Every year during October, many people ponder what costume they should get. Some people plan their costumes, while others have a hard time deciding and leave it to the last minute.
When it comes to choosing costumes for Halloween, there are endless options ranging from characters from iconic horror films like Ghostface from the “Scream” series (1996-2023) to general costumes like a zombie. Regardless of the costume, each year there is always excitement and overwhelming dread of what to go as, especially if you are the only one you know dressing up.
Each year, it seems like with more movies being made, the list of characters people can choose from grows — the decision never gets easier. While Halloween is not observed by everyone, people can use the day as an excuse to dress like their favorite character from a show, outside of cosplay events, especially since most people will be dressed up anyway.
Some will choose to dress as the same thing they did last year, which does make it easier, though after a while, going as the same thing every year becomes boring and takes the fun away sometimes. However, people choose to go as the same thing because Halloween costumes can be pricey, especially if you only wear them one night out of the year.
One cool thing about Halloween costumes is that sometimes you don’t have to really go out and buy a pre-made costume; you can use what you have in your closet. For example, within the cosplay community, some people cosplay characters using what they have in their closets. While you might not have all of the items you need to look like certain characters, it does help limit how much you are spending on something you’ll wear only one time, and if you know how to sew, you can alter the clothes you use for Halloween.
Many people also struggle with choosing a costume because they’re going alone rather than with a group of friends. When most friends go out together on Halloween, the group usually chooses a specific character or a theme to go as. Since not everyone observes Halloween or just chooses not to go out, it can be a little harder when you are the only one making the choices about the costume you want to wear.
While having friends help with choosing a costume is helpful, it can also cause problems. We have all seen people argue over who gets to be a specific character. However, if you are going by yourself, you get the first pick of any costume you want and you don’t have to deal with arguments. That being said, it is also helpful when you have friends to discuss ideas or get tips on how to alter clothing.
It is important when talking about costumes to recognize that, during Halloween, some costumes are based on harmful stereotypes of actual cultures and religions. A very common and unfortunate example of this type of costume would be a “Native American Princess” or “Geisha.” When it comes to avoiding these costumes, if you have to ask if the costume is appropriate or not, then your answer is a solid no. In recent years, the halloween costume industry has gotten better about this and most people are more aware of how these can be offensive to others.
Choosing a costume for Halloween is not always going to be as simple and easy as we want it to be. So this year, regardless of if you are going as the same thing as last year, trying a closet costume or buying a new costume, it is still a fun aspect of the day, even if we don’t like to admit it out loud.
Regardless, I hope everyone enjoys the day, whether you dress up to go and get candy or are just dressing up for the fun of it. Use Halloween as an excuse to dress a little spooky, or as a character from your favorite film and enjoy eating candy and sweets.
