By: Emma Levine
“A person should always choose a costume which is in direct contrast to her own personality,” said Lucy in ‘It’s the Great Pumpkin; Charlie Brown.”
Halloween is a big deal to many people, and the costumes are crucial to the entire experience. As many girls grow up, their costumes have become much different and they have stopped going trick-or-treating.
However, ordering costumes from Shein and running to Spirit Halloween at the last minute has not always been a possibility. Costumes have evolved greatly over the decades, as well as the way we put them together.
In 1910, women were making their costumes and often dressed up as witches which was a modest costume that got the job done. They did not begin buying manufactured costumes until the end of the 20th century. The 20s were the era of the flapper which was still a rather modest costume but was an unconventional style for the time. This was an era where women started including everyday styles in their costumes.
Lucky for everyone and their significant others, couples costumes were pioneered in the 30s. This is because Disney costumes were being mass-produced after new licensing deals with Walt Disney.
Things significantly changed in the 1940s once women started wearing shorter dresses and fishnets, and began to pin up their hair. This was uncharted territory for women at the time and costumes only became more revealing as time went on. The 50s were full of cowgirl costumes, thanks to all of the Western movies debuting at the time.
But, the real radical change in costumes was during the 60s and 70s when superhero costumes became a top choice for women. In 1966, after Catwoman was created in the television series “Batman,” women began to wear catsuit costumes and they felt they could express their sexuality more. Besides Catwoman, Wonder Woman was introduced to the world and she became a popular choice as well. She was a symbol of empowerment and female strength at the time.
This was the real turning point in the modesty of costumes, and the 80s, 90s and early 2000s all followed this same pattern. Costumes became an outlet for dressing up as favorite bands, singers and celebrities.
Scrolling on someone’s instagram feed would show quite a variety of costumes throughout the years. The best thing about this progression in costumes is that they have been influenced by both age and the trends going on at the moment.
If you’re choosing to be someone else this Hallloween, choose wisely and own it!