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- The Best ’90s Pop Culture Costume Ideas, From “Clueless” to “The Fresh Prince”
The Best ’90s Pop Culture Costume Ideas, From “Clueless” to “The Fresh Prince”
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This Halloween, we’re throwing it back to the 1990s. We’ve hand-picked some pop culture ’90s icons who would make like, totally easy costumes. Think: Spice Girls; Romy and Michele from “Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion,” Tia Landry and Tamera Campbell from “Sister, Sister,” Will and Carlton from “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air“; Alex Mack from “The Secret World of Alex Mack”; Clarissa Darling from “Clarissa Explains It All”; and Cory, Shawn, and Topanga from “Boy Meets World.”
Since ’90s fashion trends are basically always in style – like mini backpacks, chunky sneakers, choker necklaces, and bucket hats – it’s refreshingly easy to DIY a perfect ’90s Halloween costume from your closet. Have bike shorts and a crewneck sweatshirt? You are now Princess Diana. Sweatpants, a crop top, and your favorite pair of kicks? You’re a master of Sporty Spice style.
Whether you’re a millennial who longs for the days of your youth or a Zoomer who just loves all things ’90s, we have some Halloween costumes that will make you the hippest person at the party. From TV shows and movies to the hottest music acts of the time, keep reading for a ton of iconic DIY ’90s pop culture costumes that will make sure your Halloween rocks.
– Additional reporting by Maggie Panos and Laura Marie Meyers
Related: The Best Halloween Costume Ideas Inspired by Hit TV Shows and Movies
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'90s Halloween Costumes: The Sanderson Sisters From "Hocus Pocus"
- What to wear for Winifred: Long green robes, big red hair, and lipstick on the center of your upper and lower lips. Carry a broom.
- What to wear for Mary: A red dress and robe, crazy-big hair, and a crooked smile. Carry a vacuum cleaner.
- What to wear for Sarah: A low-cut dress and purple robe, long and teased blonde hair, and a choker. Carry a mop.
- How to act: Evil, sadistic, and a bit ditzy (if you’re Sarah). Do lots of cackling and sneering at children.
Everett Collection / Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection
'90s Halloween Costumes: Wednesday Addams From "The Addams Family"
- What to wear: A long-sleeved black dress, black tights, and a white collared shirt. Use makeup or powder to make yourself as pale as possible.
- How to act: Make smart, snarky comments and refuse to smile.
Everett Collection / Columbia Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection
'90s Halloween Costumes: Spice Girls
- What to wear for Posh: A short, skintight black dress or lacy slip with stilettos.
- What to wear for Ginger: A Union Jack minidress and matching platform shoes.
- What to wear for Sporty: A sports bra, tearaway pants, and sneakers.
- What to wear for Scary: Anything leopard print, with heels and curled, teased hair.
- What to wear for Baby: A pink dress and platform sneakers with a choker and pigtails.
- How to act: Like you wanna slam your body down and wind it all around.
Everett Collection / MTV/Courtesy Everett Collection
'90s Halloween Costumes: Jane and Daria From "Daria"
- What to wear for Jane: A severe black bob, a red jacket, a black-and-white v-neck, and gray shorts with black leggings and combat boots.
- What to wear for Daria: Round glasses, a mustard-yellow shirt under a green jacket, and a pleated black skirt. Army boots, laced all the way up.
- How to act: Like you’re pissed you missed a Sick Sad World marathon for this lame party.
Everett Collection / Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection
'90s Halloween Costumes: Dionne and Cher From "Clueless"
- What to wear for Cher: A yellow plaid skirt and matching blazer, white button-down top and knee-highs, and black patent leather Mary Janes.
- What to wear for Dionne: A black-and-white plaid skirt with matching blazer, white button-down top and knee-highs, black patent leather Mary Janes, and a giant plastic dome-shaped hat. Also, long braids.
- How to act: Like you’re the most popular girls at the party. Be on the lookout for Baldwins. Avoid Barneys.
Everett Collection / Buena Vista Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection
'90s Halloween Costumes: Romy and Michele From "Romy and Michele's High School Reunion"
- What to wear for Michele: An iridescent pink dress with feather trim. Must accessorize with a high half-ponytail, pink wedges, a pink clutch, and a choker.
- What to wear for Romy: A supershort, shiny blue spandex dress with silver heels.
- How to act: Be proud of the fact that you invented Post-it notes.
Everett Collection / Courtesy Everett Collection
'90s Halloween Costumes: Tia Landry and Tamera Campbell From "Sister, Sister"
- What to wear: Go full-on ’90s with patterned tights, high-waited shorts with matching denim vests, a big shirt, and some floppy hats.
