"Costume" originally meant simply, "style of dress." So I prefer the English term for costume, "fancy dress," because it adds the element of something special, and why Halloween can be so much fun for kids from one to 91. Donning another skin, a fantasy role, another identity for just one night is so appealing and somehow not embarrassing when millions of others are doing it with you. Ghosts, witches, cowboys and princesses used to be the norm. While we still see them on all hallows' eve, each year certain costumes are more popular for social, political, and who knows what other reasons. Yahoo! publishes an annual list of Halloween costume preferences based on searches. During the first week of October the top five costume searches for adults were:

• Star Wars

• Vampire

• Pan Am (flight attendant; made popular by new TV show) n Superheroes (Catwoman led)

• Eighties (this year's retro decade) One traditional choice, Indian, ranked seventh. The top five searches for children's costumes were:

• Babies - Angry Bird (a puzzle/video game), Cookie Monster, butterfly, dinosaur, pumpkin n Toddlers - Pirate, Stay Puff Marshmallow, Disney's "Up," elephant, "brother/sister costume ideas"

• Kids - Lava Girl , Disney (Mickey, Minnie), Harry Potter, Michael Jackson, nerd Another interesting category is controversial searches, or at least those considered controversial by Yahoo!. Is Halloween slowly becoming a venue for political statements and social commentary? The top five beg the question:

• Charlie Sheen (actor whose rap sheet is getting long) n Casey and Caylee Anthony (Casey was acquitted of daughter Caylee's murder)

• Amanda Knox/Jessica Rabbit (Knox was initially convicted of killing her roommate; her lawyer compared her to the cartoon character to counteract the "she-devil" comparison by prosecutors)

• Osama Bin Laden ("horror" may explain it, but it also angers some)

• Chaz Bono (Cher's son and transgender rights advocate) Psychologists and professors have explored the issue of costumes, saying what we choose reflects something of ourselves, at least if the choices fit a pattern. Someone who picks superheroes repeatedly may feel vulnerable. Another who opts for "sexy" at middle age may not be aging confidently. The controversial costume choices may help us express what we find difficult to talk about.

And the fascination with the macabre? Psychologists studying costume choices say it's an expression of the fear of, and possible hidden attraction to, death. I just like handing out candy to kiddies.

Sholeh Patrick is a columnist for the Hagadone News Network. Email sholehjo@hotmail.com