Essay Sample: Halloween Costumes History Analysis
Many people remember Halloween from their childhood. Halloween is remembered differently by different generations, and how people celebrate it varies from decade to decade. How individuals celebrated Halloween forty or fifty years ago is not the same way current children are celebrating. Candy and costumes are the only remaining necessary Halloween activities. Although they haven't gone away, the way they dress for the occasion has changed. As years passed costumes evolved, based on what was popular at the time. Halloween is currently a big business with the trend of costume making and how individuals enjoy the latest costumes. As time changes, Halloween costumes also change depending on the time they happen. Halloween of the 80s is different from that of the 2020s. This work will analyze Halloween costumes and how they have progressed over the years.
Since the 19th century, Americans have been dressing up in different costumes to celebrate Halloween. Time, popular culture, and current trends all influence the outfits. In 1980, for example, the movie 'Halloween,' which was a success at the time, was influenced by Halloween costumes. Because of the film, making bloody, gory Halloween costumes became popular in the 1980s (McGinnis, 2021). As seen in previous years up to 2021, making presidential masks has also been a popular way of celebrating Halloween. The sale of presidential masks has predicted the US election at different times throughout the years. Research shows that Halloween began in the 19th century where an individual would make their costumes. These costumes were mainly witch or ghost costumes because that was all it entailed at the time. People would make them and decorate their homes with witchcraft and ghostly ideas. There were no stores selling costumes, and handmade ones were good enough as individuals enjoyed their ghost or witch costumes.
Different eras brought with them a variety of Halloween costume ideas. Individuals turned from the ghostly and witchery concepts to anything 'exotic' in the late nineteenth century. People would dress up in costumes from other countries and celebrate Halloween in the most imaginative ways possible. From Egyptian princesses to Chinese impersonators, many of these costumes were considered unique and popular. Halloween was celebrated in a variety of ways in the twentieth century. Schools held Halloween celebrations, and students were encouraged to be creative and make different costumes out of paper. This was the era when individuals would celebrate Halloween in many creative ways. In the eighties, Halloween was common, and many people had developed different ways to celebrate it. In 1982, for instance, an extra-terrestrial movie was released, and it inspired many people during the Halloween celebrations. Many people wanted to dress like friendly aliens. In the eighties, the theme of Halloween changed and took a dark, gory turn—which has never been before (Lakritz, 2020). The horror-ish theme began in the eighties, and many people took it well. The film Halloween added the gory theme, which had not been in the past. At first, it was weird because the theme was bloody and otherworldly, but the reception made it a success changing the history of Halloweens.
In the 90s, Halloween was a bit different as it involved individuals dressing in different brands. People would dress like McDonald’s, among other brands. Dressing up in brands is still common in the current century and has never been that old. The 2000s changed how individuals viewed Halloween. It marked the beginning of making presidential masks that predicted the next president. Many Halloweens create these masks when the elections are approaching, and most predictions had not failed or contradicted the theme until 2016 when Donald Trump’s masks were selling, but no one could predict whether it was a good way for the con (Miss Celania, 2020). The introduction of sexy outfits increased and remains a popular version of many Halloweens today. Many people wear different costumes but in a sexier version creating a different theme for Halloween. Rather than the known ghostly themes, Halloween is changing and incorporating other ideas from different centuries. In the last few years, cultural appropriation has become common, representing the minority culture in different places. Many people dress as individuals of a certain culture, fully representing them, showing that cultural appropriation is important. Just like in the eighties when Halloween, the movie, and extra-terrestrial played a huge role in making Halloween costumes, a euphoria film in 2020 also inspired many to create a costume (Lakritz, 2020). The current society creates its costumes from what is trending.
In conclusion, the growth of Halloween costumes of the years shows that many people make their costumes depending on what is trending. From movies to politics, most individuals create what is talked about at the time. Halloween costumes follow cultural trends, and it has been so over different times. If one wants to make a good or memorable costume, one should look at what individuals are talking about. Pop culture and different stories that individuals are talking about are effective in making Halloween costumes. The current society makes costumes depending on what is happening or talked about the most, as seen with many celebrities.
