94 People Who Took Their Halloween Costumes To The Next Level, And The Results Are Seriously Impressive

Gone are the days of Scream masks and skeleton body-stockings. People are getting crazy creative when it comes to Halloween costumes. Google recently released its annual Frightgeist. It's a dedicated interactive website highlighting the top trending searches for Halloween costumes, movies, and more.

"Horror movie characters, TV and movie favorites, country legends, and some out-of-the-box ideas (stress balls?!) top the charts," reveals the site, adding that “witches brew punch” is the top trending Halloween drink, while search interest in “cauldron crock pot” is at an all-time high.

When it comes to kids' costumes, Buddy the Unicorn overtook "kids unicorn costume" for the first time this September.

In case you've been living under a rock in a stable, Buddy is a large, orange, anthropomorphic talking unicorn with a blonde mane, a red bandana, and a purple heart on his belly. He was the star of a cheesy, 1990s-style public access show called It’s Buddy!

In a rather interesting twist, some are choosing to impersonate NeeDoh this Halloween. It's a popular line of dough-filled, squishy sensory fidget toys made by Schylling and designed for stress relief and focus. According to Google, NeeDoh is being searched more than ever in 2026.

While some trick-or-treaters will be opting to make their Halloween costumes themselves, others don't mind forking out big bucks to dress up for the big day. According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), American shoppers are expected to collectively spend a whopping $4.4 billion on costumes this year.

The NRF's survey also reveals that online searches remain the leading source for Halloween costume inspiration, though the figure is down to 32% from 37% last year, marking its lowest level in a decade.

"For children, $1.5 billion is expected to be spent on costumes this year," reads an NRF press release. "Comic book characters dominate Halloween costume choices for kids, with 4.6 million children planning on dressing up as Spider-Man and 2.3 million as a superhero."

"Rounding out the top five are 2.2 million children dressing up as a princess, followed by 1.6 million as a witch and 1.6 million as a ghost," it adds.

Meanwhile, adults are expected to spend $2 billion on their Halloween costumes this year.

"Classic Halloween characters remain popular, with 4.8 million planning to dress up as a witch and 4.2 million as a vampire. Other top costume choices include 2 million dressing up as Batman, 1.5 million as Spider-Man and 1.4 million as a ghost," reveals the NRF.

Our furry four-legged friends and family members will not be missing out on the fun. The NRF survey found that consumers plan to spend $0.92 billion on Halloween costumes for their pets. Fido and Mr Whiskers' top dress-up choices this year are a pumpkin (11.6%), a hot dog (5.9%) and a ghost (2.8%).

But while the vast majority of people polled in various surveys said that they'd be doing something for Halloween, many aren't planning to leave the comfort of their couches.

According to a PwC poll, the majority of people plan to cozy up this Halloween. They're opting to either give out candy, watch Halloween movies or TV shows, or carve pumpkins.

"Of course, there are some generational differences," notes the PwC site. "For example, 79% of baby boomers celebrating Halloween this year plan to give out candy from their stoops, compared with 50% of Gen Z. Younger consumers, meanwhile, are more likely than older generations to attend parties and to seek out healthier treats and tech-inspired ideas."

Interestingly, for many people, health is taking priority when it comes to how they celebrate Halloween this year. According to PwC, more than half of respondents said they now factor health into their holiday planning, with younger generations leading the charge.

"Whether consumers are limiting candy intake, reducing alcohol consumption, or choosing safer makeup products, the findings point to many different pathways to a healthier Halloween," explains the site, adding that metabolic health is now a consideration for 34% of Halloween participants making wellness-related changes.

"A quarter of these consumers are swapping sugary treats for healthier alternatives, and even higher proportions are prioritizing physical activity and mental health during celebrations," it adds.