- How to act: Tia is the book-smart, somewhat-uptight one. Tamera is wackier, but you should both be telling everyone to “go home, Roger.”
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'90s Halloween Costumes: Steve Urkel From "Family Matters"
- What to wear: A striped shirt (buttoned all the way up to your chin) with high-waisted pants and suspenders. Add glasses with giant rims and white socks with loafers.
- How to act: Ridiculously clumsy. Bump into people, knock things over, and consistently ask “Did I do that?” even though you know you did that.
Everett Collection / Paramount, courtesy Everett Collection
'90s Halloween Costumes: Helga, Arnold, and Gerald From "Hey Arnold!"
- What to wear for Helga: A pink dress over a white t-shirt, a pink bow in your pigtails, and red converse.
- What to wear for Arnold: A blue sweater over a loooong red plaid shirt, jeans, and black shoes. Don’t forget the tiny blue hat!
- What to wear for Gerald: A red sports jersey, jeans, and red high-top converse.
- How to act: For Helga, like you loathe everything and everyone. For Arnold and Gerald, act upbeat and down for anything.
Everett Collection / Courtesy Everett Collection
'90s Halloween Costumes: Zack, Screech, and Slater From "Saved by the Bell"
- What to wear for Zack: Two words: frosted tips. Once you’ve got that, throw in a pair of high-tops and a button-down denim shirt (tucked in, Preppy).
- What to wear for Screech: Pull your baggy printed pants up with some suspenders and wear a loud button-down underneath.
- What to wear for Slater: Acid-wash jeans, a black t-shirt, and a colorful button-down with the sleeves rolled up to show off your muscles.
- How to act: Like you’re dodging Mr. Belding.
Everett Collection / NBC/Courtesy Everett Collection
'90s Halloween Costumes: Will and Carlton From "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air"
- What to wear for Will: An oversize windbreaker and some slammin’ ’90s jeans.
- What to wear for Carlton: Black pants, white dress shirt, and a classic tennis sweater.
- How to act: If you’re Will, like you’re the coolest dude ever. If you’re Carlton, like you’re pretty much not the coolest dude ever.
Everett Collection / New Line Cinema/Courtesy Everett Collection
'90s Halloween Costumes: Lloyd and Harry From "Dumb and Dumber"
- What to wear for Lloyd: An orange suit, complete with matching hat and ruffle dress shirt. Don’t forget your cane.
- What to wear for Harry: Same as above, only in powder blue.
- How to act: Like an idiot, but an idiot who thinks he’s really intelligent.
Everett Collection / Hallmark Entertainment/Courtesy Everett Collection
'90s Halloween Costumes: Alex Mack From "The Secret World of Alex Mack"
- What to wear: A white t-shirt with denim overalls, a backward cap, and a flannel button-down tied around your waist. Add long straight hair and sneakers.
- How to act: Like you have secret hidden powers and can turn into a viscous puddle at the mere thought of it.
Everett Collection / Courtesy Everett Collection
'90s Halloween Costumes: Felicity Porter From "Felicity"
- What to wear: Loose khaki pants, a long-sleeved shirt, and a black blazer. Sport sneakers, a curly brown wig, and a backpack.
- How to act: Smart, centered, and a little impulsive. Talk a ton about your high school crush.
Everett Collection / MGM/Courtesy Everett Collection
'90s Halloween Costumes: Thelma and Louise From "Thelma and Louise"
- What to wear for Thelma: Sunglasses, light boot-cut jeans, and a graphic black tank top.
- What to wear for Louise: Blue jeans, a white tank top, and a cowboy hat with a handkerchief tied around your neck. Get dusty.
- How to act: You’re on the run, so act like convicts, but of the freewheeling feminist variety.
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'90s Halloween Costumes: Clarissa Darling From "Clarissa Explains It All"
- What to wear: Printed biker shorts, an oversize button-down, funky accessories, and Doc Martens.
- How to act: Hip, cool, and supersarcastic. Talk about how much you can’t wait to get your driver’s license (and how much you hate your little brother).
Everett Collection / Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection
'90s Halloween Costumes: Wayne and Garth From "Wayne's World"
- What to wear for Wayne: Black Converse sneakers, old, ripped jeans, a long brown wig, a black t-shirt, and a black Wayne’s World hat.
- What to wear for Garth: Black Converse sneakers, washed-out jeans, a white band t-shirt under a blue plaid shirt with rolled-up sleeves, a shaggy blond wig, and black-rimmed glasses.
- How to act: Ask people if they want to come to your basement and be a guest star on your show. At some point you’re going to have to sing “Bohemian Rhapsody.”
Getty / ABC Photo Archives
'90s Halloween Costumes: Kimmy Gibbler From "Full House"
- What to wear: An oversize sweatshirt (double points if it’s neon) and leggings. Wear your hair in a half-up, half-down side ponytail with a scrunchie.
