2016 Halloween Costumes

2016 Halloween Costumes

Bring back the iconic pop culture and cosplay trends of 2016.

The year 2016 was a massive milestone for pop culture costumes, dominated by blockbuster films, viral internet sensations, and breakout television hits. From the colorful chaos of Suicide Squad to the debut of Stranger Things, these looks remain instantly recognizable. This guide helps you recreate the most popular aesthetics of 2016, focusing on the year's defining style: Harley Quinn.

Difficulty
Medium
Time
~45 min
Budget
$30–80
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40 2016 Halloween costume ideas

Ranked by how many people are searching for them this season. Open any one for the full guide and to try it on.

What you need for a 2016 Halloween Costumes costume

  • Red and blue satin bomber jacket

    A lightweight jacket split vertically down the back with one red side and one blue side, featuring gold lettering on the back.

    DIY: Use a split-color fabric dye on a white satin jacket and write on the back with gold fabric paint.

    Amazon

  • Daddy's Lil Monster t-shirt

    A white raglan tee with red three-quarter sleeves, a black collar, and a distressed logo on the chest.

    DIY: Stencil the text onto a plain white t-shirt with fabric markers and cut small slashes near the collar.

    Amazon

  • Sequined red and blue booty shorts

    High-waisted, tight-fitting shorts split vertically down the middle with red on one side and blue on the other.

    DIY: Sew together one half of a red pair of shorts and one half of a blue pair.

    Amazon

  • Fishnet tights

    Classic black fishnet stockings worn under the shorts.

    Amazon

  • Inflatable or wooden baseball bat

    A light-colored baseball bat wrapped in white athletic tape with handwritten text scribbled across it.

    DIY: Write 'Good Night' in bold red letters on a toy plastic bat using permanent markers.

    Amazon

How to put it together

  1. 1

    Put on the black fishnet tights and pull them up to your waist.

  2. 2

    Slip on the sequined red and blue booty shorts over the tights.

  3. 3

    Put on the distressed 'Daddy's Lil Monster' t-shirt, tucking it slightly into the waistband.

  4. 4

    Layer the red and blue satin bomber jacket over the t-shirt, leaving it unzipped.

  5. 5

    Style your hair into high pigtails, coloring one side pink and the other side blue.

  6. 6

    Apply smudged red eyeshadow on one eye and blue eyeshadow on the other, then grab your baseball bat prop.

Makeup & hair

Part your hair down the middle and tie it into high pigtails, using temporary pink spray on the right tip and blue spray on the left. Apply pale foundation, heavy black eyeliner, and smear red eyeshadow down your right cheek and blue eyeshadow down your left cheek, finishing with bright red lipstick.

2016 Halloween Costumes for couples, groups, kids & more

couples
Pair Harley Quinn with the 2016 Jared Leto-style Joker in a silver jacket and green hair.
group
Form the full Suicide Squad or dress as the kids from Stranger Things Season 1.
kids
A kid-friendly Eleven in a pink dress, blue jacket, and a box of frozen waffles.
Plus size
Look for high-waisted sequin shorts with stretch waistbands for a comfortable, flexible fit.
pet
Dress your dog as a mini Demogorgon or a simple superhero with a red cape.

Tips

  • Wear comfortable sneakers or flat boots if you plan to walk around, as the original look's high-heeled boots can be tiring.
  • Use a setting spray on your smudged eye makeup so it stays in place without rubbing off on your clothes.
  • Keep your props lightweight; an inflatable or foam baseball bat is much easier to carry all night than a wooden one.

2016 Halloween Costumes costume FAQ

What were the most popular Halloween costumes in 2016?
Suicide Squad characters (Harley Quinn and Joker) dominated 2016, alongside Stranger Things characters, Beyoncé's 'Lemonade' yellow dress, and viral meme Ken Bone.
How do I make a DIY Ken Bone costume from 2016?
You need a bright red quarter-zip sweater, a white collared shirt underneath, khaki pants, wire-rimmed glasses, and a fake mustache.
How do I style the hair for a 2016 Harley Quinn costume?
Separate your hair into two high pigtails. Use temporary wash-out hair color spray to dye the bottom half of the right pigtail pink and the left pigtail blue.

Did you know? According to Google's 'Frightgeist' wizard, Harley Quinn was the number-one searched costume nationwide in 2016, driven by the massive box office success of Suicide Squad.