It is the time of year when you try to come up with something clever without being cringy.
Halloween is here and people are scrambling to figure out a costume which is easy, clever and avoids being cringy. About 25% of people will dress up this holiday – from a simple mask to a full blown outfit. Over $4 billion will be spent on costumes. Another $8+ billion will be spent on candy and decorations. But what to where? Here is the most popular costume in each state.
The tradition of dressing up for Halloween has deep historical roots, primarily originating from ancient Celtic customs associated with the festival of Samhain. This festival marked the end of the harvest season and the onset of winter, during which it was believed that the boundary between the living and the dead became blurred. To ward off malevolent spirits and honor deceased ancestors, the Celts wore costumes made from animal skins and heads.
As Christianity spread, elements of Samhain merged with Christian celebrations, particularly All Hallows’ Eve, the night before All Saints’ Day. This blending encouraged people to dress as saints, angels, or demons, further shaping the modern Halloween costume tradition. By the 19th century, Irish and Scottish immigrants brought these customs to America, where Halloween began to evolve into a community celebration. The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw a rise in elaborate costumes influenced by popular culture, with companies beginning to mass-produce costumes for children and adults alike.
| State | Traditional Costume | Pop Culture Costume |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Skeleton | Wednesday Addams |
| Alaska | Ghost | Cruella de Vil |
| Arizona | Skeleton | Gwen Stacy from Spider-Man |
| Arkansas | Scarecrow | Princess Peach from Super Mario Bros |
| California | Skeleton | Weird Barbie from Barbie |
| Colorado | Ghost | Barbie |
| Connecticut | Skeleton | Barbie |
| Delaware | Cat | Barbie |
| Florida | Skeleton | Wednesday Addams |
| Georgia | Vampire | Wednesday Addams |
| Hawaii | Witch | Wednesday Addams |
| Idaho | Zombie | Barbie |
| Illinois | Pirate | Princess Peach from Super Mario Bros |
| Indiana | Skeleton | Princess Peach from Super Mario Bros |
| Iowa | Zombie | Wednesday Addams |
| Kansas | Clown | Barbie |
| Kentucky | Witch | Harley Quinn |
| Louisiana | Zombie | Poison Ivy |
| Maine | Vampire | Wednesday Addams |
| Maryland | Ghost | Wednesday Addams |
| Massachusetts | Skeleton | Weird Barbie from Barbie |
| Michigan | Witch | Barbie |
| Minnesota | Vampire | Barbie |
| Mississippi | Ghost | Barbie |
| Missouri | Ghost | Weird Barbie from Barbie |
| Montana | Skeleton | Barbie |
| Nebraska | Dog | Barbie |
| Nevada | Ghost | Princess Peach from Super Mario Bros |
| New Hampshire | Witch | Barbie |
| New Jersey | Ghost | Wonder Woman |
| New Mexico | Skeleton | Wednesday Addams |
| New York | Skeleton | Barbie |
| North Carolina | Angel | Wednesday Addams |
| North Dakota | Ghost | Princess Peach from Super Mario Bros |
| Ohio | Vampire | Wednesday Addams |
| Oklahoma | Skeleton | Princess Peach from Super Mario Bros |
| Oregon | Zombie | Harley Quinn |
| Pennsylvania | Zombie | Catwoman |
| Rhode Island | Skeleton | Princess Peach from Super Mario Bros |
| South Carolina | Pirate | Wonder Woman |
| South Dakota | Pirate | Barbie |
| Tennessee | Dog | Harley Quinn |
| Texas | Skeleton | Princess Peach from Super Mario Bros |
| Utah | Cat | Wednesday Addams |
| Vermont | Skeleton | Wednesday Addams |
| Virginia | Ghost | Weird Barbie from Barbie |
| Washington | Dog | Harley Quinn |
| West Virginia | Vampire | Princess Peach from Super Mario Bros |
| Wisconsin | Vampire | Cruella de Vil |
| Wyoming | Zombie | Barbie |
RELATED: Fun Facts About Halloween
The major force that shifted costumes from suggestively skimpy to downright sexy was Halloween’s re-emergence as an adult “holiday” in the 1970s with the sexual revolution, women’s rights and the gay culture coming out the closet. The Halloween season, for some, is a time to flaunt the body.
