Historic Sites, history

Playful Costumes From the Past, Just in Time for Halloween

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Halloween is almost here and that means costumes! Maybe you’re putting the finishing touches on your own or your child’s. Maybe your creation has been done for weeks and you’re ready to show it off. Maybe you’re about to close this window and type “easy Halloween costumes for sale, next-day shipping” into your search engine. Or maybe all of the costume chatter simply brings back memories of costumes from years past.

Costumes are nothing new. Worn for parties or plays, they have been popular throughout history. Explore some costumes that were photographed and featured in the family albums from Clermont State Historic Site in Germantown and John Jay Homestead State Historic Site in Katonah. (Bonus: Some costumes were saved and are now part of their historic collections!) 

Two young girls stand next to each other on a columned porch. They wear matching hats, sweaters, dresses, and shoes. Both are holding carved pumpkin jack-o-lanterns.
Honoria and Janet Livingston on the porch at Clermont State Historic Site holding jack-o-lanterns (1915). Photograph in photo album. New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. Clermont State Historic Site. Gift of Honoria Livingston McVitty, CL.2000.211.20.F 
Young man dressed in a short, hooded medieval tunic decorated with lion emblem and fringe; tights; matching shoes; and a sword. He is posed in a photography studio, standing on sandy ground and next to a large boulder.
Col. William Jay II dressed in medieval costume for Vanderbilt Ball (March 22, 1883). Photograph. New York State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. John Jay Homestead State Historic Site. Museum Collection, JJ.2015.34. 
Young boy wearing a dark top hat, fluffy wig, high collar shirt, short buttoned jacket, high light-colored pants, and buckles on his shoes. He is standing outside in front of a staircase and is holding an open umbrella over his right shoulder.
Young girl wearing a white hat, dark mustache, white collared shirt, and white apron. She is standing outside in front of a staircase and has both hands on her hips.
William Jay Iselin (left) dressed as an 1800s gentleman and Eleanor Iselin (right) as a French chef, 1915. William and Eleanor were the second and third children of Eleanor Jay and Arthur Iselin, last owners of John Jay Homestead. Photograph. New York State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. John Jay Homestead State Historic Site. Museum Collection, JJ.2015.28 and JJ.2015.30. 
Woman wearing stocking pants, tunic with fringed collar and hem, a cape, and a short hat with embellishments. She is posing for the camera with her arms raised over her head and is balanced on her right foot. She is outside, on grass, with a low garden wall and trees in the background
Dorothy Iselin, oldest child of Eleanor Jay and Arthur Iselin, dressed as Peter Pan (undated, circa 1925).  Photograph. New York State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. John Jay Homestead State Historic Site. Museum Collection, JJ.2015.18. 
Two children stand outside and face each other. The one on the left is wearing long, oversized friar robe with a rope belt, hat, and sandals and is carrying a cup. The one on the right is wearing dark tights, oversized tunic shirt with a wide belt, a kerchief around the collar, and a large round hat and is carry a toy archery set.
The Livingston children dressed as Friar Tuck (Janet) and Robin Hood (Honoria) for a Red Cross benefit (September 1918).  Photographs. New York State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. Clermont State Historic Site. Gift of Honoria Livingston McVitty, CL.2000.211.32.E 
A child stands outside and poses for the camera. She is wearing tights, tunic dress with a wide belt, and a large round hat. She is carrying a small toy sword. She faces the camera.
Honoria Livingston dressed as Robin Hood for a Red Cross benefit (September 1918).  
Photographs. New York State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. Clermont State Historic Site. Gift of Honoria Livingston McVitty, CL.2000.211.32.A 
Components of a Robin Hood costume. At top right, a forest green cap. At center, a forest green tunic with mud brown belt and hem. At bottom right, mud brown slipper shoes. Tissue paper is visible under the top layer of the tunic and within the shoes.
Robin Hood tunic, cap, and slippers worn by Honoria Livingston (c. 1918) as seen in previous photograph. The tissue paper is part of the protective materials used in the costume’s storage. This costume is now part of the historic collections at Clermont State Historic Site. 
New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation. Clermont State Historic Site. Gift of Honoria Livingston McVitty, CL.1991.1.1-.3 
A child stands outside and is posed for the camera. She is wearing long, oversized friar robe with a rope belt, hat, and sandals and is smiling at the camera
Janet Livingston dressed as Friar Tuck for a Red Cross benefit (September 1918).  
Photographs. New York State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. Clermont State Historic Site. Gift of Honoria Livingston McVitty, CL.2000.211.32.F 
Brown robe with long sleeves and hood, with white rope and red-brown ceramic jug placed near middle. There is tissue paper visible near sleeves and sides. Robe is on top of white paper which is on top of patterned carpet.
Off-white, light fabric slip and rope tie. Both have white tissue paper within or under them.
(Left) Friar Tuck robe, belt, cap, and jug used by Janet Livingston, as seen in previous photograph. (Right) Padded slip used under robe to make the child look rotund. All items c. 1918. The tissue paper is part of the protective materials used in the costume’s storage. This costume is now part of the historic collections at Clermont State Historic Site. 
New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. Clermont State Historic Site. Gift of Honoria Livingston McVitty, CL.1991.3.1-.5.  

— Written and developed by Amanda Massie, Senior Curator, Bureau of Historic Sites

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