26 'The Purge' Costume Ideas, Because the Big Night Only Happens Once a Year
The masks are recognizable forever, though.
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Sadly, there was no new movie in The Purge franchise this year, even though Collider reports that a sixth movie has already been written. But while we wait for that one — and the all-new killer looks it'll bring — there are still plenty of iconic, chilling outfits from the previous Purge movies that horror fans can mine for their Halloween costumes.
And they should, since The Purge is one of the easiest last-minute costumes to pull off. The mask really does most of the work: They're so recognizable, and so creepy with the light-up Xs over the eyes, that they're really all you need. All you have to add, if you want, is a hood, maybe a wig and a few grimy, bloody embellishments if you're feeling up to it. And boom — you've got a costume that's scary as hell!
Plus, with five movies in the franchise, there are a lot of different twists you can add to a basic Purge costume. Just remember that, even when you're wearing one of these masks, laws still apply! The actual Purge is still a fictional construct (at least for now).
For even more Halloween costume ideas, check out our other costume guides:
Pop-Culture Halloween Costumes | Easy Homemade Halloween Costumes | Best Halloween Masks
When you think of The Purge, this is the mask that immediately comes to mind. This one is made of PVC and EL cold light wire, so you don't have to worry about it getting hot on your face. It also comes in a range of colors.
If you don't want to go with a light-up mask, you can go with the classic look from the first film. Wear one of these creepy, grinning masks with a straight blond wig and that's really all you need to strike fear in law-abiding hearts.
This mask marries the creepy bunnies of The Forever Purge with the series' signature neon lights. It's not like that in the movie, but it's better to see in the dark.
If you want to be more movie-accurate, you can go for these killer rabbit masks that come without the lighted neon wire. There's even a browner, more dirtied-up version if you want to look grittier.
Only true Purge-heads will recognize this half-skeleton face mask from The Forever Purge — but, even if others don't, it's still bone-chillingly scary. You can whip it out any time someone invites you to a haunted masquerade party.
What to wear with the Forever Purge masks? A cowboy costume, obviously. In fact, some of the villains in the movie don't even bother with the mask, they just use scary makeup with their cowboy duds — a good option for those who hate wearing plastic over their faces.
The Purge: Election Year offers another iconic way to wear the standard Purge mask. Adding a Statue of Liberty crown is an easy way to distinguish yourself from all the other Purgers.
If you want to go all-out with your Statue of Liberty Purge look, you need the robe. This set comes with the torch and crown, too.
Light-Up Statue of Liberty Mask
If you want the Statue of Liberty look without the DIY, you can just buy this mask, which even has the gore splatter already on it for you. You don't even need to make fake blood.
Don't forget about Uncle Sam. He wants YOU (to get people to shake in their boots). And you will with this replica scary Uncle Sam mask. (Not a fan of Uncle Sam? You can also get Angry Abe Lincoln.)
Your costume is extra impressive if you can pull off the whole scary Uncle Sam suit. It's your patriotic duty to look as menacing as possible while wearing the stars and stripes.
You can dress up like "The Candy Girl" and wear this classic Purge: Election Year mask out on Halloween, but don't be surprised if no one, in fact, comes close to kissing you.
Black Smoke Mask
Another indelible image from The Purge: Election Year is the person wearing the gas mask (standing to the left of Lady Liberty). Take this mask and a red hoodie and the look is complete.
It's amazing how just a few tweaks to a white mask — a little grime, a scary word — can make it so terrifying. You can be just as frightening with your own "God" mask.
One of the partygoers in The First Purge has a mask with a long nose and ram horns. We couldn't find the exact match, but any horned masquerade mask will do in a pinch.
This mask design features heavily in The Purge: Anarchy, though if you didn't want to wear a mask you could probably achieve the look with black and white face paint.
How can you re-create this look from SYFY's TV adaptation of The Purge? To get the true look, with the upside-down mouth and light-up habit, you're going to have to pay. But you can also find similar scary nun masks for cheaper.
And then, of course, you can get this creepy nun habit to go with the mask. You can also re-use it if you want to go as the main villain from The Nun 2 (which comes out this year).
In addition to the "nun" mask, the TV series also has this "run" mask. And, believe us, people will when they see you coming in it.
Who could forget this face from the TV series? All you need is a blonde wig in long pigtails and you'll look just like the infamous doll girl.
Marisa (she/her) has covered all things parenting, from the postpartum period through the empty nest, for Good Housekeeping since 2018; previously, she wrote about parents and families at Parents and Working Mother. She lives with her toy-collecting husband and daughter in Brooklyn, where she can be found helping out her team at bar trivia or posting about movies on Twitter and Bluesky.
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