Whether you’re a kid or a kid at heart, picking out your Halloween costume is always a thrill. As children, our imaginations ran wild, and we dreamed of dressing up as our favorite characters to go trick-or-treating around our neighborhood. As adults, the excitement is still palpable, even if we’re now the ones handing out the candy.
Costume trends always change over time, and the costumes that were popular in your childhood soon give way to other characters that all the kids of a new generation admire. Still, it’s fun to look back on the costumes that were all the rage a few decades ago.
As we creep closer to October 31, Parade is doing just that and highlighting seven vintage Halloween costumes every kid wore in the 1980s. To put together our list, we consulted two pros who know all about classic ’80s candy-snatching get-ups: David Bertolino, the founder of Spookyworld—a popular New England attraction—and the author of Behind the Screams at Spookyworld, and costume designer Amy Parris, who has worked on the sets of Stranger Things, Yellowjackets and Just Picture It.
The popular ’80s Halloween costumes on our list run the gamut of superheroes, cuddly characters and movie icons. Ready to find out which ones made the final cut? Without further ado, here are the top nostalgic 1980s kids’ Halloween costumes.
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The Anatomy of an ‘80s Halloween Costume: Plastic Masks and Vinyl Smocks
From homemade to store-bought options, Halloween costumes have evolved over time. In the ’80s, Parris says plastic masks and vinyl smocks were especially popular options.
“Costumes inspired by TV and film characters were popular in the ’80s and remain so today,” she tells Parade. “Some of the more popular costumes include ones that were inspired by Star Wars, The Smurfs, Indiana Jones and Ghostbusters. Also, superheroes such as Batman and Wonder Woman were favorites.”
It wasn’t all household pop culture names, though; in the 1980s, generic costumes were quite popular, too.
“Stereotypes like zombies, ghosts and cowboys were easy to recreate, and they were easily identifiable,” she states. “They could be made with household items and pieces from other family members’ closets.”
Per Bertolino, the prepackaged plastic mask and smock combination became a bit “outdated” as the decade went on.
“Parties and costume contests drove the industry to a higher level of upscale costumes,” he explains. “By the late ’80s and early ’90s, the wholesale Halloween product industry outgrew its home. For instance, Halloween products were once a part of product trade shows. They later became their own standalone product industry convention.”
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7 Classic 1980s Halloween Costumes Every Kid Wore
1. Ghostbusters
Curtis Means/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images
“Ghostbusters costumes were especially prominent after the massive hit 1984 movie,” Bertolino says.
If you didn’t purchase an official Ghostbusters costume, dressing up as one of the four main characters from the film wasn’t all that complicated. You simply had to grab a khaki jumpsuit and DIY a proton pack backpack to fight off all the ghosts.
2. Star Wars
Adrian Greer Michael Short/Fairfax Media via Getty Images
When the first Star Wars film was released in 1977, it inspired a global phenomenon. To this day, the franchise only continues to grow in popularity, with spinoff TV series and a plethora of merchandise.
“Darth Vader, Stormtroopers, Boba Fett and other characters were represented in the classic boxed costume lines. Darth Vader masks were hugely popular (and still are),” Bertolino says.
3. The Smurfs
VALERIE MACON/AFP via Getty Images
From comics to TV series, the Smurfs were everywhere in the ’80s. Naturally, the lovable blue characters were a common choice for Halloween costumes.
“The popular animated characters translated directly into the era’s trend of plastic masks and smock costumes,” Bertolino states.
4. Care Bears
Alan Singer/NBCU Photo Bank/Getty Images
“Care Bears were one of the character costume choices that was specifically highlighted for the 1984 Halloween season,” Bertolino tells Parade.
The lovable plush toys were originally characters on American Greetings greeting cards, but were so popular that they ended up with a TV series and toy line.
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5. He-Man / Masters of the Universe
Rich Polk/Getty Images for Mattel
With the 2026 release of the film Masters of the Universe, He-Man is having a moment right now. In the ’80s, the strong superhero was a constant fixture in the costume aisle, as were other characters from Masters of the Universe.
“He-Man was a quintessential choice for kids caught up in the ’80s action figure and cartoon craze,” Bertolino notes.
6. Strawberry Shortcake
Araya Doheny/Getty Images
Similar to Care Bears, Strawberry Shortcake first appeared on greeting cards before appearing in the toy aisle. After making her debut as a toy line at the end of the 1970s, the character was a popular choice for Halloween costumes in the ’80s.
“Strawberry Shortcake was a particularly recognizable girls’ costume, often sold with a molded plastic mask and vinyl smock,” Bertolino says.
7. Wonder Woman
Brian Lawless/PA Images via Getty Images
When it comes to female superheroes, Wonder Woman has always stood out from the crowd. In the ’80s, the DC Comics star was a go-to costume choice for many girls.
“Wonder Woman was a long-running superhero costume that remained part of the Ben Cooper-style costume tradition,” Bertolino explains.
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Why Ben Cooper and Collegeville Ruled 1980s Halloween
In the ’80s, two popular costume brands reigned supreme.
“If it wasn’t a Ben Cooper or Collegeville brand, then it was probably homemade. More people knew how to sew and create costumes from scratch,” Parris shares.
Per Bertolino, the brands specialized in inexpensive children’s costumes.
“As the fight for costume maker dominance continued, the newcomer, Rubie’s Costume Company, raised the stakes, offering larger licensing fees for access to movie and TV properties,” Bertolino, who was the national sales manager of Collegeville in the late ’90s, says. “Rubie’s eventually acquired both Collegeville and Ben Cooper after both firms declared bankruptcy.”
Related: 25 Things Only People Who Lived in the 1980s Will Remember
Are Vintage ’80s Halloween Costumes Worth Money Today?
If you still have 1980s plastic mask Halloween costumes in your attic, you may be wondering if they’re worth any money. You’re not likely to hit the jackpot on any of them, but they could be worth something to the right buyer.
“Some Collegeville and Ben Cooper Halloween costumes could be collectibles depending on the character and the condition and if they had been in original packages,” Parris says.
Bertolino notes that a popular licensed character costume from the ’80s can sell for $30 to $75. Rare character costumes in excellent condition can fetch $75 to $150 and a scarce, unopened costume can get you $150 to $300.
“Interestingly enough, some of the less popular licensed characters are selling at surprisingly high prices due to the fact they were produced in less quantities,” he says.
Still, you have to consider the condition of the costume, especially since Parris says they don’t always age well since they were made of plastics and synthetic fabrics “that usually degrade over time.”
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Sources:
David Bertolino is the founder of Spookyworld and the author of Behind the Screams at Spookyworld. Amy Parris is a costume designer who has worked on the sets of Stranger Things, Yellowjackets and Just Picture It.Hence then, the article about 7 vintage halloween costumes every kid wore in the 1980s was published today ( ) and is available on Parade ( Saudi Arabia ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
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