Sunday, October 14, 2007

Tricks or treats?

As I skimmed through the ads in today's paper I realized that if my husband wanted to buy a Halloween Costume he can choose between scary and funny. If I want to buy a Halloween Costume I can choose between sexy and....

slutty?

I could choose sexy witch, sexy police officer, sexy waitress, sexy pirate, sexy Catholic School girl, sexy cheerleader, sexy prisoner, even sexy Hogwarts Student. Every costume was cut short in length and low in chest. Some even came with the handy dandy Playboy Bunny proudly displayed, in case the costume didn't already scream "I'm not a woman, I'm a sex object!"

Who decided that at Halloween every woman would want to dress up like a stripper? Men, I'm guessing. It's really disturbing to me.

I'm surprised there is not a market for family Halloween costumes, parent and child pairings. For instance, this year The May Queen really wants to be Cinderella (are you surprised? I thought not) We already have the Cinderella dress-up dress, which means no buying OR sewing for me, so I'm all for it. I thought it would be fun to be the fairy godmother. Although Disney Princess costumes are clogging up the children's costume rack, I couldn't even find myself a sexy fairy godmother costume to go along with it. So I'll be doing it the old fashioned way... turning a blanket into a robe, and borrowing one of The May Queen's wands. Which, in my opinion, is really the best way to dress for Halloween anyways. A little imagination, using what you have, and a touch of fairy dust.

Dressing up with my daughter on Halloween? A treat
Dressing up like a Playboy Bunny? I'm not looking to turn tricks, thank you.

post script:
So, I came back to check my comments, and what should I see in my side bar? Apparently my mention of stripping has caused Google ads to run ads for Pole Dancing lessons and actual POLES to dance with. In case you need some props and a little show to go along with your costume this year.

35 comments:

Anonymous said...

I find Halloween parties are not as fun anymore. I just think I'm getting to "mature" for those silly costumes. They do seem to run from one extreme to the other -- mostly on the tacky side.

crazymumma said...

oh I know. They are so trashy for the most part. I am truly and really shocked by the costumes geared for young girls. So inappropriately seductive. Very twisted.

Every year I am a Zombie bride, mr mumma is an ageing superhero and the girls usually make up their own costumes.

I love halloween.

Amy Y said...

I usually don't dress up for Halloween but the year I was pregnant with the twins, I found a nun costume and a priest one for my husband. We were quite the sight! :)

Try eBay if you are still looking... it's possible to find adult costumes there.

Rima said...

Yes, I have noticed that and it bugs me, too. But I've always found that the best costumes are the original ones you put together yourself, anyway.

flutter said...

BRAV-A!

seriously though, can't we just be a witch without having our boobs hiked up to our eyebrows?

S said...

Spot on.

It's offensive, it really is.

Girlplustwo said...

i am going to be a retro acid fairy this year. i look forward to it. no poles involved.

Chrissy said...

I was wondering while I was reading this what kind of Google searches you just set yourself up for.

And hear hear on the costume issue. My kids love to peruse the Party City circular in the paper, and one of them picked the "perfect" costume for Mommy, needless to say not one that I would wear in public.

Did you see "Mean Girls" when she described Halloween as an excuse for girls to wear lingerie and animal ears and call it a costume?

carrie said...

Oh yes, those google ads right over there are quite hilarious.

And seriously, don't you just hate picking out Halloween costumes? It's ridiculous. And I'm especially pleased that there are so many serial killer options for boys out there. That is great, just great.

Family Adventure said...

You know, never dressing up for Halloween myself, I hadn't thought about it. But now that you've brought it up, I totally see what you mean. So now I'm mad as hell!

Thanks a lot!
- Heidi :)

MamaGeek @ Works For Us said...

and reading this post: priceless.

You totally nailed this!

Anonymous said...

You said it!

Candygirlflies said...

Not a Hallowe'en goes by that I don't thank heaven that I can make the girlies' costumes myself... Like you, I am truly horrified by the Hallowe'en costumes out there for women-- and young girls. Unfortunately, it's not much better in the "tween" clothing stores...

Need some help with easy-to-make costume ideas? Wish I lived closer--

xo CGF

Beck said...

All right! Now I know where to buy a stripping pole for my bedroom - because NOTHING is hotter than a slightly chubby mother of three ackwardly stripping.
NOTHING.
Oh wait: how about that