Funny couples' costumes work because the joke needs both of you. One costume sets it up, and the other lands the punchline. The best funny couples' costumes pair a character with the thing they love, hate or can't escape. Some couples match. Others make the whole party laugh. This list is for the second kind. These couples' costumes skip the usual king and queen. Instead, one of you plays a legend. The other plays that legend's snack, pet, rival or worst nightmare.
Welcome to part one of our four-part Couples' Countdown. We picked 25 funny, slightly unhinged couples' costumes that nobody will expect. Bring a partner, a best friend, a sibling or the whole squad. But first, a quick question. Why does weird work so well? That is the magic of a good pairing. People spot the main character first. Then they spot the partner, and the laugh hits a beat later. It is a joke with a built-in delay. One look, one double take and your duo owns the room for the rest of the night.
Pop Culture Costumes
Shop the look: TV and Movie Costumes | Video Game and Toy Costumes | Costume Ideas
The best pop culture costumes come from characters everyone already knows. When fans get the reference in one second, your pairing gets the laugh in two. Our licensing portfolio covers over 300 licensed properties, so the cast list for this countdown was huge. We narrowed it down to 25, a mixture of movies, TV, games, books, and even one famous red carpet. Some pairs are hero and snack. Others are hunter and prey. A few are characters who were never in the same story (but really should have been). Now it is time to make some #MonsterMemories.
1. Samwise Gamgee and a Potato
Shop the look: Samwise Costume | Potato Costume
Samwise Gamgee and a potato is the ultimate hobbit-and-snack pairing. It is cozy, nerdy and instantly funny to any Lord of the Rings fan. In The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Sam gives Gollum a passionate lecture on all the ways to cook a potato. Fans have never forgotten it. Sam is a gardener from the Shire, so his love of spuds is honest work. He is also the most loyal friend in all of Middle-earth. That makes this pair perfect for best friends, not just partners. One of you is the true hero. The other is the hero's favorite side dish.
Make it a group: Sam leads the way. A kid joins the veggie patch as a carrot or tomato. A dad in a big and tall Gandalf look keeps everyone on the path. Got a Gollum fan? Hold that thought until #15.
2. Pikachu and Ketchup
Shop the look: Pikachu Costumes | Ketchup Costumes
Pikachu and ketchup is a deep-cut Pokémon joke that fans adore. It is bright, cute and easy for any age. In the Pokémon anime, Pikachu has a famous soft spot for ketchup. In a few scenes, it hugs the bottle like a long lost friend. Fans caught on fast and turned that love into memes, fan art and jokes. That makes this pairing a sneaky test of fandom. Casual fans see a yellow mouse and a red bottle. True trainers see a love story. Pikachu's look is sunny yellow, with red cheeks, black-tipped ears and a lightning bolt tail. Ketchup just stands tall and stays saucy.
Make it a group: Mom or Dad goes as a Pokémon trainer. The kids split Pikachu and their other favorite Pokémon. Grandpa plays the ketchup bottle, and he is the most popular one there.
3. Cher Horowitz and her Cell Phone
Shop the look: Clueless Costumes | Flip Phone Costume
Cher Horowitz and her cell phone are a 90s power couple. Honestly, that phone got more screen time than most of her dates. In Clueless, Cher rules Beverly Hills one phone call at a time. She even chats on the phone with her best friend Dionne while they walk side by side. That is commitment. Cher also picks her outfits from a computer closet, which felt like pure magic back then. Her yellow plaid skirt suit is the look everyone knows. Pair it with a chunky cell phone costume, and you have a duo that is totally on brand. Bonus: your phone partner gets to hold every conversation.
Make it a group: Friends split Cher, Dionne and Tai in plus size and standard sizes. The tallest pal plays the phone. The youngest DIYs a pager, because every phone needs a sidekick.
4. Dennis Nedry and a Dilophosaurus
Shop the look: Nedry Costume | Dinosaur Costumes | Dilophosaurus Costume
Dennis Nedry and a Dilophosaurus is a darkly funny Jurassic Park pairing. One of you is a cheater, and the other is karma with a frill. In Jurassic Park, Nedry shuts down the park's security to smuggle dinosaur embryos out in a fake shaving cream can. Then he gets lost in a rainstorm. He meets a small dinosaur that seems cute at first. Then its frill pops open, and it spits venom right at him. Game over, Dennis. For your costume, Nedry needs a rumpled shirt, a raincoat and that famous can. The Dilophosaurus needs a frill, a hiss and a big dramatic entrance.
