Buying guide for Best Halloween costumes for couples
Halloween is loved by adults and kids alike. Many love the opportunity to be someone else for the night, or to have an excuse to binge on candy to their heart’s content. Solo costumes are fun, but many romantic couples (or friends, for that matter) opt for Halloween costumes for couples. Though each outfit can look good as a standalone, couples costumes are meant to complement one another.
Before you add a few costumes to your shopping cart, there are some factors you’ll want to consider. Your personal style and interests matter, since it increases the chance that you’ll wear or repurpose the costume year after year. You should also think about the material the costumes are made of, skin coverage, available sizing, and price.
How to buy the best Halloween costumes for couples
History of Halloween costumes
Halloween has ancient roots, tracing all the way back to the Celtic festival of Samhain. Samhain marked the end of summer and the start of winter, or the “darker half” of the year. According to Celts, Samhain was also a day when the boundaries between the living and dead worlds would blur. Halloween evolved from this holiday and remained widely celebrated in medieval England and Ireland. Around the fifteenth century, people started wearing scary costumes that represented spirits and demons. They’d also sing songs and enact folk plays.
Halloween wasn’t very popular in colonial New England, as it clashed with some puritanical beliefs. The wave of Irish immigrants that began in the eighteenth century brought the holiday to a wider American audience. It was quickly embraced, particularly by rural Americans who leaned into the spooky aspect of getting dressed up. People would wear intentionally scary costumes that would completely obscure the original wearer. Items such as ghoulish masks, sheets, heavy makeup, and head-to-toe disguises were quite common.
People wore frightening costumes for Halloween pretty exclusively until television became commonplace in American homes. The introduction of popular film and TV characters marked a shift in Halloween costumes. Since then, many people prefer costumes that allude to pop culture. Scary ones are still popular, though many of them are modeled after horror movie characters. The rise in Halloween costumes for couples coincides with the rise in pop culture costumes, and for the past couple decades, more Halloween costumes geared toward couples have become available.
Personal style and interests
By picking a Halloween costume for couples that suits your personal style (and that of your costume partner’s), chances are better that you’ll wear the costume again. If you and your costume mate have a fun or whimsical style, you might consider looking into costumes based on movie characters. Period costumes from the 1960s, ‘70s or ‘80s may be particularly appealing. If you both prefer something more understated, consider a more classic costume, like a pair of pumpkins, or turn up the style a notch and dress as Addams Family members.
T-shirt Halloween costumes for couples are a great choice for a low-commitment, low-cost option. As the name suggests, these costumes consist of a graphic tee as a main component.
Pop culture couples and duos are a fun choice and a great conversation starter at a party. Consider you and your costume mate’s favorite TV shows and movies, scary or otherwise. Some popular pop culture Halloween costumes for couples include characters from Game of Thrones, Scooby Doo, Beauty & the Beast, the Jim Henson Universe (like Kermit and Miss Piggy), Harry Potter, and characters from the respective DC and Marvel universes.
Material
Halloween costumes are largely made from polyester blends, latex, and less commonly, cotton. Cotton is the least common fabric for Halloween costumes for couples. Quality cotton is more expensive to manufacture. The cotton costumes you’ll come across are likely blended with polyester or other fabrics.
Polyester is a popular choice because it’s cost-effective to produce, durable, breathable, and dries quickly. Unlike cotton, polyester is also wrinkle-resistant. Some polyester Halloween costumes for couples are machine-wash friendly but double-check the label to be certain.
You’ll find latex in quite a few Halloween costumes for couples, especially those with a skintight fit. Latex makes Halloween costumes a little more forgiving when it comes to fit, but it can also degrade pretty quickly. For costumes with high latex content, it’s recommended to gently hand wash or machine wash on delicate.
Pajama sets can actually provide great inspiration for Halloween costumes for women, especially those that are animal or character-based one-piece sets.
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What features do Halloween costumes for couples have?
Size
Sizing for Halloween costumes for couples has grown over the years, and many brands go up to size 20. Check the sizing of Halloween costumes for couples before purchasing.
Some Halloween costumes for couples are listed as “one size,” though few articles of clothing are truly one size fits all. If sizing is a concern, look for costumes without a form-fitting component. These include a piece that hangs off the shoulders to cover the chest and back, and the sides and the bottom of the piece are open.
Coverage
Some Halloween costumes for couples are more revealing than others. A lot of costumes geared toward women may reveal a good deal of legs, arms, and cleavage. This is fun for those who want to spice things up on Halloween night. If you prefer a more modest approach, you can find Halloween costumes for couples where both parties are covered up. Costumes that aren’t based on pop culture duos are often less revealing.
Did You Know?
The tradition of trick-or-treating comes from the medieval practice of mumming, in which actors in costume would perform outside and in people’s homes for entertainment.
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How much do Halloween costumes for couples cost?
Inexpensive
As is the case with most clothes, you get what you pay for when it comes to Halloween costumes for couples. That being said, there are plenty of budget-friendly options available. At the $35 and under range, you’ll find a lot of T-shirt costumes. Other costumes are primarily made from polyester and/or latex. These are lower in quality but a good choice if you don’t want to spend too much.
Mid-range
In the $35 to $60 range, you can find a wider variety of Halloween costumes for couples that reference pop culture figures. More of these costumes contain a blend of polyester and cotton fabric. Some costumes may be more ornate in design, requiring gentle hand washing or dry cleaning.
Expensive
If you want to invest in a quality Halloween costume for couples, $60 and more offers higher-quality fabrics such as cotton, velvet, or even leather. These costumes may include extra accessories and makeup to go along with them.
If you’re DIY-minded, you can alter the look of your costume by staining it with tea, flour, coffee grinds, or dirt to make it look aged. Do some research first, as you don’t want to ruin the costume permanently.
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Tips
- Buy early if you want to save. If you’re looking to save, the cheapest time to buy a Halloween costume for couples is the day after Halloween. Otherwise, you can still find some deals in the months leading up to the holiday. Keep a lookout for coupons and deals from various retailers.
- Make them last longer. Get the most bang for your buck by taking care of your costumes between Halloweens. If your costume is machine-washable, run it on a cold or delicate cycle and air dry. Otherwise, gently hand wash with mild detergent. You can also spot clean any minor stains.
- Get input. This may go without saying, but your Halloween costume for couples should be a collaborative decision. Get ideas and thoughts from your costume partner before proceeding with a search.
FAQ
Q. What are some of the most common Halloween costumes for couples?
A. Some of the most common costumes for couples are ketchup and mustard, Baby and Johnny from Dirty Dancing, Aladdin and Jasmine, bacon and eggs, Princess Peach and Mario, and Barbie and Ken.
Q. Are Halloween costumes for couples corny?
A. They don’t have to be. Some people may frown upon matching outfits in general (especially for couples), but if you choose a costume that’s true to the personality and interests of the costume wearers, it won’t come off as corny.
Q. Can Halloween costumes for couples be scary?
A. Yes. If you need some ideas, think of famous scary or creepy movie duos. Some face paint and makeup can take your costume from mildly unsettling to downright scary.
