As a kid, Halloween was the spookiest night of the year. Everyone was dressed as ghostly ghouls or spiteful black cats. Today, however, I can’t help but notice that these types of costumes have become lost in our society. I am now seeing farm animals such as cows, favorite fictional characters like the iconic Regina George, and enough Elphaba and Glindas to fill the entire yellow brick road. These costumes — while being very cute and fun ideas — make me wonder about the sudden switch-up. Are scary costumes truly out and making room for these new pop culture trends?
“It’s fun to get scared.”
I have found that many people my age who miss the nostalgia of their childhood always talk about the holidays. Halloween, Christmas, Easter — even Valentine’s Day; all seemed to shine in a brighter light when we were little. Halloween was the one night of the year when dressing up like a zombie ghost bride was acceptable. I took full advantage of this opportunity and learned how to do all kinds of spooky makeup with the only supplies available to me: my own mother’s makeup. There is more to the lack of scary Halloween costumes than has to do with the holiday in general.
Kathryn Jezer-Morton, a columnist for the magazine The Cut, states in her article Why Isn’t Halloween Scary Anymore,“Being spooked on Halloween is one of my favorite childhood memories…” Jezer-Morton told a story of how the adults in her neighborhood had pulled pranks on her when she was little, and explains, “The fear I felt that one Halloween has lasted like a magic elixir in my mind ever since. It’s made me want to find more sources of that feeling, even just for a split second, as I attune my attention while passing an abandoned building or notice a figure walking past in the shadows”. For Jezer-Morton and many like her, the whole point of Halloween is to get scared. It is what makes the holiday so thrilling as the anticipation of fear gets to you.Â
Having said this, wearing a scary costume may elicit some of those excitingly spooky feelings. In elementary school, the Halloween parade was the spookiest time when all the older kids would watch us show off our eerie outfits. We would even have a competition for the best costume based on how scary it is. Now, however, it seems people would rather wear unique costumes that maybe relate to who they are as a person. This enhances the theme of the holiday as more people start wearing whatever they want without the confines of having to only wear something scary.Â
Costumes are creative expressions.Â
I may be calling myself out here when I say I have not worn many scary costumes in recent years. I have been a Velma from Scooby-Doo, Strawberry Shortcake, and many other fun characters during the spooky season. What made me stand out was that I chose my favorite characters to express myself as they resemble my personality. Many people also like to do this;, however, the general idea is that people wear whatever they want on Halloween based on multiple factors.Â
Wearing whatever costume you want promotes diversity and inclusion for all categories of dress-up. As writer Sara Li explains in her article, Halloween? Or an International Day of Self-Expression?, “People’s costumes are increasingly vibrant and diverse. Some meticulously recreate their favorite anime… others turn their attention to intimidating some controversial political figures… to make a satirical point”. Allowing a unique perspective on Halloween costumes offers people to explore themselves and their beliefs. Forcing people to conform to these spooky themes also hinders self-expression and puts Halloween inside a box with certain rules/regulations.
Li also comments on how Chinese individuals have infused their culture into Halloween. The Halloween parade in Shanghai went viral and describes, “The Western holiday has become a joyful and creative celebration for people in different cultural contexts”. Li also expressed, “Seeing the Shanghai parade made me genuinely happy — it was thrilling to see how two vastly different cultures could blend so seamlessly”. In a cultural context, Halloween allows people to showcase every aspect of themselves, including where and what country they represent. This creates an outlet for everyone and provides an open-minded understanding of the holiday as a whole.Â
It seems to be the general consensus that thinking outside the box for your Halloween costume is the most important theme. I have been blown away by some of the costumes lined up for this year. From Rio birds to a Silent Hill nurse, there are many intriguing options for your next spooky strut of the season. Go out with friends and plan a group costume, or go solo! Whatever is decided, Halloween costumes are meant to be entertaining and totally up to you! So go eat massive amounts of candy, get chased by Freddy Krueger, and let your inner monster fall into some serious madness.Â