Horror & Gothic Costumes

Halloween, for the most part is a “scary” holiday. Its origins are based on the folklore of the dead coming back to life and roaming the earth. Dead people have a way of being a little scary and frightening to the world of the living. Some words that play along with the Halloween holiday also support the fear factor; eerie, ghoulish, terrifying, bloodcurdling, haunted and evil are all words that send a chill down the spine of many.

To further escalate the scare concept, Hollywood has brought to life on the big screen many horror movies with demonic characters that seem to become bigger than life during Halloween; Freddy, Jason, Michael Myers, Leatherface, Chucky and the Boogie Man, along with witches, vampires, werewolves and zombies.

Where horror is more blood and demons, gothic is more witchcraft. It is important to know where the word “gothic” comes from, however there is a big difference between ancient gothic culture and the more modern gothic image of today. The word gothic was first used to recognize a group of European tribes from ancient history. Over time the tribes grew numerous and powerful enough to expel the great Roman Empire in 410. They then ruled Europe for 250 years before slowly fading out.

Today, “gothic” is used to describe a subculture based largely on a certain style of art, literature, fashion and music. Modern Goths differ from ancient Goths in that they are not part of a prevalent culture; they are a part of a subculture. Where ancient Goths had set religious, political and social systems, modern gothic subcultures are not linked to any particular guideline. The glue which holds the gothic community together is an affinity for the morbid, a longing for romance and the allure of darker aesthetics.