Have you ever wondered why folks decide to dress up for Halloween? According to the National Retail Foundation, there will be an estimated $8.4 billion in America being spent on Halloween costumes and decorations solely on this ghoulish night of the year. Now, although we are fully aware that this holiday is super fun, there does come a time where you ask why. Why do you spend so much money on a costume? Why do you dress up, to begin with? Well, allow us to enlighten you on the history of this day in order for you to understand.
- Long History: Halloween Costumes have been around for over 2,000 years. The tradition of Halloween can be traced all the way down to an ancient Celtic festival called Samhain, or “summer’s end.” The Celtics, located at what we know now as Ireland, the United Kingdom, and Northern France, participated in an annual festival on October 31st, which was their New Year’s Eve, and the day that they believed the line between the living and the dead were blurred. To ensure they were not bothered too much by the dead, they would paint their bodies and wear all white, in hopes that the dead didn’t notice them when they roamed the Earth on this day. They would also leave out food and drinks for the spirits as some sort of peace offerings to these deities.
- The Evolution of Halloween Costumes during the Victorian Era. This was the time that travel was becoming less difficult which meant that people all around the world were able to learn about different cultures; hence making Halloween that much more interesting. You would then begin seeing ensembles that reflected the different cultures and people everyone met during their holidays and began the knowledge of the world-wide melting pot.
- Gothic Novels Played a Role as Well: Another milestone that happened during the Victorian Era was, of course, Jane Eye’s book, Wuthering Heights was published. This gothic novel surely played a part in evolving Halloween into a bunch of ghouls, goblins, and a plethora of ancient Egyptian ensembles. Pretty interesting, right?
- Halloween Costumes Began Manufacturing in the U.S. in the 1920’s: America’s multi-million-dollar industry has only been around for 100 years or less. Although everyone knew about the ghoulish holiday during that time, folks had to make their own ensembles to celebrate the big day up until then. Now, you see pop-up shops all over the country whenever October 31st is approaching.
- The Start of the Sexy Costumes: In 2018, some girls believe that Halloween is all about wearing the most sensual item they can find and strutting their stuff all over bashes in their skimpy, but adorable clothing. Well, that trend didn’t begin until the 1970s. It interestingly enough originated as a way for the gay community and feminists to flaunt their sexuality on the scariest night of the year. Now it’s the most traditional type of costume for adults.
Now it’s nearly time to put on your Halloween costume and get out there! There’s a holiday to celebrate! What will you be dressing up as this year? Share it with us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. Connect with us on Pinterest too!
Sources: