Bazaar
Vintage Halloween Costumes And Traditions (PHOTOS) | The Weather Channel
Advertisement
Advertisement

Vintage Halloween Costumes And Traditions (PHOTOS)

A 'coven of witches' line up for a Halloween portrait dressed in festive witch's hats and improvised costumes circa 1910. (Tanscendental Graphics/Getty Images)
1/53
A 'coven of witches' line up for a Halloween portrait dressed in festive witch's hats and improvised costumes circa 1910. (Tanscendental Graphics/Getty Images)

If you haven't yet decided on this year's Halloween costume, perhaps a look at these vintage outfits will spark some creativity. 

The history of Halloween goes back more than 2,000 years to pre-Christian, pagan traditions in Europe. Costumes were always a big part of the tradition, but as the years have passed, celebrations have morphed to include trick-or-treating, apple-bobbing contests and spooky films. 

(MORE: 50 Creepy Places Straight Out of Halloween Nightmares)

Advertisement

Trick-or-treating became popular in the 1940s, and it was common for children to receive all sorts of treats, not just candy. Children were likely to receive coins, fruit, and small toys in the early days of Halloween doorbell-ringing. Harmless pranks by children were also generally tolerated on October 31. 

Check out the above photos of Halloween traditions of yore, from 1865 to the 1980s. These days, our costumes may be store-bought, but the spirit of the holiday remains the same.

The Weather Company’s primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.

Advertisement