Make it a group: Kids stomp around as a dino herd. A big and tall pal plays the T. rex. The grown-ups split the park staff, and someone has to carry the can.
5. Alf and Catwoman
Shop the look: ALF Costume | Catwoman Costumes
ALF and Catwoman is the most chaotic pairing on this list. A sitcom alien and a supervillain cat should not work, but it does. On ALF, a furry alien from the planet Melmac crash-lands into a family's garage. He has one big problem. Back home, cats were a tasty snack, and his new family owns a pet cat named Lucky. ALF spends the whole show trying not to eat him. Now give ALF a date with Catwoman. She is sleek, sharp and ready to scratch. It is a classic cat-and-mouse game, except the mouse is a hungry alien with a big nose.
Make it a group: A kid dresses as Lucky the cat. A friend joins as Batman, a natural fit since 2 million adults planned to dress as Batman, anyway. Who saves who is up to you!
6. Eleven and an Eggo Waffle
Shop the look: Eleven Costumes | Eggo Costume
Eleven and a waffle are a sweet, spooky pair. Eleven is the girl with psychic powers in Stranger Things. She grew up in a lab, then found a new family in Hawkins, Indiana. Fans know she loves Eggo waffles. So one of you plays the hero who can move things with her mind. The other plays the breakfast she guards like treasure. It is a warm, golden-brown duo that gets a cheer from every fan in the room. Add a plastic syrup bottle for a prop. It is silly, it is sticky, and it is perfect for friends who love breakfast for dinner.
Make it a group: Add friends as Mike, Dustin and Lucas, her loyal pals. A taller friend can play Chief Hopper, keeping watch. Let the kids be extra waffles in a line. Everybody gets a role, and the waffle gets plenty of guards.
7. Lord Farquaad and the Gingerbread Man
Shop the look: Lord Farquaad Costume | Gingerbread Man Costume | Shrek Costumes
Lord Farquaad and a Gingerbread Man make a royal bad day. Farquaad is the pint-sized ruler of Duloc in Shrek (2001). He wants a perfect kingdom and has little patience for fairy tale creatures. Gingy is the cookie he captures and questions. Fans love that scene because the tiny cookie stays brave. So one of you plays the strutting tyrant. The other plays the sweet treat who refuses to crumble. Sweet revenge never looked so crunchy. Walk side by side, and the height jokes write themselves.
Make it a group: Add a friend as Shrek, another as Princess Fiona, and a third as Donkey. Let the kids be an army of rebel cookies. Smaller guests can play the palace guards. Together you become a whole fairy tale kingdom.
8. Wednesday Addams and a Giant Hand
Shop the look: Wednesday Addams Costumes | Hand Costume | Addams Family Costumes
Wednesday Addams and a giant hand make a deadpan duo with a creepy-cute twist. Wednesday is the gloomy, dry-witted daughter of The Addams Family, who got a fresh spotlight in Wednesday. Thing is the family's helpful, disembodied pal. But when he shows up the same size as Wednesday, we really have to wonder what happened! Fans know Thing lends a hand and never says a word. So one of you plays the stone-faced girl in braids. The other plays the friend who is literally a hand. It is spooky, funny and easy to read from across a room.
Make it a group: Turn the duo into the whole Addams Family. Add friends as Morticia and Gomez. Let a taller friend be Lurch, and a bald friend play Uncle Fester. A younger child can be Pugsley. Thing still gets to steal the show.
9. Ernie and a Rubber Duckie
Shop the look: Ernie Costume | Duck costumes | Sesame Street Costumes
Ernie and a rubber duckie make a bath-time bromance that fans of every age adore. Ernie is the playful, prank-loving Muppet from Sesame Street. He shares a home with Bert, and the rubber duckie is his bathtub buddy. Ernie even sings a famous song about it. So one of you plays the cheerful Ernie. The other plays his squeaky best friend. It is wholesome, goofy and gets smiles from toddlers to grandparents. Just make sure to give a good squeak whenever Ernie offers up a hug!
Make it a group: Add a friend as Bert, in our matching costume. Let the kids play other Sesame Street pals. Hand the smallest guest a row of toy ducks to line up behind you. Now you have a full Sesame crew.
