Best Halloween costumes for adults 2022: channel Stranger Things, Elvis, Hocus Pocus and more

The stress of finding the right costume for halloween can send pangs of horror rippling through your body - and that’s even before the scary festivites themselves.

Have no fear; we’re here to help you feel inspired with a selection of the best available to buy now, whether you like to stay on trend with an of-the-moment-get-up or keep it understated with one of the classics (a sheet with two holes cut out springs to mind...).

Let’s face it, this year’s been full of inspiration, from the belovedly misunderstood Eddie Munson in Stranger Things, to the Hocus Pocus sequel reminding us of the classic Nineties movie. If you like to get ahead of the curve, look to Tim Burton’s upcoming series, Wednesday, for inspiration - a coming-of-age comedy focused on a teenage Wednesday Addams.

Then, of course, there are the classic October 31 options such as witches, vampires and ghouls, as well as the everlasting Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings references. The options are frighteningly good and ready to have you crowned Best Dressed this Halloween 2022.

Shop our favourites to ensure they will arrive at your door in time for fright night antics.

Women’s

Hocus Pocus Winifred Sanderson Cosplay Costume

For full nostalgic appeal, you can’t beat a Hocus Pocus costume. And with the sequel released this year, there’s never been a better time to channel your favourite childhood halloween movie. Pair with a wig and find two friends to be the other sisters to fully commit to the look.

Buy now £63.99, Amazon

Grease Sandy Final Scene Costume

In memory of the wonderful Olivia Newton John, it’s time to don Sandy’s closing look from the classic film. Just add heels and a blonde wig. Go Grease lightning!

Buy now £38.99, Smiffys

ABBA Dancing Queen Costume

It’s fun, it’s ridiculous, it’s Halloween! This year, the hype is all about ABBA Voyage - and we’re channelling it with this Eurovision-ready jumpsuit this October.

Simply impossible not to have a good time in this one, and though it may be aimed at women, daring gents could easily carry it off too. Channel 70s-style disco fever with this one-piece that comes with flared sleeves and tiered flare lower legs. Complete the look with a long wig and platform boots.

Buy now £24.08, Amazon

The Shining Twin Costume

Anyone out there who’s watched The Shining knows there’s nothing creepier than the twins’ five words: “come play with us, Danny”. Well, pop this costume on and terrify everyone yourself - even better if you have a real-life Danny to freak out.

Perfect to wear as a pair, but make sure you add two to your basket because there’s only one per pack.

Buy now £44.99, Fancydress.com

Marilyn Monroe Costume

With Blonde as one of the most controversial movies of 2022, channel Marilyn Monroe this Halloween. Pair the dress with the matching wig and eyelashes to be instantly recogniseable as the iconic Hollywood star - and make sure you’ve got the red lip and beauty spot to match.

Buy now £54.49, Smiffys

Wednesday Addams dress

Why not buy a dress you could wear again once Halloween’s over? Sandro’s black mini dress is the perfect option to channel Wednesday Addams - and with the Tim Burton’s Netflix series, Wednesday, out in November 2022, you’ll be ahead of the game. Pair with classic Dr. Martens to complete the look.

With an impressive 40 per cent off the RRP, you’ll have to snap it up before it’s gone.

Buy now £179.00, The Outnet

Clueless Dionne Costume

If you’re a lover of all things Nineties, it doesn’t get better than cult classic Clueless - and Dionne’s iconic check two piece that is as on trend now as it was at the time. Get your bestie to dress as Cher for the best couples costume at the party. As if!

Buy now £43.99, Smiffys

Kill Bill Costume

For an epic costume on a cinematic scale, look no further than Black Mamba. The costume consists of Beatrix Kiddo’s signature banana yellow jumpsuit with the corresponding sides and badges. It also includes a sword so you are ready to exact your bloody revenge.

Buy now £37.98, Amazon

Harley Quinn from Suicide Squad

Harley Quinn - the star-crossed lover of Batman's Joker - is a terrifically terrifying choice for Halloween, swinging her baseball bat and charming all that cross her. This costume includes all the garments, so all you need to do is whip your hair into pigtails and get ready to scare.

Buy now £41.99, Very

Witch Adult Costume

Double double, toil and trouble. Is there any costume more quintessentially Halloween than a witch’s ensemble? Shake up an all black look with a splash of purple, which can in turn, inspire your makeup look. This costume includes a full length dress, choker and matching pointed hat. The ultimate spooky-meets-glam look.

Buy now £24.95, Amazon

Womens Dark Knight Deluxe Catwoman Costume

It wouldn’t be a roundup of women’s fancy dress costumes without Batman’s ever-popular Catwoman. Slip into this sleek black jumpsuit, made from polyester and foam, to transform into Gotham’s dark feline heroine. It features attached shoe covers and comes with a vinyl belt, a headband with cat ears and an eye mask.

Buy now £41.99, Smiffys

Womens Supergirl Costume

You’ll look ready to save the day in this timeless Supergirl costume, which comes with everything you need to channel the iconic female super hero. The red-and-blue long-sleeved dress, of course, features an attached red cape – in case you need to make a swift exit.

Buy now £27.04, Amazon

Men's

Elvis Presley Cosplay Costume

Anyone who’s seen Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis will remember the king of rock and roll’s rockabilly suit Austin Butler sports for one of the performances. With a lace shirt, and pink blazer and trousers, it’ll be easy to make the Halloween crowds rock.

