Spooky Season is fast approaching, but the most hardened Halloween fashionistas have been ready for months. While the broader category of costume shoppers will err toward value, a strong luxury and style-led contingent are investing in forever pieces, looking to rare vintage numbers and one-off statement designs to anchor their Halloween look. The caveat? They can wear these items repeatedly throughout the year.
Halloween is big business. According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), 71% of US consumers plan to purchase costumes this year, generating an estimated $4.4 billion across age groups. Per Deloitte’s 2026 Halloween survey, 92% of US households are looking to participate in the holiday this year. The report found that households intended to spend an average of $219 across retail categories, with 56% of shoppers planning to complete their first purchase before October.
It presents a growing opportunity for fashion brands, provided they address some immediate hurdles: the pre-loved market’s competitive price point and the consumer appetite for costumes with longevity. The RealReal shared that “Halloween costume”, “Halloween dress”, “Halloween bag”, “Coach Halloween” and “Moschino Halloween” are generating high search volumes this year, signaling interest in the fashion-ification of Halloween.
In the mass market, supermarkets, discount stores and costume shops are leading the charge, per Deloitte, however 10% of households cited resale, consignment and thrift stores as the places they expect to spend most.
On TikTok, Halloween fashion is maintaining momentum. As early as August, Vogue Business reported a 93% spike in week-on-week #Halloween posts on the platform, bringing the total hashtagged posts to 37.4 million. “Niche halloween costume” ideas were already flooding the platform this summer, although luxury has yet to capitalize, with only a handful of brands — Dilara Findikoglu, Matières Fécales, and Rick Owens, for instance — offering the kind of spooky fare that can be worn again or resold.
Part of the allure for fashion consumers is simply the look. Fashion goths — think Gabbriette, Amelia Gray, and Tish Weinstock — are resetting the aesthetic mainstream, taking otherwise dark and creepy aesthetics away from the margins of subculture. Now, being spooky isn’t just a one-off, but a lifestyle.
