The internet celebrates Halloweekend: See the best, most viral costumes

Unspoken yet understood, the golden rule of Halloweekend 2023 seemed to be the more obscure, the merrier.

Revelers swarmed Twitter and TikTok, eager to display their costumes to an audience that appreciates niche pop culture references and humor. Gone are the days of standard ghost or witch attire; today, the online realm reigns with costumes requiring layers of context to fully grasp. It’s a playground for those who pride themselves on a deep understanding of niche subjects and cultural nods.

Aiming to showcase uniqueness and connect with an audience that values such costume nuances, two prominent trends emerged on Twitter and TikTok, showcasing a spectrum of in-feed creativity.

Exploring Hyper-Specific Costumes

Prior to Halloweekend, a Twitter user remarked, “I hate going to gay halloween parties like what do you mean you’re lady gaga at the 2:53 mark of the judas music video,” sparking a wave of similar hyper-specific costume-sharing formats. By Sunday, timelines were flooded with costumes and their corresponding reference photos, all captioned with “I hate gay Halloween parties,” drawing massive engagement.

From popular memes like Jennifer Lawrence’s “What do you mean” on Hot Ones to cultural moments like Renee Rapp’s Sweetgreen campaign or even obscure television show scenes such as Tom Sandavol in drag on ‘Vanderpump Rules’—the online realm represented it all. If it was talked about online, someone, somewhere, dressed up as it. A costume need not even be widely known to gain traction: one individual portraying a West Elm coaster received over 6,800 likes on Twitter.

Embracing the Halloween Skit

While Twitter users showcased their costumes primarily through reference photos, TikTok became a hub for performing intricate costume skits to corresponding audios. Various portrayals emerged, from two Parisian bed bugs clinking wine glasses to the sounds of Nicki Minaj, to perfectly executed scenes from School of Rock, and even talent show era impersonations of Timothée Chalamet’s routine. It was a vibrant display of creativity, taking costumes to a new level.

Gone are the days when your costume was only shared with your Instagram circle. Now, with the power of Twitter and TikTok, reaching a global audience and possibly going viral is just a post away—quite a spooky thought!

Elena Cavender

Elena, a tech reporter and the Gen Z aficionado at Mashable, specializes in covering TikTok and digital trends. She recently graduated from UC Berkeley with a BA in American History. Reach out to her via email at [email protected] or follow her @ecaviar_.