14 Adorably Retro Halloween Snapshots

Halloween costumes have come a long way, baby! I was just telling our own Koa Beck about how #ballin I was as a little kid in my Small Wonder costume. Now, that same costume looks terrifying, with its black, staring, souless eyes…CREEPY. But back then I thought I was the bell of the whole damn ball.

But my Small Wonder costume is hardly an isolated incident of cool. There are hilarious, awesome, freaky and ingenious costumes from days gone by. So I gathered the best ones (and creeped myself in the process). I should note, If you’re afraid of clowns you should, turn back now!

1. Bugs Bunny

I love the costumes with masks. This is something kids nowadays just don’t have, due to safety reasons. But the masked costumes were some of the creepiest ones every.

2. Bozo the Clown and Cinderella

AHHHH, CLOWNS!

3. Raggedy Ann! Superman! Some kind of king!

I am in love with the Raggedy Ann wig, and amazed at how little Superman has changed. But why aren’t the older two in costume? It’s a mystery lost to time.

4. Bumblebee

The retro decorations behind this kid, and the obviously (and awesomely) handmade costume, really make this picture.

5. Some kind of circus thing?

That might not be a clown, but it is certainly clown-esque.

6. Jem!

I also had ones of these bad boys in the 1980s and it ALSO came with a mask. Jem was the shiznit.

7. Christmas Tree

The description for this picture says she won a prize for this handmade beauty, and I can see why!

8. Daffy Duck and Woody the Woodpecker

Is it just me, or does this remind you of Howard the Duck?

9. Pumpkin Babies!

These are the cutest makeshift costumes ever, though it does look like the pumpkin is going to eat everyone. This is what happens when you let Tim Burton direct your school Halloween parade.

10. Leopard, Casper, Cinderella, and Geisha*

it's better than bad — it’s better than bad

*Racism. Given that these are vintage costumes, you knew we would get here eventually.

11. The Incredible Hulk and…a…small animal?

That is exactly how the guy who owns this picture described it, and he’s the one in the blue suit. It’s pretty bad when you don’t even know what you were supposed to be!

12. Musical Bandits?

I don’t know how to feel about this.

13. Hobo

All I can think of are the warnings my dad used to give me, “Don’t put the balloon in your mouth, it will go down your throat!” Is it sanctimommy when I’m judging something from 60 years ago?

14. (Very Creepy) Robots