Halloween is quickly approaching and for children and young-at-heart adults, it’s a time to dress up and play make-believe. It’s also a time to let your creativity shine. Whether it’s through creating a DIY costume or selecting the perfect one off a rack. Whatever you choose, from Disney princess to scary monsters, even psychologists agree that Halloween is a great opportunity to abandon your reservations and have fun.
NBC’s Today recently conducted a poll from e-commerce company, eBay, social commerce site, Polyvore.com and social sharing site, Pinterest to determine the most popular costumes of 2015.
Babies/Toddlers
For young children, the survey shows that moms tend to go the DIY route with costumes that are easy to make and comfortable, but still leave your little one looking adorable. Top pinned Pinterest ideas include animals like a shark, giraffe and a cuddly bear.
Boys
Surprisingly, classic Nintendo characters Mario and Luigi are ranking among the top eBay searches for boys. This is no doubt giving parents a flashback to their own childhoods spent with a controller in hand trying to save Princess Peach.
But with the release of Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens set for December 18th, kids and their parents are bonding over more than just the Mario Brothers. Star Wars costumes are incredibly popular this year for children and adults. Every costume from stormtroopers and X-wing pilots, to Han Solo and Chewbacca are flying off eBay’s electronic shelves.
Of course, superheros still rank high on the list for boys (and men). Despite the popularity of Marvel’s Avengers, DC’s Batman is the top hero this season.
Girls
Girls are still in love with Frozen’s Elsa two years after the movie debuted in theaters. Her costume ranks near the top of eBay searches this Halloween and is the clear winner of “Most Popular Disney Princess Costume” in 2015.
Although there is no specific pop culture trend around witches, this Halloween classic costume has stood the test of time. With a variety of styles to choose from, every child will be able to find a witchy look that suits them best.
Guys aren’t the only ones excited about the new Star Wars release; eBay revealed that girls are searching for costumes based on the epic space opera as well. One of the most popular this year is Episode VII‘s new character, Rey, played by Daisy Ridley.
Women
For the women, we look to the results found on Polyvore which has more than 20 million monthly active users. What separates Polyvore from other commerce sites is its social aspect. This allows users to construct specific looks from various products found all over the internet.
The top searched costume for this season among women over 18 surprisingly goes to the mythical unicorn. However, the reason why these majestic animals are favored is a mystery, even to Amy Wicks, fashion editor at Polyvore. “I would love to know why [unicorns are so popular this year],” said Wicks. “It’s this whimsical thing that’s apparently trending.”
The second most searched costume is inspired by the evil Queen in Disney’s Snow White. It’s listed under the user DisneyLookBook as “Evil Queen Gothic” and features a dark purple twirl-skirted sequin cocktail dress from BCBG and accessories from around the web.
The release of DC’s Suicide Squad isn’t scheduled until late 2016. Women are already embracing the look of supervillain Harley Quinn. Although she’s been a popular pick among cosplayers for years, the new film gives Harley a new look, changing from jester to steampunk.
Men
This season’s trends for men prove that even though their age may change, men are still boys at heart who love their superheroes… and Star Wars, obviously.
Batman grabs the top spot for men’s costume searches on eBay, but unlike the boy’s classic comic costume, men gravitate toward The Dark Knight suit.
Star Wars fans across the world were thrilled to hear that Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford would be returning for J.J. Abrams’ The Force Awakens, so it makes sense that men are snagging Luke and Han Solo costumes this year. After all, who wouldn’t want to look like a stuck-up, half-witted, scruffy-looking nerf-herder?
The Amazing Spider-Man rounds out the top searches for men on eBay. Sony and Marvel are finally coming to terms about the webbed superhero’s movie rights, we expect to see his popularity rise as we approach yet another Spidey reboot in 2017.
We’re celebrating the holiday by offering you special edition Spooky Halloween Storybooks! Dress up your kids in their costumes and book a Spooky Halloween Storybook photo session between Thursday, October 29th and Saturday, October 31st. During the session, your little ghoul or goblin with strike their most terrifying poses. Next, our talented graphic artists will add a digital background and spooky effects to the chosen pose, creating an eerie Halloween scene.
Happy haunting!