The Best Music-Themed Halloween Costume Ideas of 2026 Are Here

Olivia Rodrigo and Chappell Roan’s Eighties-inspired music video for the “Expectations” remix offers a handful of bright looks to choose from, especially if you’re dressing up with your bestie. Take a trip to the thrift store and grab some big Pretty in Pink bows, a teal blazer, purple tights, and maybe even a cheetah-print coat. If you want to feel like a single girl at a Vegas bar, may we suggest opting for Rodrigo’s pink “adored” T-shirt with a matching beret and tons of blue eye shadow? (For extra credit, we recommend trying to rope in a friend who can do a convincing David Byrne.) —Maya Georgi

Si te quieres divertir con encanto y con primor… you can turn to one of the most defining pop culture moments of 2026: Bad Bunny’s crowning moment at the Super Bowl halftime show. Just grab an all-white getup (bonus points if it’s from Zara) and make your own Ocasio 64 jersey. You can make this one a group-friendly costume by having a couple of friends wear green sweatsuits to emulate the viral bushes. Or you could even take a more romantic route and dress up in a cream suit while a friend (or partner) acts as Lady Gaga with a blue dress and a blonde wig. The options for an unforgettable costume are truly endless. —M.G.

The world may still be waiting for a glimpse of Taylor Swift’s wedding dress, but isn’t the whole point of Halloween make-believe? Conjure your own idea of the superstar’s gown and make your partner channel Travis Kelce with a white tuxedo as you envision the power couple’s big day — just don’t forget about the white top hat, or Swift’s classic red lip. Throw in a Kansas City Chiefs jersey if you don’t want people thinking you’re just any newly married couple. You could even get more creative with a cardboard box (or low-effort gray sweatsuit) and dress up as Madison Square Garden, with a purple “JUST&T MARRIED!” sign across your chest. —M.G.

You knew this one was coming, right? The feud that the internet couldn’t get enough of this year was Kelly Clarkson versus the Brooklyn boutique known as the Art of Play. The singing superstar and The Voice judge claimed, in a series of posts on X, that the store had been rude toward her when she tried to buy an animatronic bird named Molly. (The shop’s owner saw it differently.) If you’re rolling solo, dress up in Clarkson’s casual jeans-and-backpack shopping outfit, and carry around a stuffed bird of some kind — bonus points if you can make it look like it was just ripped off the drywall. Or grab a friend who’s game to tackle the role of Molly. All they’ll need is a $15 million price tag sticker and a beak. —Marissa R. Moss

If there’s one thing that we can be sure the late, great country icon would adore, it’s a campy Dolly Parton costume. Don’t be shy: Get a wig that scrapes the clouds, rhinestones galore, and even accentuate her…most prominent parts if you feel like it. Parton loved and carefully curated her over-the-top image, so feel free to lean in. Carry around a guitar if you have one, or maybe just a cup of ambition. —M.R.M.

Adéla’s “Nicole Kidman” music video is a goldmine of Halloween costume ideas. The theatrical clip finds the pop star recreating some of the actress’ most iconic scenes, from Babygirl (Adéla wears black lace in place of Kidman’s white robe while crawling towards a plate of milk on the floor), Eyes Wide Shut (an easy-to-find backless black maxi dress), Moulin Rouge (a heavily bedazzled corset, plus a swing hanging from the ceiling if you’re really committed), and more. If your budget is tight, go for Kidman in her beloved AMC Theatres commercial. Come to this place for magic with just a blazer and a soft drink the size of your head, or layer a rhinestone bra underneath for the Adéla version. —Larisha Paul

Power couples need power couple costumes. Jay-Z and Beyoncé’s Yankee Stadium moment during night one of the rapper’s weekend-long residency this summer provides the perfect inspiration for a his-and-hers main character moment. For the partner playing Jay, a Yankees bomber jacket and a fitted hat. For the partner playing Queen Bey, a pinstripe pantsuit and big blowout curls. (For the DIY enthusiasts, hit each stripe with your bedazzler for bonus points.) Note: While you’ll be dressed like Brooklyn and Houston’s finest, the voice and the rap bravado are not guaranteed. —Elise Brisco

One of this year’s buzziest, most aesthetically beguiling bands makes the perfect couple (or buddy) costume. You may need some basic papier-mâché skills to craft Khn de Poitrine’s and Klek de Poitrine’s bizarre face masks, but failing that, a sharpie on a white sheet could do in a pinch. Everyone will be impressed by your commitment to representing experimental Canadian rock music. It’s the perfect solution if you want to go incognito, too. —M.R.M.

Ever wondered how much scrubbing it would take to remove pink body paint from head to toe? Find out this Halloween by recreating Doechii’s instantly memorable performance look from Daisy Chain Fields. The rapper hit the stage at Olivia Rodrigo’s music festival covered in fluorescent hot-pink paint — not tights, or a body suit. Everything from her scalp to her fingers and the palms of her hands was coated. It’s a costume that requires a real commitment to the bit — plus a fur vest, tiny micro shorts, and voluminous pigtails — but it’s guaranteed to be an unforgettable (and unmissable) look. —L.P.

2026’s most unforgettable concert image has to be Kacey Musgraves descending from the sky on a pair of giant, gleaming disco truck nuts. Duplicating Musgraves’ opening night wardrobe is fairly simple: jeans, cowboy hat, white tank top, and belt. How dramatic you want to go with the balls — be it carrying around a small pair or actually crafting a disco ball chair of some sort — is up to your abilities, and, perhaps, guts. —M.R.M.

If you’re really tight on time but still want to go big, consider taking inspiration from A$AP Rocky’s current Don’t Be Dumb world tour, which has been praised for its high-production spectacle. Throughout the trek, the rapper has sported different eye-catching looks as part of a dramatized onstage SWAT raid. For a last-minute costume, you could find some baggy cargos, a ski mask, and spray paint the album title on a white T-shirt. Ask around if any of your friends have a spare megaphone to really put the look together. —M.G.

Fans have been showing up to Zara Larsson’s Midnight Sun tour in droves dressed just like the singer, with kitschy keychain belts, faces covered in rhinestones, and bright two-piece ruffle skirt sets. It’s been good practice for Halloween, and now it’s time to really lock in. Luckily, Midnight Sun is the gift that keeps on giving. The classic version of the album has a more frilly aesthetic than the Girl’s Trip remix edition, which leaned into denim, spray-painted tops, and oversized belts. Take your pick of either one. Looking for a fun duo costume? Have your friend come dressed as a dolphin. —L.P.

Nobody has more fun at the Halloween party than the girl group that opts for a three-person costume. FLO gave the perfect inspiration when they came in matching blunt-bang wigs for this year’s MTV Video Music Awards. Dressing up like the U.K. trio only requires three items per person: That’s three nude dresses, three pairs of pointed-toe black pumps, and three shoulder-length hair pieces, each in a different color. While you’re dancing at your friend’s house party, think of the added fun that comes with flicking your synthetic fiber bangs out of your brow line. —E.B.

Do you roll squad deep? Well then, we may have the perfect costume idea for you. One of the most talked-about moments from this year’s VMAs was Yung Lean’s electrifying performance of “Storm” alongside his collaborator GENER8ION and a whole troupe of dancers. They aren’t wearing anything too extravagant, just your basic black suit and white button-down with a striped blue tie. One dude just needs to forget the suit jacket (that would be the Swedish rap star himself) and you’re golden. You could even bring it back to 2012 and pull off an IRL rendition of the TV moment with a flash mob performance, if you really wanted to get spooky. —M.G.