5 Last Minute Politics Costumes To Make People Say, "Wait, That Was This Year?"

Let’s face it: news and politics can be pretty spooky year round. But if you’ve got a little time and a big sense of humor, these politically themed costume ideas will be right up your alley. Plus, they’re so easy to throw together, they’re perfect for last-minute spooky season activities. In fact, you may already have most of this stuff just laying around your house. So if you’ve ever wanted to dress up as your favorite political moment, now is your best chance.

As it turns out, Halloween and politics have a lot in common. They both involve hordes of skeletal ghouls, terrifying rituals, and a lot of weird pageantry. (And I’ll be real, I’m 99% sure the White House is haunted.) So why don’t you make the most of it, and combine the two this spooky season? With these quick Halloween costume ideas pulled from political moments in 2021 (and a few extras), you just might be able to transcend this earthly realm and drift into a higher dimension — the internet. I mean, who says you have to go all out, to go viral? So without further ado, here are a few perfectly meme-able ensemble ideas, inspired by some of the internet’s most viral political moments in 2020 and 2021.

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Bernie Sanders At The Inauguration

Can you even truly believe that President Joe Biden’s inauguration was this year? The ceremony and transition of power had a lot of memorable moments (not least of which being the fact that the outgoing president, Donald Trump, wasn’t even there), but perhaps the best one came from Sen. Bernie Sanders. The senator, who had himself run in that year’s presidential primary, was photographed at the inauguration ceremony wearing a parka, handmade mittens, a mask, and a big “let’s get this show on the road” vibe.

It was of course memed to the moon and back, which makes it perfect fodder for a 2021 Halloween costume. The best part? This is a perfect, pull-it-from-your-closet costume to keep you warm during a chilly outdoor Halloween party. All you need to pull this off are mittens, a jacket, a folding chair, a mask, and big “I don’t wanna be here” energy.

Member of Congress’ Bad Prop

Ah, remember when Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene pulled out a Scooby-Doo meme during a Sept. 22 congressional speech to “back up” her claim that the Green New Deal only benefits China? “This is a simple meme that you would find on the internet, but this meme is very real,” she said on the House floor. “The Green New Deal, surprise, serves China and China only.” (Surprise: it didn’t go over well.) If I couldn’t laugh, I’d cry.

The good news is, it’s great costume inspo, either for one person or a group. If you want to do it solo, just dress in business casual, print out a few memes, and walk around holding them up and saying, “It was (insert something ridiculous) all along!” If you want to make it a group vibe, even easier — just have one person dressed in business casual, and two other people as Fred and the Scooby Doo villain. All you need is a white shirt with a neck scarf for one person, and a cloth bag to pull off the other person’s head for the reveal.

“Will You Commit To Ending Finsta”

During a Sept. 30 hearing about Facebook, Sen. Richard Blumenthal openly asked Facebook’s global head of safety, Antigone Davis, the one question so many of us ask ourselves daily: “Will you commit to ending finsta?” Blumenthal asked the question when pressing the platform on how it could address child exploitation and mental health issues. The internet’s meme response was brutal, and it really highlighted how out-of-touch Congress can be when it comes to big tech.

While it’s still unclear whether or not Blumenthal actually knows what a finsta (aka, a fake Instagram account) is, it was one of the most meme-able moments in Congress this year. To pull this costume off, have one person dress as a politician, and another dress as a politician’s Finsta. All you need is two suits or business casual outfits, and then a fake mustache or Instagram props for one person. Cardboard cutouts of Insta borders are up to you.

Be Just A Bill

OK, 2021 has been a doozy — let’s throw it back to something a little calmer. At this point, Schoolhouse Rock’s “I’m Just A Bill” song is a classic almost everyone can recognize. And even if someone doesn’t know what you’re dressed as, you can always give them a little lesson about the legislative process. Using SNL’s skit on Schoolhouse Rock as inspiration, all you’d need to complete this costume is a roll of foam, a red ribbon, some cardboard, and some paint to DIY your ensemble as, well, just a bill. Lectures on how Congress works are optional.

“We Did It, Joe”

Who can forget that iconic (and perfectly meme-able) moment in November 2020 when Vice President Kamala Harris took a call with President Joe Biden to celebrate their victory in the presidential race? On Nov. 7, 2020, new veep-elect Kamala Harris was apparently out for a jog when she heard that they had won the presidential election. The new veep-elect was caught in a pair of leggings, zip up, and sunglasses on that viral call congratulating her running mate.

This costume is the ultimate low-maintenance ensemble, as all you need are basically your workout clothes, a cell phone, and the fortitude to keep saying “we did it” all night. The best part? You can keep using it well after Halloween is over.