Share the Fun
Inspiration from the Movies and Books
Little Red Riding Hood
Opposing Forces
Time Period Themes
Two Worlds Collide
Travel the World
Breaking Away
Bring Toys to Life
A Twist on a Classic
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Misty is a certified family coach with experience in family health issues. She has a passion for encouraging family bonding and unity through her work.
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Group Halloween costumes take the fun of the holiday to new heights. Whether for a group of trick-or-treaters or adults going to a costume party, dress-up fun multiplies when it's shared. Most groups pick a common theme.
If your group shares the same taste in movies and books, it should be easy to select a theme. Since most stories feature at least three central characters, stories lend themselves well to group costumes. Choose Alice in Wonderland, for example, and members of your group can dress as Alice, the Queen of Hearts, the Mad Hatter, the March Hare, the Caterpillar, the Cheshire Cat, and more. Most of these costumes are available at specialty costume shops, but you can make them yourself as well.
Another group idea borrowed from a children's classic, Little Red Riding Hood costumes can range from cute and whimsical to dark and frightening, depending on the age of the costumers. A Little Red costume can be easily created with a red cape over a simple black top and tights, while the Big Bad Wolf's costume can be created with a store-bought mask. Supporting characters such as Grandma and the hunter round out your group.
Your group can also have fun dressed as opposing forces, such as Good and Evil, Superheroes and Villains, and Angels and Demons. In their simplest forms, demon costumes can be created with elaborate body paint, simple clothing, and optional horns. A simple white dress, store-bought or homemade wings, and light, fairylike makeup can transform you into an angel.
One fun and relatively inexpensive way to dress a group is to select a specific time period or cultural era. Many of these costumes can be handmade from items found at thrift stores, garage sales, or the back of your closet. Popular time periods include the Medieval period, the Wild West, the 50s, and the 60s. For a Renaissance queen and her court, you might have to buy a costume, but they are readily available at costume shops and online at places like Amazon.
If you're looking for a fun, otherworldly group costume idea, divide your group into aliens and astronauts. To round out your space-themed Halloween, you can also have some of your group dress as stars, moons, cyborgs, rockets, and the planets.
You can also look to the globe for inspiration for your group costumes. Consider becoming a sultan and his belly dancers for the day. Your group could also dress as a group of Ancient Greeks, Roman Gladiators, or Ancient Egyptians and mummies.
Inmate costumes are easy to make. Simply find a pair of striped pajamas and add props such as a ball and chain, handcuffs, and a cap. Have at least one member of your group dress as a warden, police officer, or prison guard.
Your group could morph into a puppet master with her group of obedient puppets. You could also go as the broken toys from the Island of Misfit Toys. Other costume themes borrowed from the kids' toybox include Barbie, a deck of cards, or chess pieces.
Witches, vampires, and werewolves are all-time favorites for Halloween, but you can give these costumes a modern twist. These zombies, for example, are all business men and women. Your group could go as vampire doctors and nurses, werewolf cheerleaders, a zombie wedding party, or even monster belly dancers. Don't be afraid to get creative with your scary costumes. If you need more ideas, check out this scary Halloween costume slideshow.