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Halloween 2026 costumes: why it's witches, Spider-Man and a unicorn named Buddy
By The Trends Incoming team · Published 2026-10-18
Thirteen days to go! Halloween is Saturday, October 31, 2026, and the costume lists are in. The short version: witches and vampires are what most adults plan to wear, Spider-Man is the kids' favorite again, and the costume climbing fastest in Google searches is Buddy the Unicorn. Here's why those lists look so different, and what to do with that info.
What it is
Two big sources shape the costume conversation every October. The National Retail Federation surveys thousands of shoppers about what they plan to wear and spend. This year it forecasts $13.5 billion in Halloween spending, with $4.4 billion on costumes. Then there's Google's Frightgeist, which ranks the costume searches that are rising fastest, not the most popular overall. Think "classic" vs. "moment."
| Top adult costume (NRF) | Witch, then vampire and Batman |
|---|---|
| Top kids' costume (NRF) | Spider-Man, then superhero and princess |
| Top pet costume (NRF) | Pumpkin, then hot dog |
| Fastest-rising search (Google) | Buddy the Unicorn, then NeeDoh |
| Halloween | Saturday, Oct 31 |
Why it's trending
Halloween on a Saturday. A weekend Halloween means more parties, and more parties means more costume planning.
Internet-native picks. Google's top 10 reads like a year of online culture: a squishy NeeDoh stress toy, Agamemnon from The Odyssey, Lily Love Braids from Poppy Playtime, Verity from Minecraft, Oliver Tree and a disco Scooby-Doo. Buddy the Unicorn, the star of the movie Buddy, is sitting at No. 1.
Tributes. Dolly Parton, who died in August, tops Google's kids' list and is No. 2 for pets, per LiveNOW's breakdown of the Frightgeist data. Expect a lot of big blonde wigs and rhinestones.
Our Halloween costumes 2026 page has the full side-by-side table, the pet report and the shopping tips.
Where to follow it
Costume ideas live on TikTok, Instagram and X, and Frightgeist's map shows what's hot in your state. Need a movie-night theme to go with it? Binge Crystal Lake, check our home and decor trends for the giant skeleton crowd, and scroll TikTok dances for the costume walks. Then come back to pop culture, because this list will change before the 31st.
Quick answers
What is the most popular Halloween costume in 2026?
Witch for adults and Spider-Man for kids, per the National Retail Federation's survey.
What costume is trending most on Google?
Buddy the Unicorn tops Google's 2026 Frightgeist list of rising costume searches, followed by NeeDoh.
How much will people spend on Halloween costumes?
NRF forecasts $4.4 billion on costumes, part of $13.5 billion in total Halloween spending.
When is Halloween 2026?
Saturday, October 31, 2026.
Follow it
The trend card
Halloween costume rankings are in
Witches and vampires top NRF's survey of what adults will wear, Spider-Man rules for kids, and Google's trending list is led by Buddy the Unicorn and NeeDoh. Halloween is Saturday, Oct 31.
Sources
- NRF: Halloween spending forecast
- NRF: top costume trends
- Google: Frightgeist 2026
- Frightgeist costume map
- LiveNOW from FOX: Google's full top 25
By The Trends Incoming team · Fact-checked 2026-10-18. Dates change, so double-check with the official source.