Halloween Costumes

halloween · traditions · dress-up · fun

Spooky origins. Long ago, Halloween costumes were meant to look like scary supernatural creatures and beings from folklore. People believed dressing this way would confuse ghosts and spirits on Halloween night.

Characters took over. By the 1930s, costumes based on movie stars, book characters, and radio personalities became super popular. Instead of just monsters, kids could dress as their favorite characters from entertainment.

Kids ruled at first. For a long time, mainly young people wore Halloween costumes, usually while trick-or-treating to get candy. But over time, especially since the mid-1900s, adults started dressing up too.

All ages now. Today, people of all ages wear Halloween costumes to parties, events, and while celebrating in their neighborhoods. You'll see costumes ranging from silly to scary to absolutely creative.