If Halloween costumes are a mirror of the zeitgeist, 2026 offers plenty to reflect. You could go as the late, great Dolly Parton, complete with platinum wig, rhinestones and strategic padding from 9 to 5. Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce in wedding attire? Almost too easy. So, maybe it’s Jimothy the Raccoon, the internet-famous dumpster diver or one of the “grass people” from Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show.
But if you live in California, think smaller. And yellower.
According to new research, the Golden State’s most popular costume this year is a Minion, one of those pint-size, gibberish-babbling henchmen from Despicable Me. Apparently, a year of political turmoil, celebrity drama and low-grade existential dread can’t stop Californians from hiding behind overalls and goggles.
California’s 10 Most Popular Halloween Costumes For 2026
Get your Gru on — Minions are the most popular Halloween costume this year in California, according to Google data research.
The findings come from footwear retailer Bruno Marc, which mined Google search data to rank Halloween costume picks across all 50 states (Presumably, the company has its eye on underserved Halloween boot-and-stiletto market.).
Minions edged out “pirates” and Poison Ivy, with Catwoman clawing her way to fourth, and Labubu, the impish collectible monster turned fashion fixation, rounding out the top five.
The rest of the top ten could pass for the line outside Comic-Con: Harley Quinn, Starfire, Ladybug, a vampire and Wonder Woman.
From KPop Demon Hunters To Minions: How Halloween Trends Have Changed
That’s a sharp turn from Halloween 2025, when Google’s national Frightgeist rankings belonged to KPop Demon Hunters. Characters from the Netflix juggernaut claimed five of the top ten spots, led by Rumi, Zoey and Mira. Labubu landed seventh, which I guess is proof that some monsters (or maybe bag charms) have staying power.
California also seems strangely uninterested in actual horror. No scary-movie villains cracked the state’s top 20, compared with three nationally. Even Ghostface, the masked slasher from Scream, limped in at No. 22, according to the survey.
French bulldogs dressed as Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce.
Not that Californians are shy about dressing up. The state leads the nation in costume searches per capita, with 2,190 monthly searches per 100,000 residents, nearly 32% above the 50-state average.
As for my Halloween costume this year? I’m torn between going as the baby monkey clutching the IKEA orangutan and maybe Sydney Sweeney’s Euphoria puppy outfit. Then again, I might look even hotter in a tiny yellow top with a black Minions Gru logo. Bee do, bee do, bee do!
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This article was originally published on Forbes.com