More Than Dress-Up: Cosplay and Halloween Costumes

While Halloween costumes are typically worn during October, many cosplayers see the month as another opportunity to showcase their creativity and passion. While both involve dressing up, Halloween costumes and cosplay differ significantly in their purposes, levels of commitment, and overall meaning to those who wear them.

What’s the difference?

Let’s take a look back at the history of the two. Halloween’s origins begin with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, a pagan holiday celebrating the end of the summer harvest.  During Samhain, people would wear disguises to ward off spirits and confuse them. As Irish immigrants arrived in North America in the 1840s, Samhain was brought with them. As traditions began to change, Halloween adapted into our modern holiday, commonly known for frights, trick-or-treating, and costumes.

Halloween costumes are often worn for a single event, like parties, trick-or-treating, or themed gatherings. The focus is on fun and festive celebrations, with costumes integral to getting into the spooky spirit.

Halloween costumes are often purchased from stores or assembled with readily available items, prioritizing convenience over intricate detail (most of the time). Whether it’s a classic monster, a favorite TV character, or something humorous, the goal is usually to enjoy the night rather than aim for character accuracy or craftsmanship.

Cosplay, however, is often about dedication. The hobby can be traced back to 1970s Japan. Cosplay, a combination of the words ‘costume’ and ‘play,’ was coined by Nobuyuki Takahashi, a Japanese reporter who attended the 1984 World Science Fiction Convention (Worldcon) in Los Angeles. As anime and manga became more popular in the United States through the 1980s, cosplay gained traction, becoming mainstream in the 2000s with TV and social media appearances.

While cosplay was initially influenced by anime and manga, a cosplayer does not need to be limited by those genres. You can cosplay someone from any book, movie, TV show, video game, or even an original character. While Halloween costumes are worn once and stored away, cosplay can be done anytime, anywhere—at home, with friends, at conventions, or shared with online communities.

Celebration and craft

While there is room for overlap between dressing up for a hobby and an occasion, the biggest distinction between Halloween costumes and cosplay comes from commitment and intention.

Halloween, at its core, is a holiday. Costumes are fun, often either exaggerated or simple, and about the collective thrill of celebrating together. The focus is on lighthearted fun, and there’s often an element of spontaneity or last-minute costume assembly involved. Store-bought costumes are common, and while there are certainly more elaborate or custom-made Halloween outfits, the intent is usually centered on fun for the night.

Cosplayers, however, spend months working on their costumes to perfect every detail. They use skills like sewing, painting, and prop-making to bring characters to life, though cosplay can come in many forms. Some tend to handcraft their outfits, focusing heavily on precision and attempting to replicate every aspect of their chosen character’s appearance. In contrast, others take a more casual approach with items already in their everyday closet or purchase premade costumes. Whether made or bought, cosplaying goes beyond just looking like the character—cosplayers aim to be the character.

To provide deeper insights into the world of cosplay, Sab, known online as CosplaybySab, spoke with Her Campus about their passion for the craft. As a cosplayer with over 350k followers across social media platforms, Sab is recognized for their intricate costumes and commitment to character portrayal.

Sab’s cosplay journey began earlier than they realized.

“I’ve actually been cosplaying for way longer than I considered myself a cosplayer,” Sab said. “I’ve been dressing up and going to Megacon since I was 13, but I only started calling myself a cosplayer 5-6 years later.”

This sentiment captures the essence of cosplay: it’s more than just wearing a costume – it’s an evolving passion for the characters people love.

Sab’s first cosplay was a tribute to Doctor Who’s Eleventh Doctor, a fan favorite.

“I was so tiny, and I remember it was my first time going to Hot Topic; I was stunned,” Sab said. “I bought the most expensive blazer from Target, not knowing any better, and accidentally bought a real sonic screwdriver—it was so heavy! The rest is history.”

Like many first-time cosplayers, Sab’s early experiences were filled with learning curves, but it only fueled their passion.

When asked about the distinction between Halloween costumes and cosplaying, Sab points out that Halloween is typically a once-a-year event, while cosplaying happens all year long.

“An issue with Halloween costumes is that many people toss them away after one or two uses, contributing to overconsumption,” Sab said. “Thrift stores don’t normally accept costumes unless it’s near Halloween, which feeds into growing landfills. While cosplayers aren’t exempt from this, it’s common in the community to make your own costumes, thrift, or reuse what you already own.”

This difference extends beyond sustainability. For cosplayers, the craft is about the love of the characters and the art of creation.

“Halloween can be an entry point for a lot of people into cosplay,” Sab said.

“Someone might feel so comfortable in their Halloween costume and think, ‘Wow, maybe I’m a cosplayer!’ It’s all about having fun. If you consider yourself a cosplayer, then you are a cosplayer.”

Sab / @CosplaybySab

Sab acknowledges that between Halloween costumes and cosplaying, there is still a stigma surrounding cosplay.

“I think many people view cosplayers as weird, but honestly, people are just showing their nerdy side, and I think it’s wonderful. Everyone’s just having fun,” Sab said. “If you love what you’re doing and embrace it, that’s what truly matters.”

Despite any outside judgment, cosplayers continue to embrace the joy and creativity that the hobby brings.

Anyone can dress up

The essence of dressing up is about self-expression. Whether you throw together a last-minute spooky outfit for Halloween or spend months perfecting the details of your favorite character, the joy of dressing up is universal. In both worlds, there’s space for everyone. It is now easier than ever to see how cosplay and Halloween costumes both contribute to a culture of creativity, fun, and self-expression.

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