After four years of assembling an annual gallery of limb-different Halloween apparel, we assumed we’d seen it all by now. But once again, the river of amusing, exotic, hilarious, and downright weird costume ideas flows wide and deep in Amputee Nation. Certain guises can only be pulled off convincingly by someone who’s lost a limb or two—and maybe a few marbles as well.
To get a larger view of any image, just click and the original pic (at the trick-or-treater’s Instagram feed) will open in a new tab. Happy scrolling.
Best Josh Sundquist Costume
He’s the Lon Chaney of the limb-loss community, the Man of a Thousand Faces. Whenever they get around to establishing the Walk of Fame for amputee Halloween artists, Josh Sundquist gets the first and biggest star. . . . . FWIW, we don’t believe Lon Chaney ever played a fireman. He did, however, play a bilateral BK amputee in The Penalty. @joshsundquist.
Best Josh Sundquist Callback Costumes
Here’s an homage to the Sundquist costume that started it all back in 2010. Not totally sure who’s inside the suit, but his name’s Joe and he’s a patient at Allcare O&P. @allcareoandp.
Bella Block pays tribute to a non-Halloween masterpiece, which Sundquist donned in 2017 to cheer up hospitalized kids. We adore Blizzards, but we have to point out that if the cup is supposed to be upside-down, shouldn’t the word “Blizzard” appear upside-down too? . . . . Obnoxious of us to point this out, but we edit for a living. @instabellaiety.
Best Will Ferrell/John C. Reilly Film Characters
That’s Amy Conroy as Brennan and a friend as step-brother Dale. @amyconroy10.
We’re about 90 pct sure that’s Amy Bream behind the mustache . . . . with Anna Bickers as Ricky Bobby. @onelegtostandon.
Best Sheroes
Jessica Jordan Ping made Swift work of her costume this year. @therollingexplorer.
Halloween can be scary, but serving in Congress is way scarier, amiright Senator? @senduckworth.
Best Oscar-nominated Film Characters
That’s Adam Roper as Blanche Hudson, alongside an anonymous Baby Jane. @theadamroper.
Red Shields, your spot-on version of Lt. Dan is worthy of a statuette. @blankspaceonamap.
Best Kid Costumes
You won’t find a cuter pumpkin in any pumpkin patch on the planet. @lucky_fin_project.
We can always Count on Oliver Aisthorpe for a few good scares. @theoliveraisthorpetrust.
Here’s Harmonie-Rose, all dolled up for some more trick-or-treating. @hope4harmonie.
How do you say adorable in Portuguese? (For the record, it’s adorável.) @clinicasottobock.
Best Film Characters From Outer Space
Looks like Kelsey Ryan got slightly Buzzed on Halloween this year. @kelseyy.ryan.
Lexi Youngberg Kuppler staffs the Human-Cyborg Relations desk long ago, in a galaxy far, far away. @lexii959.
Best Branded Costumes
Paralympic mascots like a good sugar high, like anyone else. @paris2024
Wait, Nubbs sold separately? . . . . . We shoulda read the whole package before we bought the costume. @trenubb.
Best Men Dressed as Women
We love ya, Ben Lovell. But if we need mouth-to-mouth, would you mind shaving your beard first? @justtheoneleg1978.
Call us crazy, but we don’t think Joe Roybal’s going to win the cookie-sales contest in his Girl Scout troop this year. @nojuicejoe.
Best Horror Movie Characters
Has Michigan ever produced a finer demon slayer than Lee Cleaveland? @lee_cleaveland.
TBH, we’re not sure which character Nick Harrier’s impersonating here. But we’ll drink to the costume, in any case. @prostheticguy.
Best Witchy Women
Here’s Huelya Marquardt dressed up as the Good Witch of the North and the South. @huelya_dennis.
Witch hunters, keep your eyes peeled for Vitoria Bueno. @vihb_bailarinia.
Best Boneheads
Don’t get cheeky with us, Chris Casteel. @chris.casteel.
Angel Giuffria’s got a bone to picket with you, Hollywood. @aannggeellll.
Best Pirates
By hook or by crook, Logan Aldrige is taking your candy. @loganaldridge.
Kevin Atlas’s Instagram handle says it all. Happy Halloween, @captainhook4life.
Wait, women can be pirates? You bet your Anne Bonny. @maemae0412.
Point of information: If you make a zombie pirate walk the plank, does he drown? Like, ever? @justtheoneleg1978.
Scariest Sockets 'n' Such
The shin bone’s connected to the . . . . skull bone? That’s apparently how things work at Anatomic Studios. @anatomic.studios.
Considering the cost of prosthetics, one should always be Pennywise. @eagle_orthopaedics.
Best Women Behaving Badly
Jaylyn is decidedly not a sight for sore eyes. Stone eyes, maybe. . . . @auraticangel.
We’ve watched a few episodes of Grey’s Anatomy, but we must have missed this one. @cristiegrey.
. . . . and Four for the Road
Carly Hughes does not seem to be clowning around. @carlyhughesxo.
Candy corn is rapidly losing market share to gummies, according to CNN. We’ll keep buying the stuff until the shelves are bare. @npdevices.