Halloween Costumes of the 1950s

My Halloween costume in 1955 

I remember trick or treating on Rosemont Ave as a girl, walking down the streetlight lit sidewalks in the early dark, getting goodies from all the neighbors, most of whom I knew. I recall being a 'gypsy' several years, wearing Mom's full gathered skirts, loads of beads, and a scarf. I believed myself quite lovely and exotic.

My relatives loved a party and I found these great photographs of a costume parties held in 1958 and 1959.

My Grandmother Gochenour was the only clown I was not afraid of!

My Grandmother Emma Becker Gochenour in a clown costume.
Taken in the kitchen on Military Rd, Tonawanda.
I remember that red wall paper.

Dad's big nose and mustache and glasses looked funny in 1958, but later in life he did have a mustache and glasses!

My father Gene Gochenour

 Mom as an old fashioned, white haired lady...not like the Jitterbug Queen she really was!

My mother Joyce Ramer Gochenour

Chubb and Adaline (nee' Becker) Killian and
Rube and Dot Becker.
Chubb and Rube were my grandmother's siblings.

My Aunt Alice Gochenour Ennis with her mother Emma.
I believe the lady sitting in the background is
Mary Becker, wife of Levant (Lee).

Alice Gochenour Ennis and Rube Becker

Alice Gochenour Ennis

 My aunt and uncle were characters from Lil' Abner. Note the saddle shoes on my aunt!

Ken Ennis

Friend of the family Helen Ensminger and friend

Dorothy and Rube Becker

Us kids mostly wore store bought costumes.

From 1957, my cousins Steve and Linda Guenther
children of  Dad's sister Mary

And myself in 1957 as Mickey Mouse! I still have that clock shelf seen on the wall.

I wonder what was in the bag?

And later in life I was still wearing a costume for special parties. This is my costume for the senior costume day in 1969. Yes, that is an Avocado green piano! Mom and Dad made thewall  clock circa 1960 and I still have it.

A neighbor made me this pilgrim costume for Halloween 1969.
Seniors were able to wear costumes to school.

 My husband and I were invited to a costume party in the early1990s.

In the early 1990s my husband and I wore these costumes to a party.
I was wearing a pillow as if I were pregnant. My hubby had taken
Mime classes and this was his costume. That's the Phillies Phanatic in his arms.

 Then our son came along, and Halloween was fun all over again.

Our son's earliest costume was Peter Pan which I made.
He is posed with our first Shiba Inu, Kili.

 My friend Jan made this costume inspired by my Poe quilt!

My quilt group friend Jan was inspired by my Edgar Allan Poe quilt
to make a costume with a purple curtain and a raven!

Edgar Allan Poe by Nancy A Bekofske

Have a safe and fun Halloween!