2017 pop culture Halloween costumes

Halloween 2017 is here, and the costume opportunities are just about endless. Of course there are the classics: black cats, bed-sheet ghosts and witches galore, which will be continued to be used year after year. But beyond the classics, each year there is a new group of costumes connected to the pop-culture and trends relevant to the time. In 2016, the streets on Oct. 31 were lined with movie and television characters from the big blockbusters of the year, and this year will be no different. At a loss for which character to be this Halloween? Here are the top four popular culture costumes from 2017.

  1. Betty Cooper – “Riverdale”

The 2017 CW hit “Riverdale” has become a major favorite among teens and young adults alike. The teen drama follows the story of high schoolers dealing with mystery, murder and everything in between. One of the main characters, Betty Cooper, has perhaps one of the most iconic looks of the “Riverdale” gang. For this costume, all that is needed is a blush pink sweater, light wash jeans and white sneakers. Lastly, channel the high school journalist extraordinaire with her classic, high, curled ponytail.

  1. Eleven – “Stranger Things”

Yet another television phenomenon, Netflix series “Stranger Things” was released in 2016, but lives on as a part of popular culture in 2017 due to the second season, which was released on Oct. 27. Eleven, a young girl with telekinetic abilities, has an easily-replicable look. A light pink dress, dark blue jacket, and white tube socks are all you’ll need for this fun costume. Top it off with a blonde wig, and, of course, a box of eggos: an Eleven classic.

  1. Pennywise – “IT”

Moving away from the small screen, the nineties classic-turned-2017 blockbuster “IT” swept the nation with it’s spooky storyline. The story of a killer clown’s effect on a small town is centered around Pennywise, the movie’s monster, which also just happens to be the perfect halloween costume. A basic clown costume bought from any costume shop can be amplified to meet the Pennywise standard look with some killer makeup. Start with white face makeup, and add Pennywise’s classic red vertical stripes over the eyes with red lipliner or lipstick. Perfect the Pennywise smile and your costume is complete.

  1. Mia Dolan – “La La Land”

Lastly, the Oscar-nominated film loved by so many, follows the story of aspiring actress Mia Dolan and her life in modern-day Los Angeles. To channel the dreamy movie musical’s main character, the options are endless. Throughout the film, Dolan is shown wearing white, yellow and green dresses, all with a similar cut. Choose from any of these dresses, just make sure that the hem hits right above the knee, to match the look shown in the movie. Top it off with some black kitten heels and a shoulder length hairstyle, preferably a reddish-brown color.

Any one of these character-inspired costumes can be easily recreated and, more importantly, easily recognizable on the night of Oct. 31, 2017.