Best Friend Halloween Costumes

A good best friend costume gives each person a part they would pick on their own. Some of these pairs match outright, like Thing 1 and Thing 2, and some only make sense side by side, like peanut butter and jelly or a sun and a moon. Most can be built from clothes you already own plus one or two inexpensive accessories, and every pair is easy to recognize across a crowded room.

Whichever pair you pick, keep it safe for a night out. The Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends costumes that fit well and do not drag, plus reflective tape if you will be walking near traffic. If either of you is using face paint or colored lenses, the FDA advises patch testing makeup ahead of time and only wearing decorative contacts that an eye doctor has prescribed.

1. Wednesday and Enid: A Black Braided Collar Dress and a Rainbow Patchwork Cardigan

Nothing says opposites attract like a deadpan goth and her aggressively sunny roommate. One of you goes full Wednesday in a black collared dress and 2 tight braids, holding the flattest expression you can manage for 4 hours; the other piles on a pastel patchwork cardigan, colorful clips, and enough glitter to count as a hazard. It works because you already play these exact roles in real life, and you both know it. The contrast photographs beautifully, especially if Wednesday refuses to smile while Enid throws up a peace sign next to her.

2. Barbie and Ken: A Hot-Pink Gingham Dress and a Denim Vest with Nothing Under It

This is the duo costume for the friends who own the party and know it. One of you leans all the way into Barbie with a hot-pink dress, white cat-eye sunglasses, and a blowout; the other commits to Ken in a denim vest, a beach necklace, and unearned confidence. The beauty here is that almost every piece already lives in somebody’s closet, so it doubles as a last-minute save. Pink accessories do most of the talking, so pile on the heart earrings and a mini bag. Bonus points if Ken carries a single rollerblade the whole night.

3. Thing 1 and Thing 2: Matching Red Sweatshirts and Blue Hairspray

This best friend costume takes very little effort. You each get a plain red sweatshirt, iron on a white circle with your number, and spray blue color into your hair so it stands up. It costs under $25 each, and the costume is easy to recognize across a crowded room. Decide ahead of time who will be Thing 1 and who will be Thing 2.

4. Sandy and Rizzo: A Leather Jacket and Skintight Black Pants

Grease gives best friends two characters to split. One of you dresses as reformed good girl Sandy in a black off-the-shoulder top and high-waisted pants, with red heels optional; the other goes as Rizzo in a satin Pink Ladies jacket with a sharp red lip. The looks are retro in spirit but built from pieces you can wear again. Tease your hair and practice an unimpressed expression. Play the soundtrack while you hand out candy.

5. Mario and Luigi: Red and Green Caps with Denim Overalls

This pair costume works for any body type and budget. One friend wears red, the other green, and both add a plumber cap, a white glove, and a stick-on mustache. Overalls over a long-sleeve tee keep you warm on a chilly porch. It also expands easily into a group costume, since anyone who joins late can come as Princess Peach or a mushroom. Don’t skip the fake mustaches.

6. Woody and Jessie: A Cowboy Hat, a Yellow Plaid Shirt, and Red Boots

Toy Story is a good pick for friends who have known each other since childhood. One of you builds Woody from a yellow plaid shirt, a cow-print vest, and a sheriff badge; the other goes as Jessie in red boots, a white cowboy hat, and a long braid with a red bow. It is a wholesome costume, and it is easy to include a younger sibling as Buzz. The western pieces can be worn again with your fall wardrobe. Practice saying “reach for the sky” together for photos.

7. Daphne and Velma: A Purple Dress and an Orange Turtleneck

Mystery Inc. gives best friends a color-coded costume pair. One of you is Daphne in a purple shift dress, a green scarf, and headband; the other is Velma in an orange turtleneck, a pleated skirt, and glasses. The silhouettes are simple, so the color blocking is what makes the costumes recognizable from across a yard. Keep a rubber spider handy for jump-scare photos. One of you plays the one who solves the mystery and the other plays the one who gets scared, so the roles split easily.

8. Peanut Butter and Jelly: Two Brown and Purple Tees with Felt Bread Slices

When you want funny over fussy, lean into the food pun that never misses. One friend wears brown for peanut butter, the other wears purple for jelly, and you each safety-pin a giant felt slice of bread to your front and back like a sandwich sign. It costs almost nothing, comes together in 20 minutes, and gets a laugh at the door every single time. Carry a plastic butter knife if you really want to sell the bit. Sweet, a little sticky, and completely inseparable, which is the whole point.

9. 80s Aerobics Instructors: Neon Leotards, Leg Warmers, and a Sweatband

This is the costume that turns a pair of friends into a full musical number the second you walk in. Pull on bright leotards over patterned leggings, add scrunched leg warmers, a terry sweatband, and the highest side ponytail your hair allows. The decade is loud on purpose, so clashing neons are a feature and not a bug. It photographs like a workout video that got out of hand, especially mid-lunge. Keep a boombox in the frame and refuse to break your feel-the-burn face for anyone.

10. Rosie the Riveter Times Two: Denim Shirts and Red Polka-Dot Bandanas

Some duos want strong over spooky, and matching Rosies deliver exactly that. You both roll up a chambray or denim work shirt, tie a red-and-white polka-dot bandana over your hair, and add a bold red lip for the flex-your-bicep photo everyone will ask for. It is powerful, tasteful, and shockingly easy from pieces already hanging in your closet. Match the poses and you have an instant poster. We can do it works even better when there are 2 of you shouting it.

