Over the past month, TikTok has been flooded with Halloween costume inspiration videos, many of which feature what viewers describe as lackluster and unimaginative outfits. The majority of these costumes are geared toward women and rely on everyday clothing with only subtle nods to a character. For example, somebody may wear a red t-shirt, yellow skirt, and yellow bear ears to be Winnie the Pooh. This has caused many women to question why our costumes have become so bland.
Although Halloween has roots in Pagan spiritual practice, it has long since evolved into a celebration of self-expression through makeup, costumes, and fashion. Yet in recent years, creativity seems to be fading among both Gen Z and Millennials. Each year, the majority of costumes tend to mirror whatever is currently trending, often executed in the simplest way possible. Whether this stems from a lack of time, limited resources, or a waning interest in the holiday, Halloween costumes today usually fall into two extremes: either simple and uninspired, or bold and extravagantly creative.
Because of the accessibility of pre-made costumes in stores throughout the country, many may find those options to be easier than DIY-ing a costume, which may be the main contributing factor to the decline of creativity in costumes. On the other hand, fashion as a whole has evolved into a very minimalist, effortless style, which is reflected in the way Halloween costumes are portrayed on social media now. There is also a significant fear of judgment among the “anxious generations,” and with Halloween being a heavily photographed celebration, many may find it easier to avoid ridicule by sticking to safe, simple costumes.
In my experience, if I am able to DIY the majority of my costume, I feel as if more of an effort has been put into it. Creativity in fashion is something that I find to be the best form of self expression, and Halloween is the best time to portray that creativity. That being said, the argument of whether or not Halloween creativity is dying makes me once again aware of how much focus and judgment is placed on how women dress, whether it is in everyday clothing or costumes. It seems that no matter what sort of costume a woman chooses to wear, others will find a way to criticize it. When women put a great deal of effort into their costume, others will say it is over the top. When women put effort into their costume but it shows “too much skin,” others will say they are hyper-sexualizing themselves. When women wear simple costumes using everyday clothes and character-inspired accessories, others will call it boring.
While I do hope to see creative DIY costumes this Halloween, I think it is important to not judge other women’s costumes because they are choosing to express themselves in a way that makes them feel comfortable. Perhaps the real issue is not whether creativity is dying, but whether we allow women the space to express themselves without judgment.
