Beloved DWTS Alum Stuns in Barbie-Inspired Halloween Look & Fans Are Loving It
Rugby star and “Dancing with the Stars” Season 33 alum Ilona Maher went all out for Halloween on October 31. She completely transformed her hair color to a bold blonde hue and wore bold makeup to become vintage Barbie.
Ilona Maher Transforms Into Vintage Barbie
Maher, who placed second on DWTS Season 33 alongside professional dance partner Alan Bersten, posted several photos of herself on Instagram showing off her look. She wore a stunning black trumpet dress that fit her perfectly, and she paired it with long black gloves.
The glamorous look also included an embroidered handkerchief, a doll of herself in Rugby uniform, and eye-catching blue eyeshadow and red lipstick. “Hi, Barbie!” Maher wrote in the caption, before crediting those responsible for her dress, wig, and makeup.
Undone by Kate, the brand that created the dress, responded to the post with a supportive comment. “Perfection so much fun making this for you,” they wrote. “You make it so easy to love you,” a fan shared.
Other reactions include, “Awww so cute,” “Iconic,” “That’s our Barbie,” and “YOU ARE ICONIC ALWAYS.”
Maher has undoubtedly won over fans with her Halloween outfit, but where was she going all dressed up?
The pro athlete attended one of the most prestigious Halloween parties of the year, Heidi Klum’s annual Halloween bash. It was held at the Hard Rock Hotel New York on October 31, 2025, in New York City. The event was attended by many celebrities, including Ice-T and his wife, Coco Austin; Darren Criss and his wife, Mia Swier, who dressed as Shrek and Puss in Boots; and Klum and her husband, Tom Kaulitz. Klum dressed up as Medusa, and Kaulitz was a stone figure.
Ilona Maher Discusses the Importance of Barbie
Maher’s choice of Barbie for Halloween is meaningful, and she has one modeled after her likeness. She has discussed what this meant to her in an interview with Women’s Health on October 6. “My insecurities used to be my broad shoulders, how big I am, and how strong I am,” she told Women’s Health. If she had grown up with a Barbie that looked like her, it would have had a significant impact, helping Maher embrace who she is. “I think it would’ve helped me,” she said. “You can see, ‘Okay, my Barbie has that, [and] I have that, so I am beautiful.’”
She loves that she can now be that representation for others and proudly spoke about her fan base. “My fan base is women and girls—and boys as well—but it’s [the girls] I connect with because I see myself in them,” she said. “I’m like ‘Oh, I know you.’”
Kyle Richards Says There Will Be Things Fans Will 'Not Expect' in RHOBH Season 15
Kyle Richards says Real Housewives of Beverly Hills fans should get ready for some shake ups in the show’s upcoming 15th season.
Richards, 56, caught up with PEOPLE exclusively while attending the Anastasia Soare and Oprah Winfrey in Conversation at Raising Brows event in L.A. on Oct. 23. During the discussion, she said that viewers can expect some new faces and dynamics when the show returns to Bravo on Dec. 4.
“The dynamics between everybody has just changed so much, and things you just would not expect, and a lot of people are changing,” she teases.
Richards adds, “And we have a lot of new blood in the group, so I think the audience is going to be very excited this season.”
The reality star — who has been a part of RHOBH since the show's inception and has never skipped a season — also reveals whether she plans to retire from the series any time soon.
Kyle Richards at the Sona Warrior Awards in L.A. on Oct. 12, 2025.
C Polk/Variety via Getty
“Listen, that day obviously will come,” she says. “It's been a long time. Fifteen years. It really is. It’s a long time. I don't know how long this can go on, how long I can go on for.”
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“There have been different times, season 5, I think maybe even before," she says, adding, "I can think of a number of seasons where I almost walked away."
Continuing, she adds, "But 15 years is a long time, and there's things I want to do, and it takes up a lot of time. And [my youngest daughter] Portia is going to college, so who knows."
Richards has previously opened up about the challenges of being on a hit reality show, noting that it can be difficult to live life under a microscope.
“I mean, it's very difficult for your life [to be] out there and have the world weighing in on analyzing things and people not knowing you know the full scope of full details,” she told PEOPLE while attending An Unforgettable Evening Benefiting the Women’s Cancer Research Fund event in Beverly Hills, Calif., in April.
“And judging you without being able to explain everything, it's very difficult. So it depends on what year and what season, whether I can handle it or not,” she added.
While speaking to PEOPLE at the recent Raising Brows event, Richards also provided an update on friend and former RHOBH castmate Teddi Mellencamp, 44, who recently revealed that her stage 4 cancer is in remission.
“Teddi is doing a lot better,” Richards says.
She continues, “She had posted on her Instagram Story that she's cancer free, so we just keep praying and keep her on that path. And she does struggle with getting depressed often, so sometimes it’s just about going over, just dragging her out of the house, honestly. When she doesn't really want to do anything, when she’s feeling down. And we just show up and say, ‘No, we're going to get frozen yogurt,’ or, ‘We're going on a walk.’ ”
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“It's really, really crazy, but she's been so strong and such a trooper. I just have so much admiration for her," she adds.
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills season 15 premieres on Bravo on Dec. 4.
