This article is about 6 years old
2019 Halloween costume trends: Dinosaurs, evil clowns and … hey, what’s a ‘Descendant’?
1/8
It’s this Descendant. Jeanine Bartel holds a “Disney Descendants Mal” doll from Hasbro at the North American International Toy Fair, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2015, in New York.
(AP/Mark Lennihan)
What the Google search-trend rankings do say is that, somehow, the “Descendants” is the fifth most popular costume nationwide and the No. 1 costume search around D.C.
Who knew that the characters in the 2011 George Clooney film — in which a father of troubled daughters comes to terms with his comatose wife’s infidelity — could be so terrifying?
2/8
Not this Descendant.
The cast, from left, Amara Miller, Nick Krause, George Clooney, Shailene Woodley and director Alexander Payne participates in a press conference for the film “The Descendants” during TIFF on Saturday, Sept. 10, 2011 in Toronto.
(ASSOCIATED PRESS/Evan Agostini)
(A colleague tells me “Descendants” probably refers to Disney’s fantasy adventure franchise. Disagree. It’s definitely the Clooney film, because complicated marital strife is spoOoOoKyYyY.)
3/8
A child in a witch costume.
(Getty Images/moodboard RF/moodboard)
Rounding out the top five in the D.C. area are a witch (No. 2); Spider-Man (No. 3); a dinosaur (No. 4); and Pennywise the clown (No. 5).
4/8
Attendees dressed as Spider-Man pose during New York Comic Con at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center on Friday, Oct. 4, 2019, in New York.
(Charles Sykes/Invision/AP/Charles Sykes)
Nationwide, it’s a reshuffling, with Pennywise edging out the witch (No. 2); Spider-Man (No. 3); a dinosaur (No. 4); and “George Clooney” (No. 5).
5/8
Fernando Calleros, from San Diego, Calif., dressed as “Pennywise” poses on Day Two at Comic-Con International on Friday, July 19, 2019, in San Diego, Calif.
(Christy Radecic/Invision/AP/Christy Radecic)
So that’s Big Data’s take. What does local retail say?
Pennywise is indeed big, as are characters from “Game of Thrones,” “Ghostbusters” and “Frozen,” according to a source working at the Halloween City in Bethesda, Maryland. That employee wished to remain anonymous; one assumes he was wearing a mask when he said this.
Side note: We are not quite clear whether Halloween City is an incorporated municipality in Bethesda or just a neighborhood. We’ve yet to confirm.
6/8
Sayayohn, dressed as Wonder Woman, and Dakotah Luster, dressed as Aquaman, pose for photographers on the second day of the 2015 Comic-Con International held at the San Diego Convention Center Friday, July 10, 2015, in San Diego.
(Denis Poroy/Invision/AP/Denis Poroy)
Online, the definitive authority is obviously Costume Super Center. Their popular men’s selections include Pennywise, as well as superheroes such as Aquaman and Captain America. Popular women’s costumes include (sigh) more superheroes, witches and something called a “Creepy Sister,” who just looks bored.
7/8
A Denver Broncos cheerleader wears a dinosaur costume for Halloween during the first half of an NFL football game against the San Diego Chargers, Sunday, Oct. 30, 2016, in Denver.
(AP/Joe Mahoney)
There are similar classic and trendy options if you wish to coordinate costumes with your boo or your bro. And, because it’s a man’s world, ladies still have the tedious option of dressing up as a “sexy” whatever instead of Dracula.
8/8
Blake Opstad from San Diego, CA, as “Rabbit Raider” from Fortnite on day two of Comic-Con International on Friday, July 20, 2018 in San Diego, CA.
(Christy Radecic/Invision/AP/Christy Radecic)
On a budget? Save your money and dress up as a pudgy dinosaur or a “neon stick light up man,” whatever that is. Thrifty ladies could go as a pants-less cupcake, a nun who doesn’t use moisturizer, or the Hamburglar on payday.
But why pinch pennies when you could make the safe choice and dress up as a demonic clown?
Or, a sexy Clooney?
Jack Pointer
Jack contributes to WTOP.com when he's not working as the afternoon/evening radio writer.
