We came up with 15 Halloween costumes inspired by Virginia
Show off your Virginia pride with these 15 state-inspired Halloween costume ideas representing the commonwealth’s wildlife, mascots, and famous figures.
Avoid the rush at the big-box costume store this Halloween and instead opt for a unique Virginia-inspired getup. Drawing inspiration from the commonwealth’s natural beauty, school mascots, and famous residents, we’ve developed this list of 15 Halloween costumes for you to consider this spooky season.
Animals & Plants
Dress as one of Virginia’s notable animals or plants.
Blue Crab
Celebrate the Chesapeake Bay’s significance to the commonwealth by dressing as a blue crab, one of the most iconic creatures to call the bay home. Doing so could help bring awareness to the fact that its numbers have been on the decline in recent years.
The crab, also known as the “beautiful swimmer,” is unmistakable, given its bright blue claws and four pairs of legs. A simple costume may consist of blue oven mitts, a blue shirt, and a blue cap with eyes drawn on.
Northern Cardinal
Stand out in bright red by dressing up as the Northern Cardinal, the Virginia State Bird. Although the bird’s designation as the state bird is shared with six other states, its name can be traced back to colonial times when settlers drew comparisons between the bird’s coloring and that of Catholic cardinals’ robes.
Dress as the cardinal by wearing a red dress, a feather boa, and a yellow beak.
Dogwood
Like the Northern Cardinal, the Dogwood holds a special place in Virginia lore as both the state flower and state tree. Uniquely, it’s the only state to have the same plant as both the official state flower and tree. By dressing as the Dogwood, you’ll be proudly representing the commonwealth.
To dress as the Dogwood, consider wearing a brown shirt and a pair of pants with a greenish-white floral headdress. Paint your face yellow to represent the cluster at the center.
Maple
While not the official state tree, the mighty maple is representative of Highland County’s unique culture. The maple is such a part of the county that it’s celebrated annually with the Highland County Maple Festival, a tradition that started in 1959. Each year, tens of thousands flock to the county for a chance to tour real maple sugar camps. The festival was designated as a “Local Legacy” by the Library of Congress in 1999.
Sport a brown ensemble with brightly colored yellow and orange leaves coming off you while carrying a bottle of maple syrup to celebrate the Highland County Maple Festival.
Peanut
Dress as Virginia’s most famous legume, the peanut. Peanuts have played a significant role in Virginia’s history, having been first planted in Virginia in the early 1700s. In fact, Virginia Peanuts are now considered one of the four distinct peanut varieties, with roughly 15% of the country’s annual peanut production. Virginia farmers currently produce millions of pounds of peanuts each year.
To dress as a Virginia Peanut, repurpose a Mr. Peanut costume or dress in all brown and texture your shirt to look like the ridged pattern of a peanut shell.
Mascots
Show off your school spirit by dressing as one of the commonwealth’s unique mascots.
HokieBird
Represent Virginia Tech by dressing as the iconic HokieBird, a unique Chicago maroon and burnt orange creature that evolved from a turkey. While the university’s teams were once known as the “Gobblers,” the HokieBird is now the embodiment of Virginia Tech pride.
If you don’t have a full HokieBird costume, go for a simpler option with a maroon shirt and a pair of pants, along with an orange beak and a pair of shoes.
The Highlander
Pay tribute to Southwest Virginia’s Scottish-Irish heritage by dressing as the Highlander, Radford University’s mascot since 1996. Clad in red, white, blue, and green tartan plaid, he proudly sports a kilt and knee-high fur-trimmed boots.
Go as the Highlander by rocking a kilt and boots.
The Cavalier
There’s no better costume for University of Virginia fans than the Cavalier mascot. The mascot traces its origins to 1947, when students rode onto the football field dressed as Cavaliers during a game against Harvard. The Cavalier is now closely associated with the university’s teams.
Dress as the Cavalier by wearing a pair of blue pants and a shirt with orange accents. Top it off with a musketeer hat.
Big Blue
Old Dominion University fans may want to show their school spirit by dressing as the Big Blue mascot. A lion with human attributes, the mascot sports a jersey with the number “00” along with a crown, which represents the university’s athletic teams, known as the Monarchs.
Dressing as Big Blue could be as simple as wearing lion makeup, a “00” Monarchs jersey, and a blue and silver crown.
Famous Virginians
Home to presidents and pop culture icons, Virginia has its fair share of famous residents to dress up as.
George Washington
Dressing as George Washington, arguably the most famous Virginian, is a classic Halloween costume choice. Born at Popes Creen Plantation in 1732, Washington went on to become a successful general and later the country’s first president. When dressing as Washington, Mount Vernon offers a treasure trove of details about what the man looked like, including the detail that his dentures weren’t made of wood but rather an assortment of materials like ivory and silver alloy.
Dress as Washington by copying his blue and buff colored uniform, which included a coat, waistcoat, and knee breeches. Powder your hair to achieve the stark white sheen that’s iconically depicted in his portraits.
Edgar Allan Poe
Channel the legendary Gothic writer Edgar Allan Poe, who spent a considerable portion of his life in Richmond. When trying to copy his iconic style, turn to the Poe Museum in Richmond for inspiration, given its extensive collection of Poe portraits and memorabilia.
Dress in a black suit with a white collar while sporting a stark black mustache. For added effect, place a raven on your shoulder.
Richlands Coal Miner
Pay tribute to the men of Richlands who toiled away in the nearby coal mines. One might take inspiration from the Coal Miners’ Memorial in Richlands, a sculpture that depicts a miner exiting a mine while carrying his lunch bucket and pick. His skin is smudged from the coal.
To dress as the miner in the sculpture, wear a pair of old work boots and a mining headlamp while carrying a lunch bucket and a pick.
A “Hidden Figure”
Fans of the 2016 film or Margot Lee Shetterly book may consider honoring the legacy of one of Virginia’s “Hidden Figures,” one of the Black women at the Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory in Hampton who worked as human computers in support of the U.S.’s Space Race efforts. “Hidden Figures” one could choose from include Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson, and Christine Darden.
Draw costume inspiration from the film by wearing a 1960s-style dress, a pair of heels, and a hairstyle. Add to it by printing a faux name badge for your preferred “Hidden Figure.”
Pharrell Williams
Known as one of the most fashionable Virginians, Pharrell Williams might have grown up in Virginia Beach, where shorts and flip-flops are common, but now dresses as though he’s ready to storm a Parisian runway. In fact, the singer was named the men’s creative director at Louis Vuitton in 2023.
If Louis Vuitton isn’t in your budget, you’re in luck because Pharrell’s style can be replicated on a budget, given just how eclectic it is. Check out GQ’s list of “Pharrell’s 32 Biggest Fits of All Time” to draw inspiration. If all else fails, go for an early 2000s Pharell with a track jacket, lightly stone-washed jeans, and a trucker hat.
Arthur Ashe
Pay homage to the legendary tennis player from Richmond, Arthur Ashe. Known for winning five major championships, he was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1985.
His likeness can be captured by sporting all white, including shoes, socks, shirt, and shorts. Complete the look with his stylish glasses and tennis racket.
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