16 Baby Halloween Costumes, Vetted 16 Different Ways

Strategist writerLauren Ro(who’s been on thematernitybeat) welcomed her second son, Solomon, this past spring. His first Halloween will be celebrated in this charming mouse sweatsuit, complete withDespereaux-like ears and a blush-toned tail. The idea to dress him as a mouse actually came from Ro’s older son, Augie (regular Strategist readers might remember hissubway-book obsession), though she’s not entirely sure how he landed on it as he’s going as a ghost this year. Ro found this fleece-lined one-piece on Etsy. The reviews — and accompanying snapshots of giggling little ones — won her over. She applauds the costume’s construction, which is comfortable for a restless newborn and warm enough for a chilly October night. “It’s a zip-up bodysuit, so it’s relatively easy to get him into,” she says.

In the year of Baz Luhrmann’sopulentElvis, a costume dedicated to the singer-actor is pretty apropos. The costume — which comes with a beanie emblazoned with the words “The King” — is meant to be a miniature rendition of thebell-bottomed, eagle-embellished jumpsuitPresley wore at one of his broadcastAloha From Hawaiiconcerts in 1973. It has a 4.5-star rating on Amazon with a number of reviewers calling the costume “absolutely adorable.” One reviewer notes that “it fit my chunk like a glove,” and many others have suggested adding sunglasses to complete the look.

Last year, Erin Hug, a video editor forDodo Kids, relied on this jumpsuit from Party City for her daughter, who was 10 months old. Her then-5-year-old had proposed dressing her little sister as a deer. “At the time, the baby was very cheeky and liked to play hide-and-seek games,” so her older daughter thought the deer really went with her personality, Hug says. Her search for the right costume led her to this one. Hug appreciates that many of the costume components — including a hood, tail, and hooves — were separate “so you could convince her to put it on easily.” The baby wasn’t a fan of the jumpsuit on the first try-on, but after being fawned over while wearing it (and taking a pre-trick-or-treat nap), she came around.

WhencontroversialYouTuber Trisha Paytas gave birth to daughter Malibu Barbie weeks ago, the internet joked that the baby was areincarnated Queen Elizabeth II. Aside from the snark, though, I was most curious about the strawberry-printed swaddle Malibu Barbie made herfirst public appearancein (Paytas, for her part, wore a matching robe in the pictures). After a fair amount of research, I’m confident it’s from a brand called Milkmaid Goods. It happened to sell out right before the publication of this story (though there are still a fewrobesleft), but if you’re looking for something simple for a newborn who’s only a few weeks old, this pumpkin-patterned set is perfectly on theme and still in stock.

When I put out a call on Slack to ask if anyone had recommendations for kids’ costumes, Corri Skinner, the executive director of creative services at Vox Media, pinged me to share a photo of her (then-6-month-old) daughter, Marti, in this fuzzy, fuchsia flamingo one-piece from last year. Skinner was tipped off to Pottery Barn Kids’extensive selectionof high-qualitybabyandtoddlercostumes by fellow moms in a baby yoga class — and this delightful flamingo won out for basically being a “glorified onesie.” There was some serendipity involved, too: A fellow yoga-class attendee bought the same costume, and they took their little ones trick-or-treating together, “pushing our strollers down the street with our flamingo flock of two,” Skinner says. Marti has since taken a liking to the animal, favoring a flamingo-shaped stuffie named Mingo.

There’s a lot to sort through when you Google the phrase “baby costumes” — and my search uncovered a couple of eye-catchers, including thisprecious peacock, a(not smelly) skunk, and ateddy-bear-esque Chewbecca. But the one I couldn’t stop thinking about was this avocado courtesy of Carter’s (an extremely well-known baby brand we’vewrittenaboutbefore). The three-piece set comes with everything you’ll need: along-sleeve T-shirt, stripy tights, and the pièce de résistance, a cushy zip-up “bubble body” complete with a pit in the middle.

The most in-demand costume this year atParty City— according to the company’s vice-president of Halloween, Odette Welling — has actually been a best seller for several years now. This year, it’sthetop seller in the baby category (both online and in store), Welling says. She speculates that the costume’s popularity comes from parents’ desire to capture another “first” — especially with a cute photo. As for what else has been flying off shelves, an out-of-stockFuzzy PumpkinandMini Mootake second and third place, respectively. “We expect to see a lot of adorable baby farm animals” running about, Welling says, adding that the little lamb will fit right into a harvest (read: straw-strewn and leaf-decorated) backdrop.