10. Carmen Sandiego and Waldo
Shop the look: Carmen Sandiego Costumes | Where's Waldo Costumes
Carmen Sandiego and Waldo make the ultimate hide-and-seek couple. Carmen is the master thief in the red trench coat and wide-brim fedora, who first starred in a computer game. Players had to chase her around the globe. Waldo is the striped traveler who hides in crowded scenes in the Where's Waldo? books. Both are famous for being hard to catch. So one of you plays the one who slips away. The other plays the one you must find. Offer a small prize for anyone who spots you first.
Make it a group: Add friends as a barber, the Wizard Whitebeard, or even grab some yellow and black to play the sneaky Waldo rival, Odlaw. Let the kids be the detectives on the hunt. (Check out #19!) The search is on, and everyone plays a part.
11. Indiana Jones and a Snake
Shop the look: Indiana Jones Costumes | Snake Costumes
Indiana Jones and a snake make a pair built on one famous fear. Indy is the whip-cracking archaeologist from Raiders of the Lost Ark. He is brave with ancient traps, angry crowds and runaway boulders. But fans know he has one weak spot: snakes. So one of you plays the fearless hero. The other plays the slithery problem. You get a hero and his oldest dread in one tidy photo. Go even crazier by bringing Medusa into the mix and see just how well Indy handles his mythological figures.
Make it a group: Add a friend as Lara Craft or another epic adventurer. Add in a bunch of extra snakes or our rubber accessories to sling them about the room. Or throw everyone a different kind of swarm with a single serpent and a collection of Indiana Jones costumes for women and kids. See if that switches up the scales.
12. Dug and Squirrel
Shop the look: Dug Costume | Squirrel Costumes | Disney Costumes
Dug and a squirrel make the most distractible duo on the list. Dug is the sweet golden retriever from Up, the Pixar film about Carl Fredricksen and his floating house. A special collar lets Dug say what he thinks. Fans know his focus can vanish when a squirrel shows up and the line is really easy to remem... Squirrel!? So one of you plays the loyal, goofy dog. The other plays the tiny troublemaker who steals his attention.
Make it a group: Add a friend as Carl Fredricksen and a kid as Russell in a scout sash. Three friends can play the dog pack: Alpha, Beta and Gamma. Or go exceedingly wild with the kids when Scrat from Ice Age joins the party! Dug will have a very hard night keeping up.
13. Pearl and a Scarecrow
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Shop the look: Sweetheart Slasher Costume | Scarecrow Costumes | Scary Costumes
Here's our strangest love story on the list. Pearl is the dreamy farm girl from the horror film, Pearl. She longs for fame and feels stuck on her family farm. Fans remember her dance with a scarecrow in the field in a truly unexpected twist on the Wizard of Oz aesthetic. So one of you plays the lonely dreamer. The other plays the quiet, stuffed-with-straw date who never talks back.
Make it a group: There are plenty of other horror movie characters that spend their time in haunted fields. Pick out more scarecrows, the crows themselves, or additional slashers that can't wait to surprise fans with a full farm scene.
14. Edward Scissorhands and Topiary Dinosaur
Shop the look: Edward Scissorhands Costumes | Topiary Dinosaur Inflatable Costume
Edward is the soft-hearted inventor's creation in Edward Scissorhands, left unfinished with blades for hands. He quickly becomes the artistic wonder we didn't know we needed, offering haircuts that change neighborhood life... not to mention turning hedges into amazing sculptures, including a dinosaur. So one of you plays the shy artist with the wild hair. The other plays his leafy masterpiece, the green giant that proves his scissors can make something lovely.
Make it a group: Add a friend as Peg Boggs, the kind neighbor who takes Edward in. Another can play Kim, his true love, in a sparkly white dress. Let the kids be little hedge animals or wear incredibly wild wigs. Your whole crew becomes a suburban garden show.
15. Gollum and a Fish
Shop the look: Gollum Costume | Fish Costumes | Animal and bug costumes
A fish and Gollum make a pair that is slippery in every way, but you can make it really unexpected. Gollum is the twisted creature from The Lord of the Rings, who lives in the dark and hunts for his "precious" ring. Fans also know he loves to catch raw fish. But when one of you is a fish that's just as big (or bigger) than the ring-hunting creature who once resembled a hobbit, the story get's quite a bit different! Keep the chase going through the party. Gollum can mutter to himself while the fish wiggles away... or let the fish be the one giving chase!
