Technolandy

Day 35 (of 2025/26): Tis the Season to Talk About Costumes… Dress Code Edition

My school community knows there’s usually a reason behind what I wear each day. Some are easy to spot: #BowTieTuesday, #UnofficialSportsJerseyFriday, or the always-popular #NerdyTShirtFriday. Then there are the days that carry deeper meaning — Black, Orange, or Pink Shirt Days, or the times I reach for a rainbow or Indigenous-themed tie to mark something important… or something as simple as signaling that this is a safe space (despite the comments I’ll sometimes get about wearing rainbows themed articles of clothing… or moose hide… or other connections so that we don’t need special shirt days because every day is recognizing the importance of inclusion and equity..

And now we’re into that time of year — the season when costumes become part of the conversation. Across North America, October 31st has evolved into an almost-secular celebration of dressing up and collecting candy. Yet its roots remain visible, like a faint echo of something once sacred. It’s fascinating to watch how this quasi-religious day continues to morph — from door-to-door candy runs to elaborate parties and community events.

But maybe that’s what we do every day, in our own way. We wear costumes to express, communicate, or sometimes even conceal who we are. I admit — I think about this a lot. Whether it’s the question, “What tie is Landy wearing today?” or my fallback ensemble, affectionately known as my “Lazy Guy” costume (a nod to The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy), I’m always choosing what story I want to tell through what I wear.

So as everyone debates what’s appropriate (or not) for Halloween costumes, I can’t help but wonder:

Are our October 31st outfits really that different from the ones we wear the rest of the year?