Okay, so this is a fun one. I feel like Halloween is one of those more modern/secular holidays where people all the time will say “oh yeah I know the history of the holiday and where everything stems from” but either not actually knowing, or only having a more vague generic idea.
Not to worry! I have truly wanted to do more of a deep dive on the history of Halloween so without further adieu…the History of Halloween! A mini-series where I explore the history of the holiday from it’s beginnings to where we’re at today!
The History of the Halloween Costume
Okay We Know Samhain But…
Samhain, /ˈsɑːwɪn, ˈsaʊɪn/, the pagan festival to mark the end of harvest season that began in Ireland, is where we typically associate most any origins the many traditions we continue and uplift every Halloween. And…costumes are no different!
This is a point in the year when spirits wander the world freely, and when we as humans offer food to the spirits that wander.
When dressing in costume, at this time you would dress up as various animals, you might be mistaken and considered a wandering spirit yourself, either by those around you or the spirits themselves.
Eventually Chistianity swept up Samhain, and many of its traditions, with other pagan holidays as Christianity spread through Europe, shaping these holidays to fit their own teachings and beliefs.
Costuming then took a different turn as people would then dress up to be like souls of those their passed on relatives, and later as demons and other spirits.
How About In America?
Once there started to be a large wave of Irish immigrants in the 1800’s, Halloween as we know it today began to finally take root in America.
And costumes were one of the biggest reasons that it spread so quickly! Costumes gave a sense of anonymity to the wearer, and with that and the comradery of dressing up in strange outfits, it was a no brainer!
At this point, though, costumes were typically made with whatever was had on hand at home. And in a roundabout way, this is what led to one of the most iconic images of Halloween costumes, the bedsheet ghost.
The idea of the bedsheets most likely stems from the burial shrouds that were placed on bodies centuries before Halloween first appeared in America via Irish immigrants, but it was certainly a costume that had passed down. And with continuing with the idea of using whatever you had to make your costume, a bedsheet gets really as simple as it gets.
Almost always recognizable, the look of the bedsheet ghost was even referenced as early as 1920 on a Saturday Evening Post cover by Norman Rockwell.
Like All Things America…Commercialism!
In the 20’s/30’s, Halloween costumes started to begin being mass produced and companies started to pop up that licensed popular IP to turn into Halloween costumes.
One of the first? Most likely Mickey Mouse.
Do I Need To Say The Rest?
I really think that Halloween costumes are a great barometer of popular culture of the year. Why wait for year end listicles online of what the most popular tv show is, when all you need to do is see the most popular costume of that year. In that way, because my favorite thing to do at a party is people watching, costumes are one of my favorite parts of the Halloween season. That and I get to look just absolutely fabulous. ✨
