LOCAL

What are the most popular Halloween costumes for 2021?

Trevor Ballantyne
The Bulletin

Halloween 2021 is upon us, which means staff members at the Waterford Party City are busier than ever.

“Not even because costumes, it’s just the shipping issues – it’s crazier just trying to find the costume for someone [who ordered online],” said store manager Hunter Pierson.

With the unofficial holiday less than a week away, there is still time to grab a costume at a local outlet.

Which costumes and characters will you see out there the most this year? Pierson and Lisbon's Spirit Halloween assistant manager Christina Morrow relayed the top-selling costumes so far this year to The Bulletin staff.

More:Where can you find a Halloween costume in eastern Connecticut?

1.  Michael Meyers 

Popular once again as a result of the recently released horror flick, Halloween Kills, the “nightmare isn’t over” for this decades-old fictional Halloween character that is the number one selling costume at the Waterford Party City this year.

Michael Myers returns again in "Halloween Kills."

2. Harley Quinn

The character made famous in the action-themed series The Suicide Squad is "definitely really popular this year," according to the assistant manager of Spirit Halloween in Lisbon, Christina Morrow. 

Once again, Margot Robbie shines as the beloved Harley Quinn.

3.  Ghostface

The second most popular costume sold at Spirit Halloween comes from the fifth installment of the Scream film series. Originally set to be released this year, 25 years after the original version hit the big screens In 1996, a release date for the latest in the thriller series is pegged for January 2022.

The Ghostface mask is emblematic of the 'Scream' franchise--and '90s horror at large.

4. Beetlejuice

Say it three times and this costume makes the Eastern Connecticut list of top-selling costumes. At local stores including Spirit Halloween, adults and kids alike are buying the outfit, born from the 1988 fantasy-comedy directed by Tim Burton, in droves.

Guests at Universal Orlando's Halloween Horror Nights will face 10 terrifying haunted houses, five twisted scare zones and two outrageous live shows based on some of the biggest names in horror and pop culture, including one featuring the ‘ghost with the most’ and Halloween Horror Nights legend, “Beetlejuice.”

5. Chucky

The infamous "Chucky" character first appeared on the big screen in the 1988 horror movie "Child's Play" and is back again this year starring in its own horror fiction TV series that scored a 96% on the crowd-sourced review site Rotten Tomatoes. At Spirit Halloween in Lisbon, the costume is "popular for both boys and girls," according to Morrow. Online, the series debuted October 12 and can be streamed on Hulu, Youtube TV, and Fubo TV; along with Apple TV and Amazon Prime.

This photo shows the character Chuckie from the "Child's Play" movies.

6.  An orange jumpsuit

The “iconic” orange jumpsuit will make you look like you broke out of the slammer, but don’t be surprised if you run into your fellow inmates when go out to trick-or-treat with your kids or hit the Halloween party this year.

“I know it was the same deal as last year – people just kept asking for them,” Waterford Party City manager Hunter Pierson said of the generic costume option.