 |
This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (September 2008) |
 |
The examples and perspective in this article deal primarily with the United States and do not represent a worldwide view of the subject. Please improve this article or discuss the issue on the talk page. |
Halloween costumes are outfits worn on or around October 31, the day of Halloween. Halloween is a modern-day holiday originating in the Celtic pagan holiday of Samhain (in Christian times, the eve of All Saints Day). Costumes and masks were also worn at the festivals in an attempt to copy the evil spirits or placate them.[1][2]
Costuming became popular for Halloween parties in America in the early 1900s, as often for adults as for children. The first mass-produced Halloween costumes appeared in stores in the 1930s when trick-or-treating was becoming popular in the United States.
What sets Halloween costumes apart from costumes for other celebrations or days of dressing up is that they are often designed to imitate supernatural and scary beings. Costumes are traditionally those of monsters such as vampires, ghosts, skeletons, witches, and devils, or in more recent years such science fiction-inspired characters as aliens and superheroes. There are also costumes of pop culture figures like presidents, athletes, celebrities, or film, television, and cartoon characters. Another popular trend is for women (and in some cases, men) to use Halloween as an excuse to wear sexy or revealing costumes, showing off more skin than would be socially acceptable otherwise.
Halloween costume parties generally fall on, or around, 31 October, often falling on the Friday or Saturday prior to Halloween.
According to The National Retail Federation’s (NRF) 2008 Halloween Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey, the top Halloween costumes for children in the United States are:[3]
- Princess (generic)
- Witch
- Hannah Montana
- Spider-Man
- Pirate
- Star Wars Character
- Pumpkin / Jack-o'-lantern
- Batman
- Disney Princess
- Ghost (tie)
- Athlete / Sports figure (tie)
The top Halloween costumes for adults in the same year were:
- Witch
- Pirate
- Vampire
- Cat
- Fairy (#5 tie)
- Nurse (#5 tie)
- Batman (#6 tie)
- Political figure (#6 tie)
- Ghost
- Angel
- Clown (#9 tie)
- Wench/vixen (#9 tie)
- Athlete (#10 tie)
- French Maid (#10 tie)
- Queen (#10 tie)
See also
References
- ^ Campbell, John Gregorson (1900, 1902, 2005) The Gaelic Otherworld. Edited by Ronald Black. Birlinn Ltd. ISBN 1-84158-207-7 pp.559-62
- ^ Arnold, Bettina (2001-10-31). "Halloween Customs in the Celtic World". University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. http://www.uwm.edu/~barnold/lectures/holloween.html. Retrieved on 2007-10-16.
- ^ "Pop Culture, Election Play Role in Americans' Halloween Costume Choices", National Retail Federation, Washington, D.C., October 2, 2008.
Further reading
- Phyllis Galembo, Dressed for Thrills: 100 Years of Halloween Costumes and Masquerade, Harry N. Abrams, Inc. (2002). 128 pages. ISBN 0-8109-3291-1
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
