51 Nostalgic '90s Halloween Costumes That'll Transport Any Adult Back to a Kid
Remember the good old days of cosmic brownies, Power Rangers and the Spice Girls?
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Many would argue that there was no better era than the 90s — beanie babies, tamagotchis, tie-dye, track suits, etc — and no, I'm not just saying because I'm a 90s baby (well, maybe, but I digress.) That said, the 90s was home to some of the best movies and television characters who were hilarious, relatable and just plain fun — think Homer Simpson, Steve Urkel and Carrie Bradshaw. Speaking of characters, you might be considering a 90s halloween costume this year based on your favorite TV or movie character — did someone say Kelly Kapowski!?
Ahead, we've gathered up some of the best 90s Halloween costumes you'll want to consider for this spooky season. The best part? There's an option for everyone, whether you want to look like you just stepped off the big screen or you simply want to pay homage to this nostalgic decade.
Fans of Saved By The Bell will recognize this Halloween costume from a mile away. Dress like Kelly Kapowski at her serving job at The Max. This costume comes with the shorts, apron and vibrant red crop top.
Get your real life best friend together and dress up as Arnold and Gerald this Halloween season. This comes comes with the tall black wig you probably recognize from the show and the classic long sleeve red shirt with '33' printed on it.
Throw it back to your childhood with this Arthur costume set. This one is more of a DIY option since it only comes with the ear headband and glasses, however, all you need to do is get a long sleeve yellow shirt and you're all set.
Disney fans can get their hands on this costume seen on Mulan in the beloved film. Complete the look by getting yourself a pink parasol to wear while you go trick-or-treating.
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If you love Hercules, then you'll instantly recognize this Megara costume. It only comes with her purple dress so you'll need to get a tall red wig to finish it off.
Dress up as everyone's favorite fashion icon, Cruella de Vil, this Halloween. This costume includes a stylish black and white polyester dress and a pair of black gloves. If you really want to bring the look to life, then get a split black and white wig and bring your pup along.
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If you aren't afraid to be quirky and eccentric for Halloween, then you should dress up as no one other than Ms. Frizzle. This costume of the favorite school teacher comes with her iconic solar system dress, globe earrings and school bus purse.
Rugrats
Tommy, Chuckie, Phil, Lil and Angelica captured the hearts of '90s babies. You can now dress your own kids as the rambunctious Rugrats.
Forrest Gump
It's debatably one of the most iconic films from the '90s. And you can probably recreate Tom Hanks' Forrest Gump attire with things already in your closet.
Who can forget the 1996 Tickle Me Elmo craze? Dress up in this cozy suit to bring back all of the memories.
Wicked
Though the play didn't hit Broadway until the early 2000s, the book it was adapted from was published in 1995. So, while you're defying gravity on Halloween night, remind everyone how many great things we got from the '90s.
Ash Ketchum from Pokémon
Ash's look is way simpler to recreate than it is to catch pokémon. All you need is a white tee, vest, hat and jeans. Don't forget to catch 'em all!
Cosmic Brownie
An iconic Little Debbie snack was born in the '90s, the cosmic brownie. Dress up as your childhood go-to dessert with the help of a brown dress and model clay. Pick up a box of the brownies to really drive the look home.
TLC
When it comes to girl groups, it doesn't get much better than TLC. As if their music wasn't enough, they set the tone for cool '90s fashion as you can see here. Grab a cropped tee and baggy sweatpants for this effortless look.
Her 1998 hit song had everyone recreating this iconic schoolgirl outfit. There will be no mistaking who you're channeling this year.
Frosted Animal Cracker
Frosted animal crackers were definitely the cutest of all the 1990s snacks. Just add Pompoms for the sprinkles!
Aaliyah
She was the certified It girl of the '90s. Dress up as One in a Million era Aaliyah in her iconic all-white outfit. On the plus side, velour sweats and tinted sunnies are making their way back into the fashion cycle so you can definitely wear this outfit again.
Janet Jackson
Okay, technically, "Rhythm Nation" was released in October of 1989, but you know that Janet's Rhythm Nation 1814 album was beloved throughout the early '90s. Snag the iconic hat on Amazon, and dress in all-black to recreate the look.
Looking for a cozy costume come Halloween night? This teletubbie suit will do the trick! Just grab Dipsy, Lala and Poe for the ultimate best friends costume.
Garth and Wayne from Wayne's World
Party time, excellent! The perfect idea for a BFF or couples costume, Garth and Wayne are the best, and you just need some basic jeans and t-shirts to complete the look.
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Marisa (she/her) has covered all things parenting, from the postpartum period through the empty nest, for Good Housekeeping since 2018; previously, she wrote about parents and families at Parents and Working Mother. She lives with her toy-collecting husband and daughter in Brooklyn, where she can be found helping out her team at bar trivia or posting about movies on Twitter and Bluesky.
Cameron (she/her) is a staff writer for Good Housekeeping, where she covers everything from holidays to food. She is a graduate of Syracuse University, where she received a B.A. in magazine journalism. In her spare-time she can be found scrolling TikTok for the latest cleaning hacks and restaurant openings, binge-watching seasons of Project Runway or online shopping.
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