STRICTLY FASHION

Halloween costumes in the early 20th century had a dark and eerie vibe, reflecting the holiday's origins in pagan and Christian traditions. The shift towards more lighthearted and pop culture-inspired costumes is a recent development, as Halloween was originally a time for facing fears and superstitions. The day was considered outside the norm, allowing people to act differently from society's expectations. The genesis of Halloween costumes may trace back over 2,000 years to the Celtic pagan festival of Samhain in the British Isles. During this festival, people believed that the world of the gods became visible, leading to supernatural mischief. Villagers would wear disguises like animal skins and heads to trick wandering spirits. Playing pranks and blaming the spirits became a common practice, with masks and cover-ups seen as ways to get away with mischief. This tradition has continued to evolve throughout Halloween's history. Christianity adopted October 31 as a holiday in the 11th century to replace pagan celebrations. The name "Halloween" comes from "All Hallows Eve," the day before All Saints' Day. Folkloristic aspects of Samhain were incorporated, like dressing up as souls of the dead to gather treats. In medieval England and Ireland, people would go from house to house to collect "soul cakes" on behalf of the dead. Later, spooky outfits were worn to personify winter spirits or demons, engaging in mumming for food. (a practice known as “mumming”). As Irish and Scottish immigrants brought Halloween traditions to America in the 18th century, the holiday quickly gained popularity. Rural Americans embraced its pagan roots, focusing on death and wearing homemade scary costumes for anonymity. Dressing up was all about being completely disguised. In the 1920s and 1930s, annual Halloween masquerades became popular for both adults and children, held in rented salons or family homes. Costume preparations started as early as August, benefiting from being between summer and Christmas. It was a way to come together before the turning of the season, and marketers capitalized on this as Halloween became more commercialized. In the same decades, costumes influenced by pop culture emerged, alongside the first major costume manufacturing companies. The J. Halpern Company (better known as Halco) of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, began licensing images of fictional characters like Popeye, Olive Oyl, Little Orphan Annie, and Mickey Mouse during this time. People were captivated by impersonating characters on the fringes of society, like pirates, gypsies, and homeless individuals. This interest led to Halloween pranks becoming popular in North America, sometimes escalating to vandalism and rioting. The press labeled this behavior the "Halloween problem," with costumes possibly contributing to the chaos. People were captivated by impersonating characters on the fringes of society, like pirates, gypsies, and homeless individuals. This interest led to Halloween pranks becoming popular in North America, sometimes escalating to vandalism and rioting. The press labeled this behavior the "Halloween problem," with costumes possibly contributing to the chaos. Throughout its history, Halloween has evolved, moving away from its original association with death to make room for new types of costumes. 'After World War II, American Halloween costumes started to reflect pop culture through TV, focusing on superheroes, comic characters, and entertainment figures. The trend shifted towards store-bought costumes, with Ben Cooper dominating the market by the 1960s.' During the '60s, adults began to dress up for Halloween in a more playful and fun manner, inspired by characters like Wonder Woman and Luke Skywalker rather than traditional scary costumes. This shift marked a change in costume choices, with people opting to show their faces and portray a lighter, special version of themselves through their outfits. But scary outfits found a place, inspired by splatter-horror movies from the 1970s and 80s like "Halloween" and "A Nightmare on Elm Street." These decades also saw gay communities embracing Halloween for wild outfits and parades, leading to a rise in Halloween parties with daring and sexy costumes becoming more popular in recent years. Halloween costumes have evolved into a global celebration of fantasies, detached from their origins in Christianity and paganism. The current trend shows a shift towards commercialism rather than personal creativity, with fewer people opting to make their own outfits. We're all using the same costumes available for purchase, leading to excessive waste. People would express themselves more uniquely by making their own costumes like they used to.