Thread: Why do we dress in costumes?

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I don't mean to over analyze, but for years and years, in the privacy of my own mind, I'd often wonder why we humans do some of the things we do, including why we dress up on Halloween. I believe if you do this, and who you choose to dress as, it can tell a lot about who you are. Now I'm aware (as I'm sure most of us are) the history of Halloween, and why people dress up, but that's not what I mean. I mean why do some of us in this modern day and age dress up, while others do not.

I think a lot of us do it because as children, dressing up and make-believe was always a popular game, and we still have a desire to behave that way, and the one night where it's socially acceptable for adults to do that is on Halloween.

I think we look at certain characters with respect. We either fear them, think they are cool, think they are funny, or a little bit of everything, and we want other people to look at us with that same amount of respect we have when we look at those characters.

I think we do it for the same reasons artists do what they do. They love to create something, and they want their art to be enjoyed. It's a complement to them. I think everyone wants to be socially accepted, and creating great art is a good way to achieve that

Now going back to admiring characters.....which characters we admire tell a lot about us. Speaking for myself only now.....

For years, I dressed up as Jason for Halloween, and spent a good amount of time and money trying to look exactly like him. I'm weird when it comes to dressing up because I need to look exactly like the character. If the character is too small, short, old, young, etc, I usually don't dress up as them.

I can admit I've been able to relate to the Jason character some. Being close to my Mother, not being able to swim as a child, being made fun of, etc. So it's like Jason represents my anger, jealousy, and rage. And dressing up as him gives me a chance to express all that but without actually hurting anyone, and hopefully not being taken too seriously.

Forgive me if I'm digging too deep. I realize Halloween is just fun. I just find human nature interesting. And it could be different for everyone. For some, they just do it because it's fun, and there is no deep meaning. As Freud said..."Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar."

But sometimes, a cigar is so much more. You have made some very valid points. I'd like to put forth another possibility.

Do some of us dress up because we are unhappy or disappointed with who we are? I think so. It is an opportunity to pretend to be someone else. To live by different rules than the ones that govern our day to day life. People fantasize about things being different in their own lives, and dressing up allows them to live, however briefly, in that fantasy.

Costuming is an escape from everyday life. You are no longer trapped by the labels that are used to define you.

I agree with maleficent's comment, its very simple when you get down to it...

to have fun at the partys and bars!!

Living in Oklahoma I see people dress in costume every day. They wear cowboy boots but do they walk or work in muddy fields, or need the pointed toe to slip inside a stirrup? No. Do they stay outside for long periods and need the wide brim hats to shade and protect themselves from the sun? Again no. With the immaculate untouched bed liners of their trucks, or the expensive shinny wheel rims do they go off road or have the need to haul large objects? I think not.

I have a truck and I go off road and haul. I go into fields and work long hours out in the sun, but I don't ware wide brim hats or cowboy boots. And my neighbors who actually have horses and ride them also don't ware pointy boots.

So who is really being childish and playing dress up when I ware a costume on Halloween?

Because I'm not very scary in my sweatshirt and cargo pants.

Hey! This isn't some parody of my thread is it? I knew it wasn't going to be a popular question to ask but I didn't think anyone would retaliate against it.

If it isn't and I'm just being paranoid... my answer would simply be escapism. A way to pretend to be something you find interesting. Some people, like me, wear certain costumes as an alter-ego but that's kinda personal so I won't get into that right now.

It's how My Alter-Ego gets to run amock for awhile.

Your words are so true and really if I were to condense myself in deep thought, I too wonder why we do the things we do? Regardless, I think Halloween has taken on a life of it's own over the past few years. Even though I do remember the Halloween Parties in the past, at least around my neighborhood, I remember only a few Adults dressing up, but in the present day it isn't uncommon to go to a Halloween party or family gathering around Halloween only to see that the majority of the adults are participating.

On a personal level I think it's fun, it gives me an opportunity to be who or what ever I want to be for once, to get lost, and to of course have a little fun. Most of the time I don't know why, but I prefer to be a little on the scary side, but I have recently found out how being a little funny with my costume can really set the mood of the party, which tends to lead to a lot of laughing and jokes. I just think it's a time to let loose from the everyday pressures and do something a little out of the ordinary and have a little fun, nothing more, nothing less.