If an invite for a Halloween party has just rolled into your inbox, fear not. Dressing up is many people’s worst nightmare, but before you shell out on yet another onesie, wait a moment. We’ve found a way to make it a treat rather than a trick with a host of pop-culture based costumes, created with items that you won’t throw in the bin the minute you get home.

As Halloween parties seem to be less strict on the scary elements than they used to be, our costumes feature characters from our favourite shows and films such as Girls, The Hunger Games, Gone Girl and Orange Is The New Black as well as some of our favourite figures like Caitlin Moran and Lady Gaga. Of course, if you wanted to give these costumes a Halloween edge, there’s nothing to stop you becoming a zombie version of any of these character, or adding a drop of fake blood here and there…

Amy Elliot Dunne

13 best pop culture inspired Halloween costumes