Robyn is the CEO & Founder of HER. Find her on Twitter.
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Oct 30, 2021
Halloween – otherwise known as gay Christmas – is almost upon us.
And we all know what that means: fancy dress costumes.
There are a million ideas for who (or what) you could dress up as this spooky season, but why not use it as an excuse to be loud and proud about your queerness?
Download HER appIt can be difficult to find unique Halloween costume ideas that are queer and fun. Particularly if you’re a little disorganized and have left the planning to the last minute!
Don’t worry – we’ve got your back.
If you’re struggling to find LGBTQ+ outfits perfect for your Halloween plans, here are a few ideas of iconic queer characters and celebs you can dress up as.
They can all be thrown together at the last minute if needed, and are suitable whether you’re single or looking for a couple’s costume.
RuPaul’s Drag Race is full of incredible, iconic looks that can be perfect for a fancy dress costume.
Season 13’s Gottmik has unmistakable makeup, and while he didn’t win the season, he certainly won the LGBTQ+ community’s hearts!
He has some amazing yet complicated costumes.
But if you’re pressed for time, you can get away with wearing a bodycon dress, a black wig, and recreating his makeup. Then, all you need is some white face paint, lots of black eyeliner, blue eyeshadow, and a bold set of lashes!
When Killing Eve first came out, lesbians everywhere were immediately lusting after psychopath-assassin Villanelle.
Her fashion throughout the series is flawless and not too hard to recreate, whether you prefer to dress more masculine or more feminine.
One of the things the character became well-known for were her impeccable suits. Pick any one of them to recreate, and you’re sure to make jaws drop.
If you’re more on the femme side, who could forget Villanelle’s cotton candy pink tulle dress?
King Princess is a certified queer icon, and if you’ve seen the ‘Cheap Queen’ music video, you’ll know why.
She’s another person that allows you to take your costume more femme, more butch, or something in between.
The opening sees her in a fantastic patchwork suit, while the bulk of it sees her pared down in a white vest top and black cargo pants. The ending (also the album art) sees her embrace drag-style makeup with a diamante tiara and a ‘Cheap Queen’ sash.
Pick any of the three, or get your friends together and take a look each!
Love, Simon’s leading man Simon Spier is a straightforward but effective costume choice.
Played by Nick Robinson, Simon is a closeted gay teen who overcomes his fear of coming out. It’s heart-warming, beautiful, and would make an adorable costume!
The iconic outfit he wears on the book cover and the series art is simple: a blue denim jacket with a teddy collar, black jeans, a black t-shirt or hoodie, and black trainers. Easy peasy!
For something more in the supernatural realm, why not a character from Wynonna Earp?
Played by Katherine Barrell, Officer Nicole Haught is the lesbian deputy sheriff of Ghost River County.
All you need is a sheriff’s costume (or just a navy boiler suit with a badge), a ginger wig or ginger hair dye, and a sheriff’s hat. Add a black tie and a toy gun to complete the look!
Pray Tell in Ryan Murphy’s Pose has some outfits for the ages!
They’re all impeccably tailored, brightly colored, and while they might require a little more work, the payoff will be completely worth it.
Pretty much any Pray Tell look is bound to turn heads – just make sure you get his signature hat!
If you want a very ‘now’ costume, Lil Nas X has been killing the game all year!
‘MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)’ dominated the charts and pop culture when it was released and now you can dominate the Halloween costume game.
Don a glittery unitard, a pink fur sash, and sparkling loincloth, or pole dance down to hell in thigh-high leather boots, black wings, and black devil horns!
Children’s cartoon ‘Arthur’ broke barriers by having teacher Mr. Ratburn marry Patrick, the chocolate seller. This is the perfect last-minute couple’s costume!
All you need is two tuxes – ideally one with a red sweater vest and one with a green waistcoat – and some cute ears.
Tim Curry’s iconic role has gone down in queer film history – and for good reason!
He takes gender norms, throws them out the window, and looks great doing it!
You just need a corset, a set of pearls, and lots of eyeliner. Make your friends quiver with antici… pation.
Lady Gaga is a certified LGBTQ+ queen, so pay homage to her Academy Award-nominated performance as an aspiring-singer-turned-global-superstar Ally!
There are several looks to choose from, but arguably the most recognizable is early in the film when she wears a white t-shirt tied up at the front, black jeans, and a silver chain belt.
Australian heartthrob Troye Sivan has created some sickening looks over the years, but perhaps none more so than in his ‘My My My!’ video, which has over 59 million views on YouTube.
It’s also really easy to throw together at the last minute. All you need is a long black shirt or cardigan, a white vest top, and black trousers!
Mean Girls’ Damian is often one of the earliest openly queer characters Millennials remember in film. And wearing one of his outfits for Halloween is a great excuse to scream out his catchphrases.
“She doesn’t even go here!” or “Four for you, Glen Coco! You go, Glen Coco!” are personal favorites!
One of the easiest is when he’s trying not to be noticed in the girls’ assembly in the gym. He just wears a blue hoodie with the drawstrings pulled tight around his face and aviator sunglasses.
Or you can recreate his white suit in his performance of ‘Beautiful’ by Christina Aguilera.
Halloween is the perfect time to celebrate your sexuality and LGBTQ+ culture by paying homage to the queer characters and celebrities that are paving the way in queer representation.
Be loud, be proud, and be spooky!
Looking for someone to be the other half of your couple’s costume? Or perhaps you’re just looking for some queer friends who will get all your LGBTQ+ references?
HER is a safe space to meet friends, hook-ups, and try to find your person.
Whatever you’re looking for, you can find it on HER.
Download HER app Robyn is the CEO & Founder of HER. Find her on Twitter.
