform, the pink-tinted glasses, and the confidence of a man who has never in his life said the words “last minute.” It worked because it didn’t feel like Harry trying to be Elton–it felt like he stepped into one of Elton’s eras with respect and zero irony. It hit every bar: glam, camp, nostalgia, and a reminder that Halloween is no time to be subtle.
Heidi Klum as E.T. (2022)
Heidi Klum’s Halloween reputation is already unhinged in the best way, but the E.T. costume is still her wildest swing. She wasn’t trying to “look good” or do “E.T. but make it fashionable.” She quite literally became the creature–full prosthetics, giant alien head, wrinkled skin, and elongated limbs. She won Halloween like it was an Olympic sport. Who else wakes up and says, “What if I transformed into an extraterrestrial toddler for fun?” Only Heidi Klum.
Paris Hilton as Britney Spears (2023)
Paris Hilton dressing as Britney is like a pop culture looking into a mirror and winking at itself. She picked Britney’s “Toxic” flight attendant era, which is top-tier Spears lore, and she committed with the icy blue mini dress, gloves, and blonde updo. It’s nostalgic without feeling stale, campy without being cartoonish, and layered with early 2000s friendship lore.
Selena Gomez & Benny Blanco as Alice and the Mad Hatter (2024)
There are easy fairytale costumes, and then there are “celebrities spent money and called a stylist” fairytale costumes. Selena and Benny went the Alice in Wonderland route, but did it in a way that didn’t feel like a high-budget costume. It was whimsical but not childish, coordinated but not try-hard. It also proved something important: if you’re going to do a couples costume, commit to the aesthetic like you’re both about to fall down a Victorian rabbit hole together.
So what makes a celebrity costume last? Commitment and clarity. These costumes weren’t random; they were intentional choices with cultural weight. They referenced specific people, movies, or moments–not just generic archetypes. They also leaned into transformation, whether that meant nostalgia, prosthetics, or cosplay-level detail. The best celebrity Halloween costumes don’t just “look good,” they tell you exactly who they are without the person having to say a word. Next year, everyone else can keep recycling the classic black cat, cowboy, and “mini dress plus animal ears,” but the celebrities who go viral will always be the ones who risk looking ridiculous in the pursuit of looking iconic.
