Forget the witches, goblins and princesses. Dr. Seuss is the reason for costumes. The man behind the green eggs and ham was also the mind behind the pink panther, cat in the hat, and a whole lot more. Here are 6 costumes that prove Dr. Seuss is the reason for costumes.
1. Grinch
The character that stole Halloween deserves to be first on our list of favorite Dr. Seuss characters. From his heart two sizes too small to his furry green face, there’s no denying this guy was made for Halloween! The good news is you can recreate his look with this Grinch costume and mask!
2. Cat in the Hat
Is there anyone who doesn’t love this trickster? He’s a favorite among kids and adults alike thanks to his playful nature and silly antics, especially when it comes to making mischief! If you’re looking for an easy costume that won’t break your budget, you’ll love this officially-licensed Cat in the Hat costume!
3. Lorax
He speaks for the trees in one of Dr. Seuss’ most memorable books about environmentalism and what’s happening to our planet. He’s beloved by fans of all ages thanks to his orange fur, funny mustache and adorable
As you may have noticed, Dr. Seuss is the reason for costumes. But he’s not just the reason for the costume. He’s the reason for the way we think about costumes today.
The modern concept of a costume is pretty simple: it’s a set of clothing that is worn to represent a character or idea that is usually identified with a unique name and/or visual look.
That idea seems simple enough. People wear costumes all the time! But if you think about it, you’ll realize that most of the time “costume” means something specific: Halloween costumes. And Halloween costumes are not just a subset of all possible costumes; they’re a unique kind of costume. Most people only wear them once, they often have little regard for practicality or comfort, and they’re usually based on characters from pop culture, like superheroes or celebrities.
But these characteristics were not always integral to the concept of a costume. They’re actually innovations brought about by Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss….
Hear me out—I know it’s hard to believe, but Dr. Seuss is the reason for Halloween costumes. The evidence is overwhelming. After all, he was a prolific author and illustrator who brought us a colorful cast of characters with distinctive looks. His creations are so recognizable that they’ve become synonymous with the holiday itself. And if you don’t believe me, just keep reading to see how many costumes you can recognize as coming from the mind of Dr. Seuss.
The Cat in the Hat: One of his most famous stories gave us one of the most instantly recognizable Halloween costumes: an all-black outfit with a red-and-white striped hat and bowtie, worn by a person holding a cat stuffed animal. If you’re planning on being this character this Halloween, I recommend going out and buying yourself a tricornered hat and bowtie, both in the same red and white stripes that adorn the Cat’s headwear. Then find a black suit or some other all-black outfit, like leggings and shirt, to put on top of that.
Thing 1 and Thing 2: These two mischievous beings were introduced to us by Dr. Seuss in his 1957 work The Cat in the Hat Comes Back
The Cat in the Hat is the reason we have costumes. Dr. Seuss created the first Halloween costume, and it took everything he knew about making a children’s book to make it happen. The text was already written, but before he could print it, Seuss had to decide what his cat would look like.
We know that the Cat in the Hat was a human who, at some point before becoming an intergalactic cat with a red-and-white hat, wore some kind of costume. It’s possible that Seuss simply plucked the image from his imagination, or that he saw someone on the street and drew inspiration from them. Maybe he looked at a picture of a cat and adapted it to suit his needs. But if you look closely at this famous feline’s appearance, you can see traces of older costumes underneath it—costumes that were around long before Seuss put pen on paper or ink on press.
Dr. Seuss taught us that costumes are fun and should be worn as often as possible. Here are six that prove it:
1. Cat in the Hat
2. Grinch
3. Lorax
4. Sam I Am
5. Thing One & Thing Two
6. Yertle the Turtle
The Dr. Seuss Story
Costumes have been worn for as long as time itself, with the earliest records of costumes dating back to the Stone Age. While you may not think of the cavemen and women as being overly concerned with fashion, our ancestors were actually quite crafty in their home-made outfits. These outfits served a variety of purposes, from keeping warm in cold weather to disguising oneself from enemies. Cave drawings from roughly 40,000 B.C. show that even our ancient ancestors adorned themselves with clothing for special occasions. It is because of these individuals that we have costumes today!
It is clear that wearing clothing is an innate part of human nature, but where did costumes come from? That’s right: THEODOR SEUSS GEISEL! The famed children’s author is known to most people as simply “Dr. Seuss,” but his real name was Theodor Geisel and he was born on March 2nd, 1904 in Springfield Massachusetts. He is famous for his whimsical stories and poems about strange creatures and places, which are now known around the world! It all started when a young Ted was asked by his father to write a poem for the famous magazine The Saturday Evening Post:
I do not like green eggs and ham
You know the feeling: You’re on a first date, or at a job interview, or you realize you’ve actually run out of clean underwear. Suddenly, you’re in your underwear. In public!
Don’t panic. There’s no need to curl up into the fetal position and rock back and forth chanting “I’m naked, I’m naked.” Just grab one of these easy Dr. Seuss-themed costumes from your closet and get on with your day!
You’ve got this.