Written by: Aayesha Poudel
Photography by: Adriana Brown
Models: Josh Ricketts, Nima Jawadian, Matthew Schettini
In our childhood, October 31st marked the night where we could be the ghosts and goblins that both frightened and excited us. It was the night where we were the beasts we were most afraid of, the creatures we were mesmerized by, and the characters that we hoped to be.
As we grew older and those fantasies started to slip away, it remained the night where we could let go of the stress and troubles and become someone or something else. Costumes have no boundaries, from juxtapositioning an innocent doll with a terror beast to a lumberjack who counteracted as a serial killer. It became a phenomenon where we didn’t have to be ourselves- as sometimes that can feel like the most terrifying costume of all.
We celebrate the holiday that dates back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. The people who celebrate this day believe that Samhain is the day that the barriers between the physical and spiritual world break down. This would allow for interactions between supernatural creatures and humans. Therefore, when we dress in costumes whether to prance around the neighborhood to receive treats or to enjoy a night as someone else, Halloween allows us to connect with more than just ourselves or our peers: it helps us connect with other worlds.