7 Themes For A Photogenic Halloween Party
It’s officially fall, and you know what that means? Yep, it’s time to dust off your sweaters, pick up some cinnamon, and remember that you still need to buy touchscreen gloves.
Oh, and it’s also time to get excited for a little holiday called Halloween.
Bah, what are we saying? That’s all you should be thinking about this month! Forget sweaters and cinnamon – you need to get down to the mall and start picking up all the decorations to make this Halloween party the best one yet.
Before you get your sneakers on, though, have you thought about what your theme will be this year? If you’re as Instagram-obsessed as we are, you’ll know this is the perfect opportunity to add some colorful spookiness to your portfolio.
Whether that’s for a Halloween-themed Instagram photo book, or to simply show your friends that you’re the true queen (or king!) of spooky month, is up to you. But the important thing is picking a fun, current theme with a dash of terror, a sprinkle of hell, and perhaps a hint of cinnamon – if you’ve picked it up from the store yet.
So what are we waiting for? Below, we’ve compiled seven of the best Halloween themes to try out this year, all of which will ensure your guests never want to come back. At least, not for another year.
Squid Game
Despite coming out two years ago, Squid Game was such a popular show that it’s still on people’s lips. It’s also featured on quite a few 2023 Halloween theme lists, perhaps because it’s such an easy theme to get right. All you need is a few boiler suits, masks, and perhaps some foodstuff in the shape of triangles and squares. Oh, and LED lights that transition from red to green. “Red light!”
The Graveyard
Speaking of themes that never grow old, nothing is stopping you from keeping things simple with a graveyard theme that prioritises the experience rather than the aesthetic. This involves a few fake tombstones, a smoke machine, and just a scattering of bright white lights. Oh, and a lot of guests bumping into each other. Just make sure you know how to take photographs in the dark if you want to update your Instagram with this one!
Stranger Things
The best thing about picking a Stranger Things theme is that, like the graveyard theme, it’s so easy to get right. All you need to do is place everything upside down and you’ve got wacky, mind-bending photos to upload to your photo book maker. Just make sure you don’t make the punch too strong, as it can get very easy for your guests to get confused.
But seriously – who doesn’t love a chance to break out the old 80s treasures? From permed wigs to shell suits, a Stranger Things party theme hits all the right notes. Create a spooky ambiance, get Madonna’s Material Girl on the stereo, and let the costumes transport you all back to the fall of ‘83.
Popcorn Horror
A lot of the time, Halloween parties pick a single horror movie to riff off. But we say: why not pick all of them? There are so many classic popcorn horror movies to choose from that you might as well go for broke and choose them all. Just imagine the photos: the Exorcist, Pennywise, Michael Myers, and Freddie Krueger all gathered in one room. It’s the crossover you didn’t know you needed, but it’s the one your Halloween party deserves.
The Great Gatsby
Not a horror fan? Don’t panic, because you can still throw the best Halloween party in town! Halloween parties don’t have to be horror-themed. Sometimes the best parties are the ones that go in the opposite direction. For instance, you can never go wrong with throwing a Great Gatsby-themed party. Complete with art-deco patterns, roaring 20s costumes, and a beautiful champagne spread, this kind of party could stand up to Michael Myers any day! Oh, and if you’re a casual horror fan, you can still add a terrifying spin by asking your guests to apply a splash of bloody makeup to their Gatsby outfits!
The Last of Us
A zombie theme is one of the easier ones to pull off, and the release of the long-awaited Pedro Pascal hit The Last of Us means you’ve never had a better excuse to rip up an old outfit, splash fake blood over the table cloths, post “Keep Out!” signs on every door and go wild with the zombie makeup. Make sure you commit, or your guests will look like they’re cosplaying Monday mornings! But seriously, this is a perfect theme to give your Instagram a real bite!
Scooby-Doo
If you’re throwing a kid-friendly Halloween party, you can’t get any better than a Scooby-Doo theme. Not only can both kids and adults get on board with dressing up, but it’s also the most colorful theme on this list, which is great for an Instagram portfolio that stands out! Just be warned – you'll have a lot of jokers pulling off people's masks and shouting: Aha! It was you all along! Haha.
