100 Years of Halloween Costumes Fashion

For centuries, people have celebrated Halloween with costumes that run the gamut from spooky to sweet. An early reference to wearing costumes at Halloween comes from Scotland in 1585, but they may pre-date this. There are many references to the custom during the 18th and 19th centuries in the Celtic countries of Scotland, Ireland, Mann and Wales.  Halloween costumes are traditionally based on frightening supernatural or folkloric beings. However, by the 1930s costumes based on characters in mass media such as film, literature, and radio were popular. Halloween costumes have tended to be worn mainly by young people, but since the mid-20th century they have been increasingly worn by adults also.

Watch the video to check out Halloween costumes one decade at a time.  Scare on!