As the fall season approaches and the stress of midterms reaches its head, there’s another important thing likely on your mind: what will your Halloween costume be?
While it's daunting enough to pick a character to cosplay as for one person during this stressful period, many friends choose to dress up together, doubling the struggle of finding the right costume.
At the same time, a duo costume opens the door to so many more possible costume ideas to pick from. Here are six classic Halloween costume ideas for you and your best friend:
Glinda and Elphaba
Despite having a rather complicated relationship, Glinda and Elphaba from the 2024 film “Wicked” have undeniable chemistry only two lifelong friends have. The juxtaposition between Elphaba’s green skin and dark witchy appearance and Glinda’s soft blond hair and bubbly princess aesthetic is great for friends who have very different fashion senses and personalities.
While Elphaba can be the analytical and down-to-earth friend, Glinda is representative of the fun and ambitious friend. However, that isn’t to say you can’t dress as Elphaba if you are more of a Glinda. Choose what you most prefer.
To dress up as Glinda you need a sparkly pink dress, a silver tiara and wand, and ideally light blonde hair. However, as Elphaba, you can wear a black dress with a dark witch hat and boots, painting your skin her unforgettable green.
Ladybug and bumblebee
This idea feels reminiscent of many of the early 2000s costumes I remember other kids and their friends wearing.
Anyone interested in dressing up as these insects can decide which one they prefer. Each friend can wear a set of curly black antennas with either the signature red and black spots of a ladybug or the yellow and black stripes of a bumblebee. I suggest both wearing black tutus and stockings that match each bug’s pattern.
In addition, a set of clear, sparkly wings are optional but can add another element of cuteness to each of the looks.
Daphne and Velma
If you and your best friend are both inquisitive problem-solvers, dressing up as Daphne and Velma is a must. The two have become synonymous with Halloween through partaking in ghost-hunting adventures throughout the Scooby-Doo franchise, my favorite being the live-action film “Scooby-Doo.”
Velma’s costume includes a pair of square glasses; an orange sweater with a red, pleated skirt; and her short brown bob hairstyle. Daphne’s costume is even simpler: a purple dress and a bright green scarf.
Big Bad Wolf and Little Red Riding Hood
For a classic fairytale-inspired duo costume, you and your friend can dress as the Big Bad Wolf and Little Red Riding Hood. The good thing about their malicious and innocent dynamic is that there can be a lot of variety in the costume’s aesthetics and how you choose to dress it up. You can choose whether the wolf will be cute or gruesome and whether Little Red Riding Hood will be adorable or vengeful.
Little Red Riding Hood’s outfit features her staple red hooded cape, an apron dress and a small picnic basket. In contrast, the wolf's gray fur can be dressed to cosplay like the little girl’s granny or in a tattered plaid shirt. If the weather is going to be warmer, you can just wear a tail and ears but might want to add mor fur pieces if it is colder.
Raven and Starfire
For those who spent their childhood watching shows on Cartoon Network like me, Raven and Starfire from “Teen Titans” are an obvious duo choice for Halloween. Like Elphaba and Glinda, these characters contrast each other, with Raven as a dark, gothic superhero and Starfire having pink hair and wearing a bright purple suit.
To dress up as the reserved and annoyed Raven, one can wear a dark purple hooded cape and a black bodysuit. To be the bubbly and quirky Starfire, you can wear a purple two-piece set with a long red wig.
Pirate and mermaid
This idea might be the most basic on my list but is a classic for a reason; finding the materials to be either a pirate or mermaid is rather easy in comparison to more niche costumes. The accessibility of these costumes can allow you to customize your duo in any way you choose. However, I prefer seeing pirates get glamorized through costume with mermaids made into their truer, more monstrous form.
You can make the mermaid ethereal with pearls and shells and give the pirate a tougher look with a hook for a hand or a painted on missing tooth. Adding a corset to the look is a simple way to add more seductiveness to each outfit; maybe you can lure in an unsuspecting fisherman.
The possibilities of dressing as any of these characters are endless, and you can get inspiration from the various renditions across the media.