Make it a group: Add a friend as Frodo, who carries the ring Gollum wants. Another can play Samwise, who is not fooled. Let the kids be a school of little fish swimming in a line. Gollum will have a very busy night figuring out what he should be hungry for.
16. Dumb and Dumber
Shop the look: Dumb and Dumber Costumes | TV and Movie Costumes
Lloyd Christmas and Harry Dunne are the best friends in Dumb and Dumber. They cross the country to return a lost briefcase. Fans remember the matching tuxedos, one powder blue and one orange, and the shaggy dog van. You and your partner become two lovable goofballs. No plot needed. Just a big grin and zero shame. We even carry options for both men and women, so you can mix and match however you like!
Make it a group: What's funnier than a pair of folks in very strangely colored tuxedos? How about an entire group in neon and powdered hues!? Don't forget your cane and your dance moves on your way to a road trip gone wrong.
17. Wrestling Tag-Team Duos
Shop the look: Macho Man Costumes | Hulk Hogan Costumes | WWE Costumes
Macho Man and Hulk Hogan make a mighty pair of wrestling bros. Randy Savage and Hulk Hogan teamed up as the Mega Powers in the late 1980s, one of the best-known tag teams in pro wrestling. Savage was all flash, with fringe, bold shades and a big hat. Hogan wore bright yellow and red with a bandana and a horseshoe mustache. Yet we also carry a ton of different character options. Create existing teams or put together ones who would never have been willing to work together. Either way, it means an epic scene.
Make it a group: Add a friend as the ring announcer with a toy microphone. Bring in some referees. And then tour the rest of our WWE category to pick outfit for the whole crew. We carry each for men, women, kids, and even pets, so you've got a full night of wrestling, and the crowd gets to cheer.
18. Nun and Nacho Libre
Shop the look: Nacho Libre Costumes | Nun Costumes
A nun and Nacho Libre make a holy, hilarious pair. Nacho Libre brings Ignacio, a cook at a Mexican monastery who dreams of becoming a luchador. He wrestles in secret and wears stretchy gear with a mask. A kind nun, Sister Encarnacion, teaches at the orphanage and wins his heart. Now, we admit that this pairing is just the duo from the film, but whoever expected a masked wrestler and a nun to make such an epic duo!?
Make it a group: Add a friend as Esqueleto, Nacho's skinny wrestling partner. Let the kids be the orphans, cheering from the sidelines. A tall friend can play a rival wrestler in a bold mask. Now your whole crew is ready for a big match. (Or add some of the above WWE characters for a really strange scene!)
19. Blue's Clues and Sherlock Holmes
Shop the look: Blue's Clues Costumes | Sherlock Costumes
Ready to solve a scene in an spectacular way? Combine detectives from totally different worlds. Blue is the cheerful puppy from Blue's Clues. She leaves paw prints, and the host solves each puzzle with a handy notebook. Cute, right!? Sherlock Holmes is the famous London detective created by Arthur Conan Doyle, who resolves murders most foul and has reappeared in countless adaptations. One is a playful pup, finding their favorite snacks. The other is the brilliant sleuth who follows the trail. Combined, you can solve the case of the missing teddy bear!
Make it a group: Add a friend as Dr. Watson, taking careful notes. Let the kids play Blue's friends, like Magenta. Another friend can be the host in a green striped shirt, who sits in the thinking chair. Now your whole crew is a case waiting to be cracked.
20. Cryptid Monster and a CDA Agent
Shop the look: Monster Costumes | Monsters, Inc. CDA Agent Inflatable Costume
A monster and a CDA agent make a perfect hide and seek duo. In Monsters, Inc., monsters power their city with scream energy from children. They also fear anything a child touches. Then you have the vast collection of cryptids and monsters that may dwell throughout the world... all of whom are equally hard to find. Are they also afraid of humans!? Let's get the answer when the Child Detection Agency brings your favorite "real world monsters" to the scene and take over the party.
Make it a group: Add friends as Mike and Sulley. Another can play Roz, the front desk monster with a secret. Then, of course, bring in some classic horror monsters from the Wendigo and Werewolves to Vampires and Dragons! Now your crew has a full scare floor and one very busy agent.
21. Cookie Monster and a Cookie
Shop the look: Cookie Monster Costumes | Cookie Costumes
Do you love Sesame Street for how sweet the characters are or for the unexpected stories that they can tell? Cookie Monster is the blue, googly-eyed guy with a love for cookies that can become his whole personality. Everyone knows the plot of this pair before they speak. Of course, when the cookie is as big as the monster, suddenly we understand why his eyes are so big! (Bonus points if you bring along a pack of actual cookies.)
