Every October, Halloween brings a wave of creativity to schools, neighborhoods and social media feeds. From classic witches and vampires to pop culture icons and DIY masterpieces, costumes have become one of the most recognizable parts of the holiday, but behind today’s playful outfits lie a long and layered history. A holiday that began as a way to ward off spirits has evolved through religious traditions, immigrant customs and commercial trends to become a modern global phenomenon. The tale of Halloween costumes offers a glimpse into how cultural traditions shift, adapt and endure over time.
The tradition of dressing up for Halloween traces back over two millennia to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, celebrated on Oct. 31 across regions of present-day Ireland and Scotland between roughly 500 B.C.E. and 500 C.E. Samhain marked the end of the harvest season and the onset of winter, a period the Celts associated with death and the supernatural. They believed that during this time, the veil between the living and the spirit world thinned, allowing ghosts to roam the earth. People wore masks and disguises made from animal hides to blend in with wandering souls or warding off harmful entities. These costumes were meant to be spiritual and protective rather than decorative.
During the early Middle Ages, as Christianity spread throughout Europe, pagan rituals were reframed to align with Christian beliefs. Samhain later merged with All Hallows’ Eve, the night before All Saints’ Day, a Christian holiday that honors saints. During this time, people began dressing as souls, saints or spirits and went door to door collecting “soul cakes” in exchange for prayers for the dead, a practice known as “souling.” Around the same time, mumming traditions in Ireland and Scotland developed: groups performed songs and skits in disguise while visiting homes, often receiving food in return. These two customs established the foundation of Halloween’s costume and trick-or-treat culture.
When Irish and Scottish immigrants arrived in the United States in large numbers during the 19th century, they brought their Halloween customs with them. In the 1840s, waves of Irish immigration following the Great Famine helped popularize Halloween across American communities, particularly in urban areas. Over time, costumes shifted to emphasize anonymity and mischief, allowing wearers, often children and young adults, to play pranks without being recognized. Common tricks included knocking over outhouses, tipping wagons, removing gates from fences or soaping windows. Eventually, many towns organized community parties and parades as a safer outlet for Halloween fun.
By the late 1800s and early 1900s, masquerade-style outfits and spooky imagery became central to Halloween festivities, blending European folklore with emerging American cultural trends. These costumes were typically homemade, crafted from simple materials like fabric scraps, paper masks or bed sheets, and reflected local ghost stories or community legends. Townspeople dressed as headless horsemen, haunted brides or the spirits of nearby graveyards. This period marked the transformation of Halloween costumes from centuries-old Celtic rituals into a growing American tradition that emphasized creativity, playfulness and cultural adaptation.
“When I think about older homemade costumes, I’m always amazed by how resourceful people were,” senior, Indesign president and Studio 74 costume lead Audrey Zhu said. “They didn’t have Spirit Halloween stores and they used whatever they had on hand to create something spooky or theatrical. That kind of creativity is something we still try to channel in our Studio 774 productions today.”
In the mid-20th century, Halloween costumes began to reflect growing consumerism. As mass production expanded in the post-World War II era, corporations like Ben Cooper, Collegeville and Halco began producing affordable, ready-to-wear costumes that made it easier for families to participate without the effort of sewing or assembling disguises by hand. Sold through department stores and mail order catalogs, these boxed costumes typically featured a simple fabric smock paired with a thin plastic mask. Early designs included familiar figures like witches, skeletons and ghosts, but by the 1930s and 1940s, popular media icons such as Mickey Mouse, Snow White and Superman started appearing, marking a shift toward more character-based costumes. By the 1960s, characters from television, comic books and Hollywood franchises were heavily influencing costume trends.
In recent decades, Halloween has grown from a primarily North American celebration into a global phenomenon, shaped by both cultural exchange and modern media. While many cultures have long observed their own festivals honoring the dead, such as Mexico’s Día de los Muertos or Japan’s Obon, the Western version of Halloween has spread widely through movies, television and online culture. As American customs like trick-or-treating and costume parties gained international visibility, countries in Europe, Asia, and Latin America began adopting these specific events in addition to their current celebrations. In Japan, for example, Halloween celebrations took off in the 1990s after theme parks like Tokyo Disneyland hosted seasonal parades, inspiring elaborate street festivals and cosplay-style costumes. In places like the United Kingdom, Ireland and parts of continental Europe, Halloween has experienced a revival that blends older mumming and souling traditions with the modern American holiday.
From ancient rituals to modern DIY creations, Halloween costumes have continually reflected the values, fears and imaginations of society. Today, whether someone chooses a handcrafted costume inspired by history or a store-bought superhero suit, each outfit carries traces of traditions layered with modern influences. More than just festive attire, Halloween costumes are living artifacts that reveal how communities adapt rituals over time, blending the old with the new to celebrate creativity, culture and connection.
“Halloween costumes are really about storytelling,” Zhu said. “Whether it’s through historical references, pop culture icons or your own original design, you’re showing the world who you are or who you want to be for a night. That’s why I think they’ll keep evolving with every generation.”
