Although WHS students may think about their fashion choices every day, on one day of the year, some students go all out by wearing spooky costumes to celebrate Halloween. Today’s unique costume trends range from traditional to modern ideas, adding variety to what students wear on Oct. 3.
Some at WHS expect recent costume trends to reappear this year
“I’ve noticed in the last few years many onesie characters [were popular], especially if it’s cold out; everyone likes to wear those,” building substitute Maureen Cabral said. “I can understand why because they look really warm.”
As students get older, they often change their costume options to include those that are modelled after modern pop culture in comparison to the traditional costumes they wore when young.
“I know in kindergarten everyone just wears the witch hat,” senior Nancy Fu said. “Now we wear actual costumes. People wear wigs or dresses.”
The change in costumes over the years also represents a shift in the individuality of high schoolers.
“You don’t see two people with the same thing. Everyone’s a different person,” senior Sarah Callejas said.
In addition to singular costumes, some students and faculty choose to wear group costumes in order to demonstrate their unity.
“I think if a group costume is done well, it’s hilarious. I kind of like the part where it only works if everyone’s there,” band teacher Claire Nalven said. “Growing up, I always just did my own thing, except for one year I remember my friends and I all painted two poster boards with strings on either side. We were all different candy bars, and we thought that was very cute.”
Some WHS programs embrace the costume aspect of Halloween, such as the chorus, band and orchestra Masquerade concerts, which are platforms for students and faculty to coordinate group costumes.
“We usually do a group costume with some of the band leadership,” Nalven said. “Last year we did something related to the musical, ‘The Addams Family.’ I can see us doing that again, but it might be complicated because this year’s musical is ‘Into the Woods,’ and the costumes are elaborate, fairy tale-type costumes.
Faculty believe that the Masquerade concerts help to increase the enjoyment of the repertoire for everyone in the ensemble.
“I really like doing seasonal concerts because it gives a little more meaning sometimes to music, especially for younger kids who don’t always connect as well,” Nalven said. “I’m doing a piece with seventh grade called ‘Ghosts of the Lost Ship’ and that’s cool. They love that kind of spooky music and we get to do some special effects.”
Some individual costumes can still have the same effect as group costumes, specifically inflatable costumes, which have been popular in recent years.
“The orange big T-Rex, I kind of want to do that one, or that alien holding the human, or a sumo wrestler inflatable,” sophomore Himani Jamwal said.
Last year many freshmen joined in the spirit of the Halloween assembly and enjoyed dressing up and seeing what others wore.
“I just thought [the costumes] were really cool,” sophomore Tylanni Nawana said about last Halloween at WHS. “I was a race car driver.”
Social media, such as TikTok, plays an important role in influencing students’ costumes. Popular movies that premiered during the summer are also costume ideas that interest students.
“People like to take inspiration from any popular movie. I know a lot of people are doing Barbie in different hobbies,” sophomore Mary Brown said.
Teachers appreciate costumes that reflect their childhood, as they can bring out positive memories.
“I think it is really cute when people dress up in a group of old shows that I used to watch as a kid, whether it’s Scooby Doo, or the Flintstones,” Cabral said.
No matter what Halloween costume students and faculty end up choosing, many are excited to see the various selection of costumes at WHS this Halloween.