Buy now £77.99, Amazon

Top Gun Costume

Time for the Danger Zone. Maverick’s back, now for the third time thanks to this Top Gun Halloween costume. Pair with some lace up military boots and accessorise with Ray Ban Aviators to up the pilot ante. Tom Cruise, eat your heart out.

Buy now £50.49, Smiffys

Eddie Munson Stranger Things Hellfire T-shirt

President of the Hellfire Club and misunderstood rocker Eddie Munson won the heart of the nation during the fourth season of Stranger Things, so why not pay tribute to him with a costume centered around a Hellfire Club T-shirt? Pair it with a vintage Levi’s denim jacket and jeans to go all-out-Eddie.

Buy now £11.92, eBay

Star Trek Original Series Sciences Uniform

Whether you’re a fan of the show from the late 1960s or prefer the latest Strange New Worlds iteration, this Star Trek costume is sure to be a hit. Easy to wear, super comfortable, and gloriously retro, you’ll be un-Spock-able (not sorry).

Buy now £23.99, Smiffys

Voldemort Adult Costume

Harry Potter fever shows no sign of slowing down - and this Voldemort costume makes an ideal option in keeping the scare factor of Halloween. The costume features a scary mask as well as a black robe.

Buy now £36.99, Amazon

Fun Costumes Back to the Future Costume

With theBack to the Future musical delighting audiences at Adelphi, Robert Zemeckis’s famous trilogy is enjoying a revival (although its genius never faded in our eyes).

The year 2015 may have come and gone without a self-drying jacket (sob), but you can still recreate the look in this futuristic Marty McFly-inspired ensemble. The costume comes with a jacket that’s a copy of the one worn in the second movie, as well as a “You’re Fired” fax printout and Sports Almanac. You can also choose to add a hover board and baseball cap to complete the look.

Buy now £75.96, Amazon

Gryffindor Costume Harry Potter Robe

If you were disappointed to be put in Hufflepuff or Slytherin on Pottermore, then this Halloween gives you the perfect excuse to dress up in the house colours of The Boy Who Lived. The red and black Gryffindor robe features the house’s Lion crest embroidered on the breast. Add some specs and say hello to an adult Harry Potter.

Buy now £32.99, Amazon

Pirates of the Caribbean Jack Sparrow fancy dress costume

A Halloween stalwart ever since the film’s release way back in 2003, get ready to transform into the “trickster pirate of the Seven Seas”, the bawdy, rum-soaked Captain Jack Sparrow.

Complete the look this year with a cutlass and plastic gun to hang on your waistband - but if you really want this to be believeable, don’t forget the thick black eyeliner. The more smudged, the better.

Buy now £29.99, Amazon

Sriracha Tunic Adult Costume

If you love Sriracha sauce as much as we do then you will not be able to get enough of this costume. This spicy-look costume will bring laughs and plenty of flavour to any Halloween bash. Turn it into a group costume with your family or friends in ketchup, mustard or a giant hot dog outfits.

Buy now £43.40, Amazon

Piggyback Monster Halloween Costume

The zombie apocalypse is here, there’s nothing for it but to clamber aboard and hold on for dear life. This walking dead costume is sure to bring screams of mirth to your friends, looking as though you’ve been made off with by a mummy. Flail your arms in terror for maximum effect.

Buy now £33.99, Amazon

Masks & Makeup

Gollum Lord of The Rings Mask

With the release of The Rings Of Power, the Lord of the Rings prequel, why not throw it back to the classic movies with this Gollum mask? Terrifying and easy to wear, all you need to do is find yourself a loincloth to cover your precious.

Buy now £59.68, Amazon

The Purge mask

With its exaggerated grin, this sinister smiling mask is guaranteed to give anyone the creeps and is an easy last-minute costume solution. Similar to the masks worn in The Purge, it’s made of plastic and is designed with eye holes and an elastic strap. One size should fit most adults and teens while matching accessories are also available.

Buy now £7.00, Amazon

Monster Mask

He did the mash, he did the monster mash! This Frankenstein-inspired mask is perfect for upping the spooky stakes this Halloween. Get the look by pairing it with a with a dark suit to bring a bit of macabre fun to proceedings.

Buy now £20.70, Amazon

Old Witch Mask with Hair and Headscarf

As Halloween masks go, we find this one pretty terrifying - and not just because it’s so realistic.

All you need to complete the look is a cauldron and broom and you are well on your way to scaring each and every one of your pals.

Buy now £13.18, Amazon

BRITE Semi-permanent hair dye

Want a look to dye for? Coloured hair gets the go-ahead this Halloween.

If you’re up for swapping your natural tones for something suitably lurid, head to Superdrug where you can find BRITE Hair’s collection of semi-permanent instant colours, wash-in/wash-out shampoos and vegan bleach kits – including one specifically for coily and textured hair.

Now’s the perfect time to buy too; they’re all currently on offer with a third off.

Buy now £6.99, Superdrug

Killer Clown Makeup

Keep it ultra simple and just focus on your scariest face. With this makeup set, you can complete the killer clown costume. It is comprised of a red nose, teeth, makeup tray with a sponge to apply as well as liquid latex and fake blood for a realistic and terrifying look.

Buy now, Amazon

Revolution Beauty x Corpse Bride Eyeshadow Palette

Don’t fancy a mask? Makeup brand Revolution has a Corpse Bride collection to help you look your most terrifying yet. From dark lipstick and highlighter in skull festooned packaging to fake blood and high pigment eyeshadow palettes, there’s plenty to help you look your scariest.

Buy now £20.00, Revolution Beauty