If anyone has the resources to pull off a truly great Halloween look, it’s a Hollywood star. They’ve got access to skilled tailors, the best makeup artists in the world, and the money to spend on fantastic props (or set wardrobes to raid). In many cases, they’ve been on set with some of the very characters many of us ordinary people choose to emulate. With all of that in mind, though, it’s remarkable just how many A-listers have managed to get Halloween so wrong.
A brief investigation of the world of terrible celebrity costumes shows that most blunders fall into one of few categories; when they’re not culturally appropriating or being accused of racism, they’re out of touch with real world issues, or simply a tad cringe. We’d also add an honourable mention for all the times, for reasons unbeknownst to the general population, that they’ve dressed up as food.
From The Rock’s ill-fitting lion’s mane to Snooki’s love of the pickle, here’s a ranking of the worst celebrity Halloween looks of all time.
Table of Contents
- Hugh Grant
- Paris Hilton
- Snooki
- Katy Perry
- The Rock
- Scott Disick
- Tia Mowry
- Princess Beatrice
- Ashley Benson
- Ashley Tisdale
- Taylor Swift
- Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom
- Chrissy Teigen
- Ellie Goulding
- Hilary Duff
- Heidi Klum
- Julianne Hough
- Jason Aldean
- Harry Hamlin
Hugh Grant
The award for the world’s laziest costume is easily won by Hugh Grant’s appearance at UNICEF’s annual Halloween Ball in 2015. Grant is one of the most successful British stars of our time, famed for his charisma and romcom-hero style, but you wouldn’t think so judging by this ill-fitting onesie and bizarre shaggy hood. At least he looks happy.
Paris Hilton
“In the real world, Halloween is when kids dress up in costumes and beg for candy. In Girl World, Halloween is the one day a year when a girl can dress up like a total sl*t and no other girls can say anything else about it.” Cady Heron, 2004
Snooki
Snooki loves pickles so much that she became one. As far as pickle costumes go, we’re willing to defend this one on grounds of creative flair. The Jersey Shore star wore a dress made of what looked like sliced pickles at a Halloween party in Las Vegas in 2010, accessorised with a satin green cape. To avoid confusion, she also carried a massive gold spear with a pickle on top. Snooki later tweeted that she chose the costume hoping someone would give her a free pickle subscription. We admire the hustle.
Katy Perry
Hot Cheetos have consistently been hailed as the USA’s favourite snack. According to a recent study, 77 million Americans consumed at least one bag of the crisps in 2020. Whether this information makes Katy Perry’s 2014 costume any more palatable is yet to be determined. Bonus points, though, for the matching shoes.
The Rock
Mufasa is turning in his grave at this abomination. We’re yet to see a celebrity take on the lion costume and succeed. The Rock is out of the running with this poor attempt from 2020, which looks like it was bought from a children’s section.
Scott Disick
That time Scott Disick dressed up as an Arab Sheikh. “Happy Halloween! We getting Arab money tonight,” he wrote on Instagram.
Tia Mowry
The actor caused an uproar in 2013 when she shared an Instagram post of herself wearing extremely fair makeup and dressed up as a Japanese geisha.
Princess Beatrice
The only royal here, Princess Beatrice earns a spot on the worst dressed list for this bizarre and lacklustre costume from 2016. We’d argue that no one over the age of 10 should be dressed up as a unicorn for Halloween, but if you are so inclined, a purple wig and plastic headpiece is hardly sufficient.
Ashley Benson
Pretty Little Liars actor Ashley Benson sparked controversy in 2015 when she shared a now-deleted photograph on social media of herself wearing a “Cecil the Lion” costume. Cecil was a male African lion who was lured out of a protected area in the Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe and killed by Walter Palmer, an American trophy hunter.
Ashley Tisdale
The High School Musical star was criticised for wearing face makeup reminiscent of skull decorations displayed on Día de los Muertos, a Mexican celebration that pays tribute to deceased loved ones. Tisdale paired the skull makeup with a sheer black top, which her critics said “sexualised” the holiday.
Taylor Swift
“Can’t talk right now, I’m doin hot squirrel s***.” Though famed for leaving countless Easter eggs for her fans, Swift sadly left no hidden messages in this Halloween look from 2021. She’s literally just dressed like a squirrel.
Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom
Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom
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