For the longest time, it has been a tradition for people to dress up on Halloween. Kids and teenagers put on their most frightening costumes every year to trick or treat from door to door. But sometimes, the part that is even more fun is the process of choosing which costume you will wear. 

Rooting from Samhain, an annual Celtic pagan festival, Halloween has been around for what is thought to be hundreds, even thousands of years. Back then, people would dress up in their most terrifying costumes in an attempt to scare off any spirits, or with the intention of communicating with them. Their costumes were highly creative, each individually handmade with whatever they could find.  

Skipping forward to the 1920s and 1930s, some common disguises included ghosts, skeletons, devils, and witches, which we still see a lot of today.  

Although Halloween costumes have changed a ton over the year’s (especially the reason people wear them), there is no doubt that just as much excitement is found in them as ever, if not more.  

At Dakota High School, some people go all out on Halloween, while others prefer the simpler choices. Some choose to go the route of not dressing up at all. 

In recent years, costumes have consisted of classic and more modern styles. Movies played a huge part in the modern aspect. For example, Spider-Man was a reoccurring costume if you trick or treated last year. Many had been inspired by the 2021 Spider-Man: No Way Home movie. Another favorite was Stranger Things characters, from the famously loved show. It is no surprise that the Hocus Pocus sisters were also a popular choice, regarding the remake of the original 1993 movie coming out in September of 2022.  

This year, a variety of unique costumes are expected to be worn, especially movie inspired. Both scary and fun attire awaits to be worn on Halloween night and at Dakota High School.  

64% of Cougars interviewed stated they were sure to be dressing up this year, while 11% said they did not know yet, and another 25% claimed they would not. Dressing up can be fun for those who choose to celebrate. 

 Here is a list of some popular costume choices stated when interviewing students for this Halloween: 

• Barbie – Barbie is an excellent choice this year and she will be done by many people. 
• Mean girls (group costume)- You can’t go wrong with the iconic 2004 Mean Girls as a costume!
• Spider man or woman- Spiderman is a commonly seen superhero costume every Halloween. After all, you can never be too old to like Spiderman. 
• Ghost- One of the more classic costumes is a ghost. Whether you decide to paint your face or wear a white sheet, it will make an enjoyable experience. 
• Daphne and Velma- The famous Scooby-Doo duo will appear on Tuesday. 
• Prisoners/Robbers- Sometimes paired with police costumes, prisoners and robbers are always a Halloween favorite for teenagers. 
• Cops- Cop costumes were super trendy last year and they are once again.
• Construction worker- This quick and easy costume never fails to impress.
• Clown- Another classic costume is a clown. The many different types and styles of clowns allow people to get creative!
• Mouse- This cute, tiny rodent is more popular on Halloween than one may think.
• Teen titans Go! characters (group costume)- This popular childhood show obviously needs to be incorporated into Halloween! Raven, Starfire, Beast Boy, Robin, and Cyborg will surely be seen trick or treating. 
• Onesies- A comfortable costume is unbeatable, and onesies with your friends is a ton of fun. 
• Winnie-the-Pooh characters (group costume)- The adorable Winnie-the-Pooh characters will have everyone’s attention as it is a highly creative costume. Some people are even combining the characters and pajamas to make it ten times cooler! 
• Disney princesses- Nothing feels more magical than dressing up as a Disney Princess. Aurora and Cinderella are some popular choices this year. 

(These are not ranked; it is in a random order)