Sure, there's the staples like the classic bed-sheet ghost and the mummy wrapped in toilet paper. But just like everything else in American culture, Halloween costumes are always subject to the latest tends. Here's what retailers are expecting to be popular this year:
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
This '80s classic cartoon has experienced a revitalization in the past few years thanks to the re-boot of the series and a few feature films. Expect to see plenty of pizza-eating, sewer-dwelling tortoises named after renaissance-era artists out trick-or-treating. Cowabunga, dude!
Star Wars
We still don't quite know what to expect from The Force Awakens, but the imminent release of the newest Star Wars film has sci-fi geeks everywhere feeling nostalgic. Party City and Spirit Halloween both expect Darth Vadar, Han Solo, Princess Leia and Luke Skywalker to be among their best sellers this season.
"Day of the Dead"
Day of the Dead, or Día de Muertos, is an ancient Mexican tradition celebrated in conjunction with Halloween. During the holiday, Mexicans pay homage to dead relatives by building special alters and honoring loved ones with brightly painted sugar skulls, which are then eaten.
Though the Day of the Dead usually isn't celebrated until Nov. 1 and 2, it's not uncommon to see Halloweeners get in the mood a day early. If you can't get your hands on an authentic wooden calaca mask, a little DIY face paint should do the trick.
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Princesses
Snow White and Cinderella have been knocking on neighborhood doors for years. But this year, girls will be dressing as Frozen's Elsa and Merida from Brave. And she might not be a princess, but "Joy" from this year's Pixar film Inside Out should also be a hit.
Minions
And, of course, who could forget those amorphous yellow blobs? Minion costumes have been one of retailor's most popular costumes for a few years now thanks to two Despicable Me movies, but don't expect the fad to slow down after the release of the Minions movie earlier this year.
Alex Hider is a writer for the E.W. Scripps National Desk. Follow him on Twitter @alexhider.
