This year’s trending couples costumes come straight from pop culture. Nikki and Bear from Obsession, Cyclops and Jean Grey, several Off Campus pairings and a disco take on Scooby-Doo and Shaggy all show up in Google’s trending costume data, as reported by Variety. Add Rob and Maura from The Traitors, Spider-Man and MJ, and Athena and Odysseus from The Odyssey, and you’ve got a shortlist.
Halloween falls on a Saturday this year, so the party is happening whether you’re ready or not. The good news: you probably own half of every costume below already. Each one is a closet-first recipe, covering what you likely have and the one or two pieces that make it read, for any couple, best-friend pair or roommate duo.
The couples costumes everyone’s searching
Google’s annual list of trending Halloween costumes isn’t a ranking of the most-searched costumes overall. According to Variety, it’s based on the search terms with the biggest spikes compared with the previous period, so it shows which ideas are gaining momentum fast.
The couples it points to include Cyclops and Jean Grey from X-Men, Nikki and Bear from Obsession and several pairings from Prime Video’s hockey romance Off Campus. A disco-themed Scooby-Doo paired with Shaggy tops Google’s couples list.
Pop-culture pairs, closet-first
1. Nikki and Bear (Obsession)
Nikki is one of the year’s most obvious picks; Variety reports she ranked among Google’s top trending costumes. Her party look, per Yahoo Shopping, is a red-and-black animal-print top, black leather shorts and knee-high boots.
You probably own: black shorts, tall boots, a silver necklace.
Buy or borrow: a red-and-black animal-print top. A little fake blood makes it unmistakable.
Bear: NBCUniversal has released official costumes inspired by both characters, Variety notes, if your partner would rather buy than DIY.
2. Dean and Allie as Maverick and JLo (Off Campus)
This one is a costume within a costume. In the show’s Halloween episode, Allie turns up as JLo in that green Versace dress and Dean goes as Maverick from Top Gun, according to Yahoo.
Allie, you probably own: strappy heels.
Allie, buy: a green palm or jungle-print dress and the biggest gold hoops you can find.
Dean, buy: an olive flight suit and a set of patches. Without the patches, Yahoo warns, it’s “just a coverall.” Aviators finish it.
3. Rob and Maura (The Traitors)
The fun here is the contrast: one of you goes full glamour, the other looks like they came to fix a deck. Yahoo describes Maura’s finale look as head-to-toe latex, with a dress, gloves and a beret, plus sleek hair and a smoky eye. Rob wore light-blue work overalls all season.
Maura, you probably own: black gloves, a beret, a sleek-hair routine.
Maura, buy: a latex or wet-look black dress. For the smoky eye, keep it deep and sultry; our guide to how to wear red eyeliner has a vampier option if you want to push it.
Rob: light-blue overalls, a white tank and a silver chain. The snake tattoos are what people recognize: buy temporary ones, or draw them on with liquid eyeliner.
4. Spider-Man and MJ
Spider-Man is easy, and much comfier as a hoodie-and-pants set than a skintight suit. MJ’s signature look from No Way Home, per Yahoo, is a black button-down over a white graphic tee, black skinny jeans and black sneakers.
You probably own: black jeans, a black button-down, sneakers.
Buy: a Spidey hoodie set.
5. Athena and Odysseus (The Odyssey)
Leave the gold laurel crown at home. Yahoo, citing costume designer Ellen Mirojnick’s interview with W magazine, says Athena’s look is off-white hooded linen and not much else, while Odysseus wears weathered leather armor, a red-crested helmet and a draped cloak.
Athena, you probably own: a sleeveless linen maxi and a cream shawl to pull over your head. That’s the whole look.
Odysseus, buy: a red-crested helmet. Pair it with a faux-leather vest, a cloak or blanket and dark trousers. A toy bow is a bonus.
6. Cyclops and Jean Grey (X-Men)
Named in Google’s couples data, per Variety. The visual shorthand does most of the work: Cyclops needs his red visor or ruby-red glasses with dark, sleek clothes, and Jean Grey reads instantly in green and gold with big red hair.
You probably own: a dark jacket, a green top or dress.
Buy: red wraparound glasses and a red wig if you’re not already a redhead.
7. Disco Scooby and Shaggy
The top couples costume in Google’s trending data, according to Variety. Shaggy is the classic: a green tee and baggy brown pants. Scooby goes disco with a brown jumpsuit or sweatsuit, a teal collar and as much shine as you can handle.
You probably own: a green tee, brown pants, something sparkly.
Buy: a brown sweatsuit, a collar, a disco ball prop.
Not a couple? Best-friend and group duos
Mystery Inc.: an easy one for four friends. Yahoo’s cheat sheet: Velma needs an orange turtleneck, Daphne a purple dress, Shaggy a green tee and Fred really just needs the ascot. Someone still has to be Scooby, which is a conversation for the group.
Toy Story aliens: a blue long-sleeve tee, green leggings or joggers and a three-eyed headband. Yahoo notes it works for any group size.
Woody and Jessie. Still adorable, and depending on your wardrobe, mostly a matter of jeans, a plaid or cowhide-print top, a cowboy hat and a red neckerchief.
Prince and princess. Charming and Cinderella, Eric and Ariel, or Romeo and Juliet if you’re feeling tragic.
Quick tips to make a couples costume read in one glance
Pick one signature item each. A wig, a prop or a print. If someone has to ask who you are, add a bigger clue.
Order early in the week. Patches, printed tees and wigs are the bits that take longest to ship, so buy those first.
FAQ
What are the trending couples Halloween costumes this year?
According to Google’s trending costume data, as reported by Variety, they include Cyclops and Jean Grey, Nikki and Bear from Obsession, Off Campus pairings and disco Scooby-Doo with Shaggy. Rob and Maura from The Traitors, Spider-Man and MJ, and Athena and Odysseus are also popular picks this season.
What’s an easy couples costume we can make from our closets?
Spider-Man and MJ, Athena and Odysseus, and Rob and Maura are all mostly closet-based. For each, you usually only need to buy one or two pieces, such as a hoodie, a helmet or a pair of overalls.
What’s a good couples costume for best friends?
Mystery Inc. works for up to four friends, and Toy Story aliens work for any number. Rob and Maura is a fun non-romantic duo too, since the joke is the contrast between glam and work clothes.
What are classic couples costumes that never go out of style?
Gomez and Morticia Addams, Lydia and Beetlejuice, Frankenstein and his Bride, Woody and Jessie, and a prince and princess all read instantly, year after year.
