By Chi Steadman

Halloween is based on the Pagan festival called Samhain. During Samhain, people would wear disguises to ward off monsters. As time progressed, this tradition turned into what is now called Halloween.

Samhain is known as the start of the darker half of the year where people believed the veil between the living and the dead thinned. People would start bonfires and wear costumes to blend in with the spirits passing over.

Some people during Samhain would trick each other while in costume, then blame it on the spirits. As the Victorian era came around, people strayed farther from the original idea and dressed up for fun and wearing more unique costumes.

More media, such as Star Wars and Disney productions, came around. This media influenced costumes to be made for people who enjoyed that franchise. Batman and Spiderman are common costumes bought for kids and adults.

Costumes first started off being made with crepe paper, and now there’s all sorts of materials being used for costumes and props to go with the costume. Some people wear frilly tutus to match with their costumes, while some wear layers and many accessories.

The same evolution has led to people now wearing all sorts of costumes, from monster-like demons to favorite characters from a franchise. These outfits are not used to blend in with spirits passing over, instead people wear them for fun. Much like the Victorian Era where people began using literature and animals to inspire costumes.