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Toy Story and Inside Out 2 are the two most-searched group Halloween costumes of the year, and both work for a reason: every character has a distinct, recognisable look that is achievable without specialist costume-making skills.
The ideas below cover both franchises, with options for different group sizes, ages, and budgets.
Toy Story
1. Woody and Buzz Duo
The classic two-person Toy Story costume. Woody needs a cowboy hat, a yellow plaid shirt, jeans, and brown boots. Buzz needs a white and purple outfit — a white top with purple and green details, or a full Buzz Lightyear suit from a costume shop.
2. The Core Four
Woody, Buzz, Jessie, and Rex. Jessie adds a red hat, red hair, a white shirt with red details, and jeans. Rex is a green dinosaur costume — widely available and immediately recognisable.
3. The Full Toy Box
Woody, Buzz, Jessie, Rex, Hamm, Slinky, and Mr Potato Head. Hamm is a pink outfit with a coin slot detail. Slinky is a brown outfit with a spring accessory. Mr Potato Head is a brown outfit with oversized felt features attached.
4. Woody and Bo Peep Couple
Woody in cowboy gear; Bo Peep in a blue and white shepherdess dress with a crook and a small sheep prop. A strong couple costume that is recognisable to anyone who has seen the films.
5. The Aliens Trio
Three people in green outfits with three-eyed alien headbands. One of the easiest and cheapest Toy Story group costumes — the look is immediately recognisable and requires almost no construction.
6. Lotso and the Sunnyside Gang
Lotso in a pink outfit with a strawberry-scented bear aesthetic; supporting characters in pastel outfits. Works well for a larger group that wants a villain-led theme.
7. Forky and Friends
Forky — a plastic fork with googly eyes, pipe cleaner arms, and a clay foot — is one of the most creative and low-cost Toy Story costumes. Pair with Woody and Buzz for a trio.
8. Andy’s Room Group
Everyone dresses as a different toy from Andy’s room. The group works at any size and allows each person to choose their favourite character.
Inside Out 2
9. The Original Five Emotions
Joy (yellow), Sadness (blue), Anger (red), Fear (purple), and Disgust (green). Each emotion is a solid colour outfit with matching hair and makeup. The five together are immediately recognisable.
10. Joy and Sadness Duo
The most recognisable Inside Out duo. Joy in a yellow dress with a blue streak in her hair; Sadness in a blue turtleneck and glasses. Both looks are easy to execute with existing clothing.
11. The New Emotions from Inside Out 2
Anxiety (orange), Envy (teal), Ennui (dark blue/purple), and Embarrassment (large, pink). Adding the new emotions to the original five creates a larger group costume that references the new film specifically.
12. Anxiety Costume
Anxiety from Inside Out 2 is orange with wild, slightly frantic energy. An orange outfit, orange hair or wig, and slightly manic makeup captures the character. One of the most topical costumes of the year.
13. Ennui Costume
Ennui is dark blue-purple, tall, and perpetually bored. A dark blue or purple outfit, dark makeup, and a permanently unimpressed expression. One of the easiest emotions to execute and one of the funniest.
14. Embarrassment Costume
Embarrassment is large, pink, and shy. A pink outfit — the larger and fluffier the better — with pink makeup and a hunched, self-conscious posture. Works especially well for someone tall.
15. Riley and Her Emotions
One person as Riley in a casual outfit; the rest as her emotions in their respective colours. The group works at any size and the contrast between the human character and the colourful emotions reads well in photos.
Mixed Franchise Groups
16. Pixar Universe Group
Mix characters from Toy Story, Inside Out, The Incredibles, and other Pixar films. The shared Pixar aesthetic makes the group read as a unit even with characters from different films.
17. Toy Story Toys and Inside Out Emotions
Half the group as Toy Story characters, half as Inside Out emotions. The contrast between the toy aesthetic and the emotion aesthetic creates an interesting visual dynamic.
Family Options
18. Family Toy Story
Parents as Woody and Buzz; children as Jessie, Rex, and the aliens. The costumes scale well across ages and the characters are recognisable to every generation.
19. Family Inside Out
Each family member as a different emotion. Assign emotions based on personality for an extra layer of humour — the most anxious family member as Anxiety, the most enthusiastic as Joy.
20. Baby as a Toy
A baby or toddler dressed as a specific toy — a small Buzz Lightyear, a mini Woody, a tiny alien — while the adults dress as the other characters. Baby costumes for both franchises are widely available.
Final Thoughts
Both Toy Story and Inside Out 2 work as group costumes because every character has a distinct, recognisable look that is achievable at any budget. Start by assigning characters based on who wants to wear what, then coordinate the colour palettes so the group reads as a unit. The emotions from Inside Out are the easiest to execute; the Toy Story characters require slightly more construction but are more immediately recognisable to a wider audience.
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