When it was time for her daughter, Nora’s, first Halloween, Gena Kaufman, the director of global social strategy at Condé Nast, DIY’d a Julia Child costume in an act of “hormonal postpartum stupor.” The “Droolia Child” costume (“because baby spit”), as she affectionately refers to it, wasn’t themostpractical, which is why she took a decidedly easier approach the next Halloween, costuming her 17-month-old as a mini hot dog. (Hers was purchased at Target, but she’s almost sure this is the exact ensemble.) The little grill marks and removable hat — “in case she was being fussy about having something on her head (spoiler: she was)” — sold Kaufman on the costume. “I cannot fully do justice to just how hilarious and cute it was to watch a tiny little hot dog toddle down the street,” she says. She and her husband worecoordinating condimentsweatshirts. She didn’t see any other hot-dog-clad babies in Brooklyn, either. “It’s easy, it’s hilarious, it’s not super overdone, it could come in handy again for a Fourth of July party,” she says.

ActressAshley Tisdalerecentlyposted a photoof one of the costumes she seems to be considering for her 1-year-old, Juniper — who looks frowny-faced in the black-and-white-dotted, red-collared onesie that resemblesPongofromOne Hundred and One Dalmatians.(“So maybe not this costume?” Tisdale wrote in the caption).It was so sweet that I was determined to find something similar. The closest contender is this plush jumpsuit that has an almost identical hood and collar with afaux-gold medallion. (It’s also available onAmazonbut only through a third-party seller, and you’ll have to pay a $6 shipping fee.)

In my search for well-reviewed options on Amazon, I came across this astronaut jumpsuit that comes in both baby and toddler sizes (as well asunicornanddinosaurforms). The costume has earned a 4.7-star rating across more than 14,800 reviews. Reviewers describe the costume — which is made from machine-washable fleece — as “supersoft” and “warm and cozy” with many commending the rollover cuffs that double as makeshift mittens and booties. Noteworthy finishing touches on the can’t-miss, traffic-cone-colored suit include patches featuring the NASA logo and an American flag.

Candice Miller ofMama and Tatapenned anodeto this Flinstonian set way back in 2016. Miraculously, it’s still available to purchase. (Note: You can shop fordifferent sizes, but don’t dillydally as there’s only one of each ready to shop right now.) After shuffling through ideas — most of which were variations on Disney princesses — Miller suggested Pebbles Flinstone to her then-2-year-old daughter, who happened to be a dinosaur obsessive. Miller says, “As we went from door to door down spooky Elm Street (yes, that’s really its name), she came up with an appropriate twist on the Flintstones catchphrase: ‘Yabba dabbaboo!’” The “stone-faced” adults opening each door would sing theFlintstonestheme song once they saw her kiddo, who ended up with a “mighty haul.” (Note that if you have other kids who want to join the prehistoric fun, you can get a coordinatingBamm Bamm getupon Amazon.)

This Halloween marks the first time that my friend Jess (who asked me not to use her last name) will take her daughter, Ginny (who’s 11 months old), trick-or-treating. But before then, Ginny is marking another milestone: AttendingMickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloweenat Walt Disney World. As a combination costume-and-party dress, Jess chose this pastel tulle confection (along with abackup, just in case) reminiscent of the one worn by Rapzunzel inTangled. “It will probably be one of the only times she lets me pick out her costume,” Jess says. So she went with something slightly frillier. At just under $20, she was pleasantly surprised by the quality — and despite the fullness of the skirt, Ginny doesn’t get fussy in the dress.

“To me, there’s nothing cuter than a dog dressed like Wonder Bread or a baby dressed as spaghetti and meatballs,” says Alisa Richter, the head of public relations atthe Sill. “So it just made sense to pick food as a family theme and run with it.” This Halloween, she’s planning on dressing up as a jar of sprinkles with her husband as a salted pretzel, her 3-year-old, Finn, as a glow-in-the-dark pumpkin, and her 6-month-old, Cecilia, as a strawberry who will help hand out candy to treat-or-treaters by Richter’s side. Richter relies on Etsy for handmade costumes for kids — it’s a “gold mine,” she says — but “you have to know where to look.” This strawberry costume, which features a seed-decorated onesie and stem-topped hat, is uncomplicated, she says. But it offers “maximum cuteness.”

For her daughter’s first Halloween, back in 2020, food editor Hillary — who asked me not to use her last name — went with this onesie from theAAPI-ownedNew York City institution Pearl River Mart for her baby daughter. It was one of the only costumes that came up in her search for a costume that consisted of just a one-piece and a hat “rather than the involved plush things a 6-month-old would never tolerate.” She adds, “You’ve got enough to do when you have an infant, so a costume that’s basically just a piece of clothing takes the stress away.” It was a bonus that it turned her child into a cup of bubble tea — one of Hillary’s favorite drinks — complete with a straw in the hat. Although her daughter couldn’t participate in traditional Halloween outings, as the pandemic was in its first year, the costume received a warm reception online when Hillary posted photos.

And if you’re expecting and wondering what to wear, consider these top-rated PJs from Old Navy. They’re imprinted with a glow-in-the-dark skeleton (and there areversionsfor anentire familyto match if you’re so inclined). The button-up one-piece is plenty festive andjustspooky enough while being comfortable for staying in or going out. (Alternatively, if you prefer two-piece PJs, Motherhood Maternity sellsa set that features a baby skellyover the bump.)