Grave Misconduct: 11 Goth-Coded Halloween Costumes for 2026
A little dress-up inspired by the year's most memorable troublemakers
By: The Lace Ledger Staff
This year has been especially generous with Halloween inspiration, although we're not entirely convinced that was intentional…
Cinema has delivered some extraordinary characters, while current events have provided ample material for satire. Meanwhile, the FW26 runways have made a surprisingly persuasive case for dressing like a bird of ill omen.
Fortunately, a memorable costume doesn't require an entirely new wardrobe. Start with pieces already lurking in your closet, add a few peculiar accessories and see what treasures you can unearth at the thrift store. A little imagination goes a long way, especially when you're prepared to look slightly deranged ;).
Dr. Frank-N-Furter, The Rocky Horror Picture Show
Photo Credit: IMDb
Fifty-one years after Rocky Horror arrived, Tim Curry's iconic performance remains a masterclass in theatrical excess. An especially fitting tribute to the actor who helped make fishnets a gothic institution.
Costume
Black corset or bustier;
Fishnet stockings;
Black briefs with a garter belt;
Oversized pearl necklace;
Black platform heels;
Deep red lipstick;
Teased black curls.
The Gothic Pirate, Foxblood Halloween Collection
Photo Credit: @foxbloodshop
Foxblood's 2026 Halloween collection is practically begging to be plundered. Its ruffled De Lioncourt blouse makes an excellent starting point for a pirate costume with genuine wardrobe potential all year round.
Costume
Black leather cinching belt;
Leather trousers or an asymmetrical maxi skirt;
Tricorn hat;
Sword;
Smudged kohl eyeliner;
Windswept wavy hair.
Cassie Thomas, Promising Young Woman
Photo Credit: IMDb
A great film. An especially powerful costume in 2026. As the Cornell 7 allegations reignite conversations about sexual violence and accountability, Cassie's final-act nurse disguise takes on renewed significance. Her name is Jane Doe. I am Jane Doe. We are Jane Doe.
Costume
White, zip-front nurse minidress;
White thigh-high stockings;
Red patent heels;
White nurse cap with red cross;
Pink medical-style gloves;
Short pastel rainbow wig;
Bold red lips.
Sally & Gillian Owens, Practical Magic
Photo Credit: IMDb
With the Owens sisters returning to the screen in Practical Magic 2, 2026 is an excellent year to revisit cinema's favourite witchy sisterhood. Recruit your own sister or bestie for the occasion, and consult our Practical Magic style guide for a little sartorial witchcraft.
Costume
Sally: fine-gauge knit cardigan in cream or moss; botanical-print midi skirt; brown suede ankle boots;
Gillian: bias-cut slip dress in burgundy or burnout velvet; knee-high heeled boots
Blender pitcher + margarita glasses;
Small bundles of rosemary and lavender, tied with twine;
Antique-style spell book or leather-bound grimoire.
The Werewolf; Werwulf
Photo Credit: @hauntedpaper
Robert Eggers returns to folkloric horror with Werwulf, arriving December 25, 2026. Halloween offers a practice round, of sorts, to get ahead of the full moon.
Costume
Distressed linen blouse;
Faux-fur coat or shaggy cape;
Dark leather trousers or shorts with ripped tights;
Mittens with paws/claws;
Wolf ears headband or hat;
Custom contouring;
Tousled, feral hair.
Nikki Freeman, Obsession
Photo Credit: IMDb
Inde Navarrette's Nikki takes devotion reeeeeeeaaally seriously. The takeaway? Be careful what you wish for. And by that we mean: be more specific?!
Costume
Fitted casual tank or baby tee;
Low-rise denim jeans;
Everyday sneakers;
Heart-shaped pendant;
Wishing Willow;
Natural, slightly dishevelled hair;
Unsettling eye makeup;
Blood detailing.
Magick, Euphoria
Photo Credit: HBO Max
Rosalía's arrival in Euphoria season three introduced one of 2026's most absurdly covetable accessories: a bedazzled neck brace. Costume designer Natasha Newman-Thomas confirmed the brace was specially made by the production's prop department. It will make the costume unmistakeable.
Costume
Silver halter top;
Micro denim shorts, unbuttoned;
Towering platform heels;
Rhinestone-covered decorative neck brace (essential);
Oversized statement earrings;
Long pink nails;
Glossy, dramatic lips;
Long wavy hair.
Maddy Perez, Euphoria
Photo Credit: HBO Max
Alexa Demie's Maddy makes a show-stopping entrance in the fur coat Nate gifted her, arriving poolside dressed for psychological warfare as she reunites with former best friend Cassie, who, at the time of this meeting, was his new fiancé. Point taken: Cassie could never make Maddy break a sweat. Not even poolside. In summer. In a fur coat.
Costume
Oversized faux-fur coat;
Fitted black minidress;
Knee-high heeled boots;
Oversized sunglasses;
Statement gold earrings;
Razor-sharp winged liner;
Sleek dark hair.
Catherine Earnshaw, Wuthering Heights
Photo Credit: IMDb
Margot Robbie's Cathy brings the Brontë heroine's famously unruly heart to the screen in Emerald Fennell's 2026 adaptation. With costumes as dramatic as her romantic entanglements, she's an excellent choice for anyone whose love life belongs somewhere on the Yorkshire moors. For more inspiration, explore our Brontëcore style guide.
Costume
Silver or ivory floor-length dress;
Dramatic red velvet cape;
Lace-up period-inspired boots;
Antique-style earrings; ribbon choker;
Romantic pinned curls;
Flushed cheeks;
Rose-stained lips.
Poe’s Raven, Edgar Allan Poe’s Poem The Raven
Photo Credit: Pinterest; all Pins individually linked to source
Quoth the Raven, “Nevermore.” We're taking Poe's most famous feathered menace quite literally this Halloween, complete with black lipstick and a fabulous pair of wings. With feathers all over the FW26 runways, even impending doom deserves a fashion moment.
Costume
Any black dress, preferably velvet;
Sheer black tights;
Tall leather boots;
Black feathered wings;
Feather hairpiece;
Jet-black lipstick;
Smoky charcoal eyes;
Claw-like nails.
Ida aka The Bride, The Bride!
Photo Credit: IMDb
Back from the dead and none too pleased. Jessie Buckley's Bride has the dance moves of a woman possessed, which we can’t wait to unleash this Halloween. Explore the character's feminist reinvention in The Bride, Reclaimed.
Costume
Burnt-orange satin dress with a 1930s-inspired silhouette;
Black lace bra peeking through the neckline;
Petrol-green or blue stockings;
Red ankle boots;
Electrified platinum-blonde hair with frizzy finger waves;
Black lipstick extended into irregular ink-like splatters across the mouth and cheek.
We spend the rest of the year being ourselves. Halloween offers the rare pleasure of borrowing someone else's questionable judgment for an evening.
For one night, you could embrace Dr. Frank-N-Furter’s flair for the dramatic, indulge Cassie Thomas’s revenge fantasy or join the Owens sisters for midnight margaritas.
The question is, how much trouble are you prepared to get into? And, what will you wear?
Tell us in the comments and subscribe to receive our free monthly digital issue delivered straight to your inbox, including a first look at dark feminine style and culture, the opportunity to vote on future stories and previews of upcoming giveaways.
