Dressing up for Halloween can go wrong in seemingly infinite ways.
The seasonal costume pop-up shop may leave you with no options a self-respecting adult would consider. The too-good-to-be-true Halloween costume you ordered from the internet could, in fact, be too good to be true. Your sexy Finding Dory getup may end up confusing—rather than enticing—your crush at the Halloween party.
But even if you bypass all these roadblocks, there’s still another Halloween fiasco that we’ve all been guilty of at least once: a costume that’s boring as fuck. Did you really think you were the only girl who would dress up as Wonder Woman or the dog face Snapchat filter this year? Or the only guy who decided to dress up as a pirate or, God forbid, Jimmy Fallon?
We all remember what Halloween was like in 2015, where you could throw a rock and hit a Sexy Minion, The Dress, or Cecil the Lion. No one wants to be buried in a sea of Sexy Pikachus at the Halloween party this year. So for 2016, why not live a little and try something different?
Luckily, Google Trend’s microsite Frightgeist has come up with a list of trending Halloween costumes—which doubles as a handy guide of what to avoid.
21) Ghostbusters
Reasons for popularity: The reboot of Ghostbusters was released this year, making for an easy group costume.
Reasons why it sucks: You will get sick of passersby singing, “Who you gonna call? Ghostbusters!” over and over and over again.
20) Unicorn
Reasons for popularity: Fossils of a “Siberian unicorn” were unearthed this year.
Reasons why it sucks: Your horn will poke everybody. Every body. Also, no one will take you seriously for the rest of your life.
19) Minion
Reasons for popularity: Minions have already destroyed the internet, and the upcoming 2018 Minions sequel will ensure these yellow blobs of awfulness will ruin Halloween for the next two years. At least.
Reasons why it sucks: Do you really want to keep living in a world with Minions-themed Twinkies and limited-edition Tic Tacs?
18) Princess
Reasons for popularity: Widespread Disney Princess nostalgia has elicited Disney Princess Tumblr fan art, Disney Princess parody sexts, and a Disney fashion YouTube series. There’s even Disney Princess hot dog art. Why stop there?
Reasons why it sucks: Dressing up as a princess is fine…if you’re in third grade.
17) Poison Ivy
Reasons for popularity: Blame the show Gotham for featuring a Poison Ivy-like character, Ivy Pepper.
Reasons why it sucks: If you’re not a redhead, you’ll have to splurge on a crazy expensive, fake-looking wig that will itch all night. Also, someone will inevitably confuse you for a wood nymph or fairy.
16) Vampire
Reasons for popularity: After a brief period of being “out,” vampires are back in. Blame True Blood, The Vampire Diaries, What We Do in the Shadows, and all the other new blood-sucking nonsense.
Reasons why it sucks: Your white face paint and fake blood will get all over everything and everyone. Children will also be afraid of you.
15) Deadpool
Reasons for popularity: Wasn’t the Deadpool movie great?
Reasons why it sucks: Just look in the mirror.
14) Minnie Mouse
Reasons for popularity: Everyone loves Disney! And Minnie Mouse is about as vintage of a Disney princess as you can get.
Reasons why it sucks: Are you 5 years old? Or do you have a 5-year-old in your life that you’re really trying to impress? If the answer to both of these questions is no, then lay off this tired Ms. Mouse number.
13) Zombie
Reasons for popularity: Zombies are awesome.
Reasons why it sucks: Unless you really pull in the big guns (face paint, fake blood, severed human arm prop), most zombie costumes end up looking cheap. Besides, do you really want to grunt and hobble around all night?
12) Pikachu
Reasons for popularity: Pokémon Go, anyone?
Reasons why it sucks: You will be the butt of every single Pokémon Go joke the entire night. People will constantly be trying to “catch” you. It will get old.
On the bright side, cars will be able to see you from about a mile away.
11) Mermaid
Reasons for popularity: Sororities.
Reasons why it sucks: People will step/trip/hold on to your mermaid tail the entire night. At the very least, someone will spill beer or cider on it. And did I mention someone might trip over your mermaid tail? I know I sound like your mother right now, but she’s a smart woman.
10) Dinosaur
Reasons for popularity: The Jurassic Park fandom is still strong and multiplying by the second.
Reasons why it sucks: Dressing up as a dinosaur could actually be a great idea! Just as long as you invest in a realistic and terrifying costume, and not some dopey dino hat made out of felt that your 7-year-old cousin made in art class.
9) Clown
Reasons for popularity: None. Clowns are universally feared by everyone.
Reasons why it sucks: You will haunt everyone’s dreams. Why would you want that?
8) ‘Star Wars’ Character
Reasons for popularity: It might be almost a year since Star Wars: The Force Awakens came out, but we have Rogue One to look forward to!
Reasons why it sucks: Admit it. You’re recycling your Ren costume from 2015, aren’t you?
7) Batman or Batgirl
Reasons for popularity: Maybe Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice being released this year has a little something to do with it?
Reasons why it sucks: No one will recognize you, and your cape will get stuck in everything.
6) Witch
Reasons for popularity: Witches are a classic symbol of Halloween.
Reasons why it sucks: You definitely won’t get points for creativity.
5) Wonder Woman
Reasons for popularity: 2016 was the year of women’s empowerment. It was the year we got Beyonce’s Lemonade, an all-female Ghostbusters, and Hillary Clinton. Wonder Woman is, by all accounts, the classic feminist superhero. The DC Comics character was even recently made a U.N. ambassador.
Reasons why it sucks: Your feet will hurt from hobbling around in four-inch gogo boots all night.
4) Pirate
Reasons for popularity: It’s an easy costume. All it requires is that you look dirty and drink a lot of rum.
Reasons why it sucks: C’mon, it’s been how many years since the last Pirates of the Carribean movie?
3) Superhero
Reasons for popularity: Generic.
Reasons why it sucks: Spandex isn’t exactly slimming.
2) Joker
Reasons for popularity: Because 2016 was a real joke of a year, amirite?
Reasons why it sucks: If you want to dress up as a psychopath with weird hair and zero empathy whose goal is to plunge the nation into anarchy and who isn’t Donald Trump, be my guest.
1) Harley Quinn
Reasons for popularity: Two words: Suicide Squad.
Reasons why it sucks: Every woman you know will be dressed up as Harley Quinn—and none of them will be able to out-do this cosplayer.
