As far as trick-or-treaters go, the most popular costumes will always be witch, pirate, princess, cowboy, and superhero. But pop culture always manages to slip in, especially for adults going to a Halloween party. Last year, the costumes from the TV series Squid Game were very popular, but you won't see nearly as many this year. And it's been that way since the neighbors first got a television set back in the 1950s. Here's a list that claims to show us the most popular costumes for each year from 1950 to 2005, although it's really a list of pop culture events that inspired Halloween costumes for each particular year. Some of them are bit of a stretch (Marcia Brady, really?) but it's still a walk through nostalgia land. If you want to continue perusing trendy Halloween costumes by year, check out the trendiest from 1983 to 2019.
The thing to remember about designing your Halloween costume around the latest pop culture phenomenon is that you can be too trendy. It's no fun if you have to explain your costume to everyone else at the party. And beware of trends that have expired, because you'll have to explain your thinking all over again.