Halloween, a tradition passed down from generation to generation, is an exciting time for the average high schooler. The trick-or-treating turned into basement parties and the dressing up as different characters make the yearly zombie-filled celebration a memory that lasts a lifetime, with the intricate and clever costumes being the centerpiece of it all. 

Seniors Anna Bundy and Sanjana Matta talk about what they’re being for Halloween, their likes and dislikes when it comes to choosing a costume and their thoughts on this year’s most popular costumes. 

“This year for Halloween, I’m doing a duo costume with Elise Gassen. I’m going to be Dorothy and she’s going to be Glinda the Good Witch from ‘The Wizard of Oz,’” Bundy said, “We picked it because we were going for more of a redhead and blonde hair duo.”

 Bundy has previously been Jenniffer Check, from “Jennifer’s Body”, and from kindergarten to fifth grade, a vampire.   

Though some chose to pick their costumes based on how similar they were to the character they were trying to recreate, Matta picked her costumes based on their popularity and relevance. 

“I’m planning to do a Barbie costume this year because it’s one of the most popular costumes as the Barbie movie just came out this last June,” Matta said. She had previously been Minnie Mouse for Halloween.

According to USA Today, the top five most popular Halloween costumes of 2023 are Barbie and Ken, a princess, Spiderman, a witch and a fairy. Though costumes like witches and vampires stayed popular throughout the years, films like “Barbie” influenced people to wear certain costumes, disregarding their popularity and inevitable commonness. 

“I don’t have much of an issue with it. I think the Barbie costumes can be really cute, but I think the Ken costumes will be kind of obnoxious and you know, not very original and it’s kind of annoying,” Bundy said. 

On the other hand, Matta said “I like it. I’m interested to see how everyone would portray that, I feel like it will be a good Halloween costume.” 

A costume’s popularity can also be a negative. Although recognizable, it can also be deemed as “boring” and “unoriginal,” and walking the fine line between a good costume and a lazy one is key.  

“Some costumes that I could live without seeing or that are standard lazy costumes are the shirts that say this is my Halloween costume. I don’t think that’s cool. I think you’re weird for that,” Bundy said.

“I think Spiderman is something most people do, but it might be a little overdone at this point,” Matta said.

From a poll posted on the BVN News Instagram, the range between what BVN students are being for Halloween varies between sophomore Caitlyn Scott’s “Grim Reaper” to senior Annabel Finegold’s “Beatrice” from “Over the Garden Wall.”