- How to act: Like you own the place; seriously, barge in to every room uninvited, and don’t leave until you get kicked out.
Everett Collection / 20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection
'90s Halloween Costumes: Kevin McCallister From "Home Alone"
- What to wear: A chunky red sweater and short blond wig.
- How to act: Like you’ve just gotten left home alone, thus you run the world.
Everett Collection / Touchstone Television/Courtesy Everett Collection
'90s Halloween Costumes: Blossom From "Blossom"
- What to wear: Knee-length khaki shorts with a printed top and chunky sweater. Add scrunch socks and loafers and, of course, Blossom’s signature floppy hat with a giant flower (or four).
- How to act: Spunky, upbeat, and supersarcastic.
Everett Collection / ABC/Courtesy Everett Collection
'90s Halloween Costumes: Doug Funnie From "Doug"
- What to wear: A white short-sleeved tee with a green sweater vest, khaki shorts, and sneakers with white socks.
- How to act: Smart and socially awkward with a huge imagination.
Everett Collection / Paul Natkin
'90s Halloween Costumes: TLC
- What to wear for Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins: A bright, baggy shirt with even brighter pants. Add a short wig; two bang strands hanging down is a must.
- What to wear for Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas: The brightest, baggiest clothes you can find. Long, curly black hair is a must.
- What to wear for Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes: Again, bright baggy clothes, suspenders, and a backward cap. A patch or black mark under your eye is a must.
- How to act: Like the dopest girl group of the decade; harmonize “Waterfalls” and “Creep” as you see fit.
Everett Collection / Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection
'90s Halloween Costumes: Beavis and Butt-Head From "Beavis and Butt-Head"
- What to wear for Butt-Head: Red shorts, a black AC/DC t-shirt, and a slicked-back rockabilly hairstyle. Bonus points for fake braces.
- What to wear for Beavis: Gray shorts and a blue Metallica shirt; tease your blond hair up.
- How to act: Just get the laugh down, and you’re golden. Heh, heh, heh.
Everett Collection / Buena Vista Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection
'90s Halloween Costumes: Cory, Shawn, and Topanga From "Boy Meets World"
- What to wear for Cory Matthews: A bright t-shirt with an even brighter button-down on top. Add jeans, sneakers, and a short, curly wig.
- What to wear for Shawn Hunter: A baggy plaid shirt and jeans, a leather jacket and boots, and center-parted hair.
- What to wear for Topanga Lawrence: A crimped wig, printed top and vest, and light-wash jeans.
- How to act: Like you’d rather be anywhere else than in Mr. Feeny’s class.
Everett Collection / Buena Vista Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection
'90s Halloween Costumes: Vivian Ward From "Pretty Woman"
- What to wear: Attach a white crop top to a blue tie-dyed skirt with a ring for her signature dress. Add thigh-high black leather boots, put on a blond bob wig, and tie a red jacket around your waist.
- How to act: Like a streetwise hooker with a serious heart of gold.
Everett Collection / Columbia Tristar/Courtesy Everett Collection
'90s Halloween Costumes: Elaine Benes From "Seinfeld"
- What to wear: Glasses, a beige blazer, long floral skirt or dress, and dark curly hair in a half-up, half-down ‘do.
- How to act: Smart, assertive, and just a teensy bit neurotic.
Everett Collection / CW Network/Courtesy Everett Collection
'90s Halloween Costumes: "Legends of the Hidden Temple"
- What to wear: A yellow helmet, kneepads and elbow pads, khaki shorts, and either a red, green, purple, orange, gray, or blue shirt with the coordinating stenciled animal symbols on them.
- How to act: Excited but scared, like something could jump out at you any minute.
Everett Collection / Cinar/Courtesy Everett Collection
'90s Halloween Costumes: Shelby Woo From "The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo"
- What to wear: A printed button-down shirt and skirt, or jeans. Carry a camera around your neck.
- How to act: Like you’ll stop at nothing to solve the mysteries that your grandfather tells you not to get involved in.
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'90s Halloween Costumes: Moesha Mitchell From "Moesha"
- What to wear: A flashy printed top with a denim skirt or faux leather pants.
- How to act: Headstrong, fiercely independent, and not afraid to call people on their bullsh*t. Speak your thoughts out loud, as if you were writing in your diary.
Getty / JOHNNY EGGITT
'90s Halloween Costumes: Princess Diana
- What to wear: A crewneck sweatshirt, preferably with a fun, vintage graphic, colorful bike shorts, crew socks, and sneakers. Bonus points for sunglasses.
- How to act: Like you are literally Princess Diana.