Make it a group: Add friends as Elmo and Big Bird. A tall friend can be Oscar the Grouch, peeking out of a trash can prop. Then pour through our cookies category for even more options. (Don't forget the veggies. Even Cookie Monster admits that sweets are sometimes foods.)
22. Cruella de Vil and a Dalmatian
Shop the look: Cruella de Vil Costumes | Dalmatian Costumes | Disney Costumes
Cruella de Vil has a pretty well known history with black-spotted dogs. So, we'd understand why their pairing would be... problematic. Of course, we live in a world with faux fur, too! Let this Dalmatian show the world a brand new fashion trend with Cruella proving that it is all about the pose. Bring the Diva in head-to-toe drama as well as the doggie who is too clever to catch. Just keep the chase silly, not scary, and your catwalk will be a true hit!
Make it a group: Add two friends as Jasper and Horace, Cruella's clumsy helpers. Let the kids be a whole litter of Dalmatian puppies, each with a paper spot tag and a number. Count them at the end of the night. Cruella will lose every single one.
23. Steak Dinner: Wolf and the Meat Dress
Shop the look: Lady Gaga Meat Dress Costume | Big Bad Wolf Costume | Food Costumes
A steak dinner makes one of the boldest couples' costumes on this list. One of you wears the meat dress. The other plays the diner who is very, very hungry. The idea nods to a famous pop star's awards show outfit, which people still talk about. It is shocking, silly and impossible to ignore. Nobody forgets a dress made of dinner. Our Big Bad Wolf is just as stylish as our Singer Supreme, so it works on two levels!
Make it a group: Add friends as paparazzi with toy cameras. A tall friend can play the red carpet host with a microphone. Let the kids be the side dishes: a baked potato, a pat of butter, a pea, and maybe another werewolf or two. Now it is a full banquet.
24. Beetlejuice and the Sandworm
Shop the look: Beetlejuice Costumes | Sandworm Costume Dress
Beetlejuice and a sandworm make a ghostly pair with serious bite. Beetlejuice is the wild, mischievous ghost, known for his black and white striped suit and a wild mop of mottled hair. The sandworms, on the other hand, are one of the few things from Saturn to the Neitherworld that make the Ghost with the Most nervous! Hard to imagine them getting along or was that the game the whole time? Find out when you two pair up in supernatural style.
Make it a group: Add a friend as Lydia Deetz in her black dress and veil. Two more friends can play Adam and Barbara Maitland, the ghosts who start the trouble. Let the kids be little ghosts in bedsheets. Your whole crew becomes a haunted house with one very loud guest.
25. Xenomorph Alien and the Predator
Shop the look: Alien vs. Predator Costumes
Alien and Predator make the biggest monster face-off on our list. The Alien, also called the Xenomorph, first hunted a space-faring crew. The Predator is the dreadlocked trophy hunter who tracked down humans in the jungle. The two met on screen in Alien vs. Predator and fans have loved the matchup ever since. So what do these two look like when they aren't trying to kill each other but are, instead, enjoying a night out on the town? Well, we imagine it might be something like this. (Notice the lack of humans?) Just be nice.
Make it a group: Add a friend as Ellen Ripley from Alien (1979), ready to take on the creature. Another friend can play Dutch from Predator (1987). Let the kids be tiny Xenomorph hatchlings in green hoodies. Now your crew is a full sci-fi showdown, and nobody can hear you scream over the laughter.
Couples' Countdown
That wraps all 25 pairs. But the countdown has more stops. The Couples' Countdown is a four-part series, and you just finished part one. Now you have a full lineup of pop culture couples' costumes to steal, mix or twist, but part two lands later this week with funny food couples costumes, followed by animal and cryptid options and then the most ridiculous couples costumes we could muster, all to continue the countdown to 100 crazy combinations. If you prefer to go more conventional, check out our Ultimate Couple's Costumes Guide!
If a pair here made you laugh, lock it in now. Then build the rest of your crew around it. Group costumes work best when every person has a job. Need a nudge? See which looks people search for most in our Most Searched Halloween Costumes By State post, based on our own 2026 summer data.
Shop the looks: Couples costumes | Halloween Costumes 2026 | Group costumes
