9 Halloween Costume Ideas for Couples and Groups

First things first:  have you all seen this adorable Verizon commercial featuring a whole family dressed as unlikely Star Wars characters who use their phones to find the best candy?  How could anyone resist a tiny baby Princess Leia or pug Darth Vader?

Now that I'm solidly out of the Mean Girls style high school Halloween (fishnets required) and the frat party college version (fishnets still required), I'm enjoying twenty-something Halloween house parties.  As more and more of my friends find serious boyfriends and girlfriends, get married, and start families, I'm noticing more and more cute couple and group costumes every year.  Here are nine of my current favorite costume ideas:

1. Effie Trinket and Haymitch Abernathy from The Hunger Games 

 

This idea is the frontrunner in our house right now!  I love literary Halloween costumes and when it's YA lit?  Even better.  There is a lot of possibility for group costumes with The Hunger Games - the more the merrier with Katniss, Peeta, Cinna, Cesar Flickerman, President Snow, and so on.  I think that Effie and Haymitch would be fun and instantly recognizable together - I'd go with Effie's costume from the Reaping from the first book/film for the most recognition.  If I do, I totally plan to carry around a fish bowl with the names of all of my friends inside and choose tributes throughout the night.

2. Ron Burgundy and Veronica Corningstone

We love Anchorman in our house and we are so excited about the sequel coming out this Christmas.  This couples costume idea appeals to me mainly because it is an excuse to visit the tackiest suit shop in town.  If you've got a bunch of guy friends, you could have the whole news team.  Microphones and a milk carton are the perfect accessories, as shown in this take on the couple from The Morning Call.

3. The Sanderson Sisters from Hocus Pocus

The villains of the best Halloween movie of all time would make great costume inspiration for three girl friends, and witch hats and black, red, and blonde wigs are easy to come by.  Add pink, purple, and teal trim to store-bought witch costumes (this one from Target is fabulous and this "lady Dracula" one would also work minus the collar), gel those wigs into shape, and you'll have Winnifred, Mary, and Sarah.

4. The Great Gatsby

 

I think 1920's costumes will be really popular this year since Baz Luhrman's movie was a hit.  Jay Gatsby, Daisy Buchanan, Nick Carraway, and Jordan Baker each have their own styles that would be fun to replicate - either a tuxedo and a champagne coupe or a summer suit and boater hat for Gatsby, a feminine vintage-style dress and jewels for Daisy, a sweater with elbow patches and newsboy cap for Nick, and something sleek, black, and flapper-inspired for Jordan.  I'll share some picks for the girls' costumes later this week.

5. A Christmas Story leg lamp and Ralphie (or "Fragile" box)
I thought this was a really strange costume idea when I saw the leg lamp dress on the Target web site, but I got on board with it when I saw real couples - and amputee Josh Sundquist - showing different ways to pull it off.  One nice thing about the costume is that it would be really easy to DIY!

6. Where's Waldo and Carmen Sandiego
I thought of this when I saw this funny image online, and it appears I'm not the first one to think it's a great Halloween costume idea.  Jessica Quirk shares her ideas for creating a Carmen Sandiego costume at What I Wore, or this Theodora costume from Target could work with a few tweaks.

7. The girls from Clueless

I tend to think in groups of three when it comes to costumes for girlfriends.  In case you've been living under a rock, 90's fashion is making a comeback (as evidenced by Katy Perry).  Throw on your plaid and knee socks and go out as Cher, Dionne and Tai.

8. Grandpa and Grandma
Dressing up like cute little old people doesn't require much more than gray wigs and a trip to Goodwill.  This is a great costume idea for newlyweds in particular - dressing up as an "old married couple."  My friends Justin and Tiffany used this idea at a party I attended a few years ago and it was the most popular costume idea of the night.

9. Duck Dynasty/hunting themed
Where I live, everyone seems obsessed with the Robinsons -  in a rural area, a family who hunt, fish, and pray over their meals while also becoming millionaires does seem to be living the dream.  The best part about a Duck Dynasty inspired Halloween costume would be the ease of finding camo and blaze orange gear at Wal-Mart or Sportsman's Warehouse to pull off the look.

10.  Kate, William and the Royal Baby

New moms, this year there is a pop-culture-relevant Halloween costume just for you that does not require putting your little baby into any kind of strange getup.  It justifies you buying a new, cute dress from Topshop.  Plus, you could wear a fascinator or tiny hat if you want.  Win-win.