11. Two Holly Golightlys: Little Black Dresses, Pearls, and a Long Cigarette Holder

For the friends whose group chat is 80% brunch plans, matching Breakfast at Tiffany’s is the elegant move. You each wear a sleek little black dress, stack on faux pearls, add long gloves, and pin up your hair with a small tiara. Prop coffee cups and a tiny pastry bag turn it from generic to unmistakable. It is one of the few costumes that lets you be genuinely comfortable and photograph like a 1961 poster. Sunglasses on indoors, obviously, because Holly would.

12. Cruella and a Dalmatian: A Black-and-White Wig and a Spotted Onesie

This pairing lets one friend go dramatic while the other goes adorable, and everybody wins. One of you is Cruella in a half-black, half-white wig, red gloves, and a faux-fur collar coat; the other is a Dalmatian in a white outfit with painted-on spots and clip-on ears. The contrast is the joke, and it holds up in every photo whether you are posing or fleeing. Add a few black eyeliner spots on the pup for the finishing touch. Villain and victim, best friends forever, no notes.

13. Sun and Moon: A Yellow Dress with Rays and a Navy Set with Silver Stars

When you want pretty and a little poetic, split the sky between you. One friend glows as the sun in warm yellows and gold with a spiky felt-ray headpiece; the other becomes the moon in deep navy and silver with a crescent headband and scattered stars. It is celestial, it is soft, and it looks stunning under string lights. Metallic makeup pushes it from cute to editorial without much effort. You are opposites who obviously orbit each other, which is just friendship with a costume on.

14. Matching Cowgirls: White Hats, Fringe Vests, and Cowboy Boots

A pair of best friends in coordinated cowgirl looks is easy to pull off and looks confident. Start with denim or a slip dress, layer a fringe or suede vest, and finish with a white hat and your most broken-in boots. Swap turquoise jewelry back and forth so you match without being identical, which always looks more intentional. The pieces are far from single-use, since they double as a fall going-out outfit. Practice a synchronized hat tip and refuse to explain it to anyone.

15. Salt and Pepper: White and Black Dresses with Labeled Shaker Caps

This is the DIY duo for friends who finish every meal and every sentence together. One of you wears all white for salt, the other all black for pepper, and you each top it with a felt or foam shaker lid labeled with a giant S or P. It comes together on a weeknight with a hot glue gun and 1 trip to the craft aisle. The bit lands because you two are genuinely a pair that belongs on the same table. Sprinkle a compliment on someone at the door and commit fully.

16. Alice and the Mad Hatter: A Blue Pinafore and a Mismatched Top Hat

Wonderland works well for best friends who like a theatrical costume. One of you is Alice in a blue dress, white apron, and black headband; the other is the Mad Hatter in plaid, a giant bow tie, and a top hat tagged with a paper 10 over 6 price card. The looks are dramatic but built from thrift-store layers, which keeps the cost low. Carry teacups to complete the scene.

17. A Strawberry and a Milkshake: A Red Tutu and a Pink Dress with a Straw Headband

When you want sweet and photo-ready, become the dessert order you always split. One friend is a strawberry in a red tutu, a green leaf headband, and painted-on seeds; the other is a pink milkshake in a fluffy dress with a whipped-cream collar and a bendy-straw headpiece. It is bright, it is joyful, and it looks incredible against any dark backdrop. Felt cherries and a little glitter push it over the top. You go together like, well, exactly like this, which is the entire pitch.

18. Two Taylor Swift Eras: A Sparkly Bodysuit and a Cozy Cardigan

For friends who love the same artist, split the discography and wear it. One of you takes a louder, upbeat era in a sequined bodysuit, tights, and boots; the other takes a softer era in a hand-knit cardigan, a folky dress, and loose waves. Each of you can pick the era that suits your style. Stack friendship bracelets up to the elbow to finish both costumes, and bring extras to trade with other guests at the door.

19. E.T. and Elliott: A Red Hoodie with a Bike and a Little Alien Friend

This is a nostalgic costume for a pair of friends who have always been a team. One of you is Elliott in the classic red hooded sweatshirt with a bike that has a basket on the front; the other dresses as E.T. in gray with a glowing red fingertip and a white sheet for the disguise scene. It is cozy enough for a cold night and recognizable to anyone over 30. A stuffed alien in the bike basket works well if you would rather skip gray face paint.

20. Frog and Toad: A Green Blazer and a Brown Corduroy Jacket

For a gentle, wholesome duo, dress as Frog and Toad. One of you is Frog in a green blazer or cardigan with a crisp collar; the other is Toad in a brown corduroy jacket and a small vest. The costume is low-key, bookish, and charming. Add round glasses and a thermos for the full storybook look.

21. Ghostbusters: Matching Tan Jumpsuits and Proton-Pack Backpacks

Close the list with the team-up that works for 2 friends or a whole group that keeps growing. Everyone wears a tan jumpsuit or coveralls, clips on a name patch, and straps a spray-painted backpack on for the proton pack. It is warm, it is comfortable, and you can genuinely dance in it, which by hour 3 you will care about a lot. The logo tee underneath is an easy backup if a full jumpsuit is too much. Point at the ceiling with total seriousness and ask who they are going to call.

The Building Blocks

Everyday pieces that show up as the base for several of these duos.

• Levi’s Ribcage Straight Jeans. The base for Rosie the Riveter in #10 and either cowgirl in #14.
• Amazon Essentials Low Heel Ankle Boots. Comfortable enough for a full night out, and a stand-in for the cowboy boots in #14 or Jessie’s red boots in #6 if you do not own a pair.
• befen Genuine Leather Tote Bag. Holds both phones, the extra mask and the face paint you will need to touch up halfway through the party.