So here I am in Salem, supposedly the Halloween capital of the world, wondering where all the creative costumes are. I’ve tried to embrace the “holiday” (invasion) this year (well not really, but I did take several walks) but all I have seen for costumes are flimsy puritans, vampires and superheroes and a sea of those little felt witch hats: nothing original or creative or made from a natural fabric (well, maybe the hats). My stepson came down from Maine for the weekend to prowl about with his friends in a pirate costume that he had purchased from one of those Halloween superstores along the way: I said “you can’t put together a PIRATE costume yourself! He did have the cool idea of going as Tiny Tim as he is 6’5” and on one crutch because of a sprained ankle, but I have yet to see him put this costume together. I’m wondering where the creativity is? Salem is instagram city at this time of year and those cheap costumes are hardly instagrammable: more of an effort would certainly result in viral views. Dogs have better outfits out there: I’ve seen pumpkins, bees, and even avocado toast! There is certainly lots of historical inspiration for humans, including British fancy dress books and digitized fashion plates and some great photography books on Halloween. We’ll see: the big day approaches.
But what are we to wear? Some suggestions from Arderne Holt’s Fancy Dresses Described or What to Wear at Fancy Balls (1887). You can be a box of dominoes or a bowl of lemons, and also a hornet or a witch (if you must). I think the hornet costume could do double duty as a bee.
Costume books published in the US are a bit less elaborate and historical than their British counterparts in the later nineteenth century, and also more…..paternalistic (is that possible)? We will skip past all the Native American costumes and go straight to the usual Halloween suspects, with a bit of whimsy for Miss Chess and Master Chimney Sweep….plus a pint-sized Guy Fawkes. These are still pretty elaborate costumes though—I’d have to distil them down considerably in terms of detail. Masquerade and carnival: their customs and costumes (1892) also includes some from Robin Hood: perhaps the inspiration for a c. 1907 item in the collections of Historic New England?
From the same period is this incredible handcrafted “Imperialist” skirt from the John Bright Collection—a template for any political commentary surely. I am hoping for some political costumes this year but we’ll see.
When I was looking for inspiration for this post, I discovered a new book and dusted off another. The discovery is an amazing book of photography entitled
The book I dusted off is a book I never opened and I have no idea when or where I got it: Jane Asher’s Fancy Dress, first published in 1983 (and later as Jane Asher’s Costume Book). It’s full of whimsical costumes modeled by British actors and actresses of the 1980s, including Terry Jones. One day last week I was showing an episode of Jones’ Crusades series to my students and the next I was looking at him dressed as a “blob”! Now these are costumes you can actually make, from around-the-house materials like cardboard toilet paper rolls (glued together to make a British judge’s wig). The little Elizabeth and peapod below are a little more involved, but this bat has wings made from a broken black umbrella!
October 28th, 2024 at 7:48 am
All in for Imagination and Creativity here, Donna! I taught gifted students for years, and over those years saw technology slowly erode the desire to create…
October 28th, 2024 at 8:16 am
I did find some packaged costumes from the 1930s, which surprised me, but for the past 20 years or so it seems like all we see.
October 28th, 2024 at 9:01 am
So nice to see a voice in favor of the imagination and resourcefulness of handmade costumes. You’re inspiring me to get out my Cotton Mather costume! Old choir robe, repurposed/recut kitchen towel, antique Bible, mop head with cotton balls glued on, and a “period version” of the ubiquitous blue-and-white name tag that says, in Old English letters, “By ye Grace of God, HELLO, My Name Doth Be”.
October 28th, 2024 at 9:27 am
That sounds great! Wear it on Halloween and I’ll come over and snap a pic!
October 28th, 2024 at 2:56 pm
Just excellent…again.
M.P.
October 28th, 2024 at 5:45 pm
I love all these images, Donna. I was always a fan of making my own costume, though not always elaborate.
October 28th, 2024 at 8:06 pm
me too.
October 28th, 2024 at 5:54 pm
As a kid growing up in Salem, the witch, of course was ever-present and pre-made costumes available. Yet, year after year my mother, creative, but always “last minute,” would invariably send me out to trick or treat, looking like a harried housewife-hair askew, perhaps wrapped in a scarf with curlers underneath., maybe some dark circles under my eyes, and some sort of skirt and sneakers, or even old slippers. So when I had my own kids, I decided that they’d have something a little more creative. When our youngest was 8 or 9, she said she wanted to be a CLOCK! I can’t remember where I got it, but I found a box that was about 3 ft x 3ft, and 8 or 10 inches deep. I made a hole for her head on one of the short sides, and two wholes for her arms on each side , and drew a clock face on the front. We lived in a semi-rural town in central Mass., in a neighborhood with big house lots and steep driveways, so we parents would usually drive the kids around. You wouldn’t believe what it took to get that Clock Kid in and out of the car at each house! From then on, I declared: “Home-made costumes are just fine, but NO MORE CLOCKS!”
October 28th, 2024 at 8:05 pm
A clock!!!!!! I love it! Thanks for this story and your Mom sounds great.
October 30th, 2024 at 5:49 am
This is such a fun post! I love the costumes. And agree that not as many people take the time to be creative these days. It seems as if going to Salem in October would be inspiring since so many people would see your costume.
Here’s my costume story: first, you must know that our family is the least sports-oriented family in the world. Just no interest in or knowledge of sports. We are very interested in history.
My son, about 8 at the time, was fascinated with early gravestones and decided to be a gravestone for Halloween. We made two slabs of foam core and covered them in white interfacing which he could draw on with a black marker. Joined them at the shoulder. He drew texture on the “stone” and made a beautiful death’s head with wings, etc.
Then he drew the letters as if they were carved. It was a fantastic costume!
Unbeknownst to us, the Red Sox had just done something wrong — I guess lost the World Series or something. Anyway, my son sets out to trick or treat and at EVERY SINGLE house, the people said, “Oh look! It’s so sad about the Red Sox! Is that about the Red Sox? ” etc. etc. It was very disappointing to say the least. He was crushed. But it was a great costume!
October 30th, 2024 at 7:34 am
Oh no, it was probably 2003! Great story, Delia!
November 2nd, 2024 at 6:47 am
Some of these costumes are very imaginative, thanks for sharing the pictures!