12 Awesome Group Costume Ideas You And Your Friends Already Have In Your Closets

This Halloween, my best friends are all in separate parts of the country. The problem is, I have only been able to think of group costume ideas. In previous years I have been: Wednesday Addams, Gwen Stefani, a Shooting Star, The “Kats” Pajamas, A Sexy Lumberjack, A Bad Schoolgirl, Jack Skellington, and Magenta from Rocky Horror Picture Show. Often my costume choices stem from looking in my closet and saying, “hmmm, I wonder what I can create out of what I have!” But this year, my heart aches with sadness over yet another solo effort. Here is a list of all of my costume ideas in hopes that I can live vicariously through your awesome Halloween friendship.

(If you are flying solo this Halloween, like myself, rock any of these ideas rogue. I once heard of a girl dressing as both Bill Clinton from the torso up and Monica Lewinsky from the waist down. Have a great Halloween!)

1. Zenon and Nebula (from Zenon: Girl of The 21st Century)

ZETUS LAPETUS!

I am waiting impatiently for the day when we all dress like the characters in this movie. Spend your Halloween speaking “Zenon” with your best friend and planning mischief on the “Space-Stay.”

What you need:
1. Colorblock turtleneck and tights
2.scrunchies, glitter, and anything shiny

2. The Powerpuff Girls

The Powerpuff girls are a feminist manifesto and their outfits are easy to recreate on a Brooklyn budget.

What you need:
1. 3 colorblock mini-dresses
2. 3 black belts
3. white tights

3. The Scooby Gang: Buffy The Vampire Slayer

My queer awakening was spent watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer with a bowl of cereal. If you really want to get creative, dress as the Buffy Halloween episode where the “Scoobys” become their costumes.

What you need:
1. Think 90s trends: halter tops, cargo pants, peasant blouses, cropped sweaters, wet hair gel, and pleather pants.
21. Stakes. Chopsticks work in a pinch. Order takeout the night before and ask for extra.

4. The OG Scooby Gang (Scooby Doo)

Jinkies, Fred! It wouldn’t be right if I mentioned Buffy and not the original Scoobys now would it? This idea is great because the gang wears a lot of layers. On the east coast, many spend Halloween shivering in sexy bunny outfits, but not you, smarty-pants.

What you need:
1. Colorblock each character: Blue for Fred, orange for Velma, purple for Daphne, brown for Scooby and green for Shaggy.
2. Lots of hairspray to get those voluminous ‘dos.

5. Where’s Waldo? and Carmen San Diego

You can spend the whole night trying to find one another or disappearing together. I love the idea of switching up the gender roles on this one.

What you need:
1. For Waldo: Red and white striped sweater with matching hat
2. For Carmen: Red coat and floppy hat

6. Kathleen Hanna and Courtney Love

The famous rivals would be so fun to recreate. Both these women are inspiring musical icons on their own, but the irony of them hanging out together? That’s magic. If I had a girlfriend this Halloween, I would bake her cookies until she agreed to be Kathleen Hanna.

What you need:
1. For Kathleen: Dark hair and a minidress
2. For Courtney: Blonde hair, white dress, and smudged eye makeup

7. Mick Jagger and David Bowie

These rumored lovers would make an excellent duo costume. Sneak a kiss in the corner and celebrate your illicit romance. Copycat the looks from the ‘Dancing in The Street’ video with lots and lots of pastel.

What you need:
1. Jagger: Usually rocks tight black pants and a silky button down, unbuttoned provocatively.
2. Bowie: There are so many eras of Bowie, but Ziggy Stardust is the most recognizable. Aim for shiny pants and a full face of makeup.

8. Hey Arnold!

I’m a Helga; I’ll always be Helga G. Patacki. What I love about this group costume is all of the different choices. The other aspect of these costumes that I love is that they’re fairly cheap to make last minute.

What you need:
1. long shirt, a sweater, and leggings
2. if no one is Arnold, carry around a football wearing a small blue hat

9. The Craft

Everyone should dress like the witches from the craft. It is essentially the sexy schoolgirl, if she joined a punk rock coven and made eco friendly voodoo dolls.

What you need:
1. Basic schoolgirl costume
2. Black nail polish, dark red lipstick, fishnets

10. Steve-O and Heroin Bob (SLC PUNK)

I’m going to tell you a secret: I have always wanted a mohawk. I had a friend in high school who had an incredible mohawk and I was very jealous of him. I have fine hair so it never seemed doable for me.

What you need:
1. Hair gel and bright temporary hair color like hair chalk
2. Plaid pants and a non-matching plaid blazer or an army jacket and ripped black jeans.

11. The Lost Boys (Vampires, not Peter Pan)

Kiefer Sutherland. Blond mullet. Enough said.

What you need:
1. A blonde mullet
2. Fake piercings, cutoff gloves, vampire fangs, and sunglasses

12. My So-Called Life

My So-Called Life is my favorite show of all time. The costumes were wonderful, actual teenagers played the teenagers, and the show got so real. Tell me you didn’t cry when Ricki was homeless? TELL ME.

What you need:
1. Temporary hair dye in “Crimson Glow.”
2. Bohemian, mismatched patterns, giant sweaters, denim jackets, combat boots, and floral baby doll dresses.