Halloween is quickly approaching. Every October, the excitement builds for the spookiest time of the year. The days become shorter, the nights longer, and the seasonal festivities begin, meaning it’s almost time to start the search for the perfect Halloween costume.
Whether you are going to a party, a fancy dress contest, or trick or treating, the clamour for the ideal Halloween costume occurs every year. Usually, people will opt for the typical Halloween outfits of a witch, vampire, ghost, or pirate. However, if you’re looking for an iconic costume based on a cult classic Halloween movie, Ready Steady Cut has you covered.
Beetlejuice
Beetlejuice is a 1988 American fantasy horror comedy film. It was directed by the popular Tim Burton. Beetlejuice (actual name Betelgeuse) is played by Michael Keaton, and has one of the most iconic looks in Halloween cinema history. The classic black and white striped suit, pasty white face and out-of-control green hair are instantly recognisable, even if you haven’t seen the movie. This makes Beetlejuice an easy but effective costume to replicate, and it will definitely be recognisable amongst your peers.
Patrick Bateman – American Psycho
American Psycho is a 2000 horror film, directed by Mary Harron. The film stars Christian Bale as Patrick Bateman, a New York investment banker who leads a secret double life as a sadistic serial killer. It has developed a cult following and now has a strong presence in contemporary meme culture.
Although a slightly controversial Halloween costume, Patrick Bateman would be recognisable to most people. The slicked back hair, with a suit, accompanied by a see-through raincoat, is the most iconic outfit of the film. The addition of fake blood would also add to the accuracy of the costume.
Edward Scissorhands
Edward Scissorhands is a 1990 fantasy romance film that was directed by Tim Burton and stars Johnny Depp in the lead role. While it is not considered to be a horror film, it is still heavily associated with the Halloween period due to its gothic nature.
The character of Edward Scissorhands is completely unique and recognisable, making it a great choice for a Halloween costume. The black gothic outfit and make-up, crazy black hair, and the scissor hands are sure to be one of the standout Halloween costumes at any party.
Chucky – Child’s Play
Child’s Play is a 1988 supernatural horror film directed by Tom Holland. This was the first of several films in the franchise to feature the character of Chucky (Charles Lee Ray). Chucky is a serial killer who uses a voodoo ritual inside a toy store to transfer his soul into a Good Guy doll to escape from detective Mike Norris. He then attempts to continue his killing spree as the doll is given to a family who he then targets.
The Halloween costume of Chucky is quite popular, and despite it being a male character, it is more popular amongst females. The multi-coloured striped undershirt with blue dungarees is an instantly recognisable look, and you will be sure to stand out from the crowd at any Halloween party.
Pennywise – IT
Stephen King’s novel from 1986 contains Pennywise the Dancing Clown as the main persona of the character ‘It’. The novel has had a few screen adaptations, with the first being a television miniseries that aired in 1990, directed by Tommy Lee Wallace. It was later adapted into a film in 2017, which was directed by Andy Muschietti. The plot is not for the faint of heart, as “It” poses as Pennywise to target children that he wishes to kill.
Whilst the character of Pennywise is nothing to admire, it doesn’t stop it being an iconic Halloween costume. Both males and females can pull off the costume, and the make-up can be quite simple to complete.
Morticia & Gomez – The Addams Family
A guide to Halloween costumes cannot be completed without a couple’s Halloween costume. The Addams Family was originally a cartoon that was later adapted into TV and film series. In 1991, the Addams Family was brought out as a feature film for the first time, and was later rebooted as an animated film in 2019. The family is a gothic and wealthy aristocratic group who are found to be bizarre and frightening by other people.
The wife and husband, Moticia and Gomez, are the heads of the family, and they would be perfect to mimic for a couple’s Halloween costume. Morticia wears a long veil-hemmed gothic dress with black lipstick and make-up. Gomez wears a black pin-striped suit with slicked back hair and a moustache.
Keep up to date with Halloween movies and more with Ready Steady Cut
Ready Steady Cut has you covered with all of the latest Halloween and horror movie suggestions. Check out our article on whether we have become desensitised to horror and gore or our suggestions on less scary horror films if you’re looking for more Halloween insights.
If you’re stuck on what to watch this autumn, head over to our website where we’ve got plenty of information and opinions on all the latest TV and movie releases! You can also view Netflix film reviews, Amazon Prime TV reviews and more, from all the top streaming services.
