As the holidays roll around, we indulge ourselves in every festivity that comes along with them. From meticulously planned outfits to seasonal decorations, it becomes a habit to go above and beyond to stay ahead of the trends each year. As autumn rolls around and the opportunity for creativity shines through, the stress of demands to meet also comes with it.
Each Halloween, we’re able to express ourselves beyond what would be considered “normal.” We love to display creativity that expresses our personality, but is it ever really that easy? The reality of Halloween is far beyond the costume and the makeup that takes us endless hours to perfect, but rather the Instagram paradox we experience. As perfect as we make our costumes, the likes and comments that surround this yearly character we made up for one night can depict the tension that the media holds over us. The need to perfect every picture and pose can become a depiction of our hyper-visual environment that we constrain ourselves in. Outside of social media, insecurities and concerns of self-esteem may arise as we begin to question whether or not we were being extra or just too basic. The fear of expressing ourselves freely due to the opinions of others or even ourselves can impact the self-esteem we may feel during this holiday.
Halloween, as much as we may anticipate it each year, can feel like a hassle when it comes to the look and aesthetic we want to portray. Although it’s a holiday known for its ability to let us explore the creativity we have. It can become the center of our self-esteem and engagement once we surround ourselves with a certain depiction of what we should wear.