Title: Should You Wear a Costume for Halloween? | Psychology Today
Headings: Should You Wear a Costume for Halloween?
Utpal Dholakia Ph.D.
Should You Wear a Costume for Halloween?
The pros and cons of dressing up for undecided readers.
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Reasons why you shouldn’t wear a Halloween costume
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Content: Without a creative “exit strategy” about what to do with your costume afterward, your closet might start to get jammed with once-worn Halloween costumes. I will conclude by saying one more thing about Halloween costumes. As in the case of Christmas gifts where price often does not correlate with the gift giver’s love for the recipient, the creativity of a Halloween costume and the status it affords the wearer does not necessarily correlate with the money that is spent on it. The most creative Halloween costumes, the ones that receive the attention of everyone and which garner the most social media exposure, are often created with very little money but with a lot of imagination. And most importantly, these costumes are the most fun to come up with and put together. So what does the question of whether to wear a costume for Halloween come down to? It's a very personal decision. The amount of enjoyment you will experience must be traded against your possible anxiety from having to participate in group activities. The chance to explore a new identity or show off your creativity needs to be balanced against your distaste in supporting crass commercialization or adding one more never-to-be-worn-again outfit into your over-stuffed closet. If you are still sitting on the fence, take a few minutes to weigh these pros and cons.