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The “I Hate Gay Halloween” meme took over the internet this October. It all started with the LGBTQ+ community getting extra creative with their Halloween costumes — referencing obscure cultural moments, chronically online memes, and of course, a few punny looks — resulting in comments of, “I hate gay Halloween, what do you mean you’re *insert costume here*?” It’s a refreshing break from the usual lineup of bunnies, Patrick Batemans, and vampires we see during this time of year. If you don’t get the references of these costumes: Well, sorry, but this just wasn’t meant for you.

Zendaya’s Hat for the 2014 Teen Vogue Party

At the Teen Vogue Party in 2014, Zendaya arrived dressed by Law Roach in Armani, pairing a sleek black jumpsuit with a huge black felt bowling hat. The hat’s dramatic size and quirky style amused fans and quickly turned the look into a viral moment. This Halloween, drag queen The Birthday Girl paid tribute to the iconic look, recreating it with the same black jumpsuit and an even bigger felt bowling hat. Even though Zendaya has since cemented her status as a global fashion icon with countless stunning red carpet looks, it seems she’ll never quite escape the legacy of that unforgettable 2014 hat.

Princess Diana Beanie Baby Wearing the Revenge Dress

After Princess Diana’s tragic death, demand for Princess Diana memorabilia soared, including the royal-purple Princess Diana Beanie Baby adorned with a white rose on its chest. Interest in the toy has recently resurfaced, with media outlets like People and Reader’s Digest revisiting its value and Diana’s lasting allure. This Halloween, TikTok user @bord3n captured that fascination by dressing as a Princess Diana Beanie Baby in the iconic “Revenge Dress,” complete with purple body paint, a black gown, pearl jewelry, bear ears with a TY tag, and bear-inspired makeup.

Marc Jacobs at the 2004 Maritime Hotel After-Party

This costume unexpectedly went viral this Halloween, appearing all over TikTok, though the reason for its sudden popularity isn’t entirely clear. The inspiration comes from the Spring/Summer 2004 collection afterparty, where Marc Jacobs arrived wearing a neck brace, a blue button-up, and, most memorably, a visible sweat stain around his collar — likely the result of dancing all night despite the brace. What was once simply an amusing fashion anecdote has now resurfaced as viral inspiration, proving that in both fashion and internet culture, iconic images are never truly retired.

Chappell Roan and the Passenger Seat

Since releasing “Pink Pony Club,” Chappell Roan has become a bona fide icon within the lesbian community. So it’s no surprise that some queer couples took inspiration from her breakthrough album and turned it into a Halloween costume. One couple in particular drew ideas from her song “Casual,” with its lyric, “Knee deep in the passenger seat, and you’re eating me out / Is it casual now?” They turned it into an ironic Halloween costume, with one person dressed as the passenger seat of a car, while the other donned Chappell Roan’s signature drag-inspired look.

Butch Glinda

“Wicked” became the highest-grossing musical film of 2025, earning an impressive $214.3 million at the domestic box office. The second installment, “Wicked: For Good” is set to release on Nov. 21. With both the movie and the original stage musical being massive hits, it’s no surprise that Glinda and Elphaba were among the most popular Halloween costumes this year. But one creative lesbian on TikTok took the concept a step further, asking, “What if Glinda were butch?” — dressing up in light pink cargo pants with a carabiner, a white muscle tank scrawled in hot pink with “Glinda the Butch,” and a tiara to top it all off. And naturally, no butch Glinda look is complete without a femme Elphaba by her side.

—Staff writer LeMonie K. Hutt can be reached at lemonie.hutt@thecrimson.com.