Halloween's costume picks that will never get old

The spooky season has reached its peak as the big day is finally here! The streets are overrun with creative costumes, but we all know that the preparation commences months in advance for some. A filmgoer might set eyes on the latest rendition of a creepy doll and become intent on imitating its sinister style for Halloween.

Another person might already have a list of favourite fictional figures to reference. Point is, people often pick costumes they are familiar with, such as Pennywise from IT or Jason Voorhees from Friday the 13th. These are still modern picks with traceable sources. Have you ever wondered about the stories behind the more accessible, Gothic costumes you’ve seen roaming the dark streets on October 31? Well, wonder no more.

Vampires

Let’s start with an easy one. When you think of vampires, one prominent name comes to mind. We’ve all heard of the fang-bearing, blood-sucking Dracula from the renowned eponymous novel by Bram Stoker. Aside from this general awareness, you must’ve come across a variety of depictions, from the animated, smooth-faced Hotel Transylvania father to the dark-haired, loving husband in Castlevania.

You might be disappointed to learn that originally Dracula is neither a black-haired beauty or a lover for the ages. A devil-dealer human before being subjected to damnation, the Count is described to have not a speck of colour on his body, and he sports a thin, white moustache. Blood is his fountain of youth and survival.

As for his motives, he means to bring disorder to society by exercising his vast supernatural prowess – from creating vampires to commanding nature, he can do all. To put it plainly, he is a monster. Don’t let pop culture tell you otherwise!

Frankenstein

Amongst the monsters that have been granted the salvation of species and community, this one stands alone, and that is its primary tragedy in Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel. You might feel compelled to say, “It’s Frankenstein’s monster actually, not Frankenstein!” But let me play the know-it-all geek by suggesting that either works.

The “monster” desires acceptance from his creator – and essentially parent – Victor Frankenstein. To deny him the name is to side with the evil scientist, whose redemptive acts the novel wants you to desperately accept instead. But aside from being an accidental, socially outcasted monster, what makes Frankenstein so special?