Trick or Treat!

Pop culture:

• Stu from The Hangover Part II

Although Alan was the most popular character costume from the Hangover in the past, Stu raised the bar this year in the Hangover Part II with his Mike Tyson lookalike facial tattoo.

• Niki Minaj

In the past year, Niki Minaj has been catapulted from relative obscurity into superstar status. Her crazy antics, hair and outfits have made her one of the most talked about celebrities—and also a great Halloween costume choice.

• Amy Winehouse

There will likely be no shortage of fans paying tribute to the fallen diva this year—and you can, too. All you need is a beehive along with her signature eyeliner and tattoos, and you’ll be good to go!

• Lady Gaga

Every year, Lady Gaga gives fans ready-made Halloween costume ideas. While her 2010 signature look was the meat dress, this year’s Gagas can choose from her biker-chic costumes of early 2011, the nun outfit from this year’s Madison Square Garden performance, her Grammy outfit—including little horn-like structures on her face and shoulders (and accessorized by a giant egg) or her male alter-ego that showed up at this year’s VMAs: Jo Calderone.

Politics:

• Tea Party Member

This costume is relatively easy to pull off. Just dress in revolutionary war attire, throw in some teabags dangling from your ensemble and top it off with a sign (preferably misspelled) expressing some kind of outrage.

• Michelle Bachman

There are sure to be several Michelle Bachmans this Halloween. And, whether you choose to don a mask or simply master a crazy-eyed stare for this costume, be sure to come prepared with several key tea party talking points—and a list of not-exactly-true “facts” to back them up.

• Anthony Weiner

One of the most talked about scandals of the year was Anthony Weiner’s Twitter/sexting fiasco. And the possibilities are endless when it comes to joke costumes that are likely to spin off of this situation—you get the picture.

• Arnold Schwarzenegger

He may no longer be the governor of California, but he’ll always be the governator in our hearts. However, the illegitimate child scandal that surfaced in 2011 was not kind to the former terminator—which makes Halloween the perfect time for Arnold fans and non-fans alike to pay tribute.

Couple:

• William and Kate (or Beatrice and Eugene)

The Royal Wedding provided hours of entertainment (or hysteria) for many. It was definitely one of the most talked and Tweeted about events of the year, featuring a cast of key players that are ideal costume inspiration. While the obvious choice for couples is to dress as William and Kate, Beatrice and Eugene’s outlandish outfits are likely to inspire several party-goers as well.

Group:

• Smurfs

There was a time not so long ago when people may not have remembered what a Smurf was and would have been puzzled by a costume made up of blue body paint, white pants and a white hat. However, the recent Smurf movie has fixed all of that and opened the door for the perfect group costume. Don’t forget Papa Smurf’s distinguishing beard, red hat and red pants or Smurfette’s long blonde hair and white dress.

• Charlie Sheen and the Goddesses

Charlie Sheen took the media by storm earlier this year, and he’s bound to make a comeback for this Halloween season with plenty of party-goers dressed as Charlie Sheen and his two “goddesses.” Be sure to pepper conversation with Sheen lingo such as “Winning!” and refer to yourself as a warlock throughout the night.