Friday, October 22, 2010

What's in a costume?

When I was a kid, planning a Halloween costume and putting it together and going out in it was really the best part of the season. One year I was a frog, wearing green tights and turtleneck, and spats over my shoes and a 3D mask I made of cardboard and paint. Another year I wove skeins of green yarn into a wig for a witch costume, and I sewed a black dress with long, bell sleeves. I helped one of my sisters make a robot costume from cardboard boxes with moving buttons and levers, and we made countless hats with varieties of animal ears.
When I had my own kids, I didn't allow them to choose costumes that were gory or evil, and I didn't make outstanding costumes, but I encouraged them to have fun and to be creative. 
Often, their costumes were based on pajamas or sweats or something that could be used in everyday wear, or added to our permanent costume collection for ongoing play. Our costumes reflected who we were, and who we wanted to pretend to be.
1986

1995

End of sweet, creative, wholesome costumes!
Now for the costumes that are 


Not Appropriate for Fall, or anytime.


I really like costumes and dress-ups, but I've been distressed by all the gory, gruesome, truly scary costumes worn by younger and younger trick-or-treaters. Still, I was appalled at some of the skanky costumes I saw online for little kids!
No little girl should be dressed as a French maid.
Or a saloon girl.

Cowgirls are cute, and rodeo is big where I love.
 This little girl's outfit is sure to appeal to someone
with a rodeo fetish. 

"Mack Daddy Pimp" costume.
In sizes 4-6, 8-10.
That's disgusting.

"Major Flirt"
Women in the military deserve more respect.

Ew, ew, ew. Little Bo Peep
These "Bratz" Costumes are just right for parents
who want to turn their daughters into jailbait.

Why is Little Miss Muffect
wearing leopard print? Icky.







Adult costumes are getting more raunchy. There are many variations of this fella's: the petting zoo, the one-eyed monster, the "treats" dispenser. Funny? Kinda. But I wouldn't want to see it on anyone I know!! Tasteless and gross.

But there are some things that just shouldn't be sexualized.

A sexy cookie monster?
Big Bird? 



How could anyone think of Sponge Bob
and sexy costume?


Finding Nemo? Really?
Ahem...

And please...
How could they do this to Strawberry Shortcake?






2 comments:

bethany said...

sexy miss tater tot made me laugh out loud, because it's just stupid.
i totally agree with you mom. i feel bad for the little girls who think they look "hot" and don't get that they look like hookers or worse, attract the attention of pedophiles. i hate how halloween has become an excuse for women (and girls) to dress in a sexy version of anything, exploiting themselves at the risk of being taken advantage of and just lowering the levels for respect for women in general.
and don't even get me started on that strawberry shortcake atrocity!

Kathryn said...

here, here, Mama! down with skankitude!
as for me, i am choosing between Madeline and a Bearded Lady. both heroines in my mind!

i think i realized i was too old to keep trick-or-treating the year i dressed up as tinkerbell (you made my costume just for me) and i couldn't help the fact that my little twelve-year-old breastlets and booty made it seem as though i was trying to be sexy. that was a sad year. there is absolutely no rush for little girls to give up creativity and imagination, and i pity the fool who buys their little girls these costumes! they are telling girls that all their imagination is good for is to come up with "witty" seduction acts.