Are Celebrities’ “Worst” Halloween Costumes Really the Worst? By Bahar Motarjemi

Since its introduction to the United States in the 19th century, Halloween has remained one of the most recognizable holidays, as it is estimated that 72% of Americans plan to celebrate Halloween in 2024. One of the most popular activities of Halloween, dressing up in costume, has surpassed just the younger demographic, as almost all ages can be seen wearing elaborate getups on the last night of October. Even celebrities show their creativity and personality through their Halloween attire, which often is a reference to certain aspects of pop culture, with costumes such as musicians, actors, and more. Celebrities, however, are often held under a microscope by the media, making their Halloween costumes subject to conversation. The public opinion of their Halloween costumes is often influenced by factors such as their reputation, personality, and more. As a result of this, celebrities themselves are criticized, not their Halloween outfits. When celebrities are involved in controversies, even artistic aspects such as fashion are attacked by millions of internet users. Keeping this in mind, I’m going to share my own rating of celebrities' Halloween costumes that the Internet has disapproved of, and see how it compares to responses online. 

1. Rachel Zegler’s Daphne Costume- 6/10 

Rachel Zegler, an actress best known for her role as Lucy Gray in Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds, attended Heidi Klum’s 2023 Halloween party in a couple’s costume with boyfriend and fellow actor Josh Andrés Riviera. Zegler dressed up as Daphne from Scooby Doo, while Riviera fittingly chose to be Fred, Daphne’s boyfriend in the cartoon show. Across social media platforms, such as Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok, I have seen mixed opinions regarding her costume, although it is sometimes hard to differentiate whether commenters disagreed with Zegler’s costume or with Zegler as a famous figure. From what can be seen through photos and videos, the wig that Zegler wears with her costume isn’t styled or prepared in the best way, leaving an artificial-looking component to her costume. The scarves tied around her dress and her neck weirdly contrast with the dress, and overall I think these elements make the costume lackluster, especially in comparison to the high standards set by the guests of Klum’s party. I appreciate the effort put into the idea of the costume itself, and I think with some adjustments the whole outfit could have been improved even more. The varied responses I’ve seen online regarding her costume do reflect the quality of her outfit, as there are both bad and good components.

2. Justin Bieber’s Scuba Diver Costume- 4/10

 I’ve seen numerous articles and social media posts talking about this costume, which Justin Bieber wore at a party hosted by Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber last Halloween; there is a general dislike for his attire. I respect the fact that Bieber stays true to his authentic clothing taste, but at the same time, I think he could have worn a different color to go with the scuba goggles and flippers, as the two different shades of pink of the shirt and the pants don’t fit together with his costume idea. Bieber seems to be showing his indifference towards the quality and structure of his costume, which is a questionable choice for a party as elaborate as it was. I rated this costume relatively low because it failed to be cohesive. The costume was a combination of confusing prints and mismatched colors. I have noticed that some people on the Internet often compare his style to his wife Hailey Bieber, therefore casting a negative outlook on his clothing choices, which seems to affect even what he wears for Halloween. Many people on the Internet have judged him for this costume for more reasons than just the appearance and aesthetic. While I don’t like the costume very much, I think that some of the scrutiny it has faced has external influences and should not have been considered when addressing the costume. 

Every year, celebrities’ Halloween costumes trend on social media and become topics of conversation across the country. While some online platforms try to deny this, the webpages about these costumes become less of a critique of the clothes and more of an analysis of the celebrity wearing the clothes, which can lead to unfair judgments of the attention and effort put into the costume itself. Celebrity Halloween costumes should be seen as an artistic and creative outlet, not a representation of their character. As we progress into this year’s festivities, only time will tell whether the media will evaluate costumes with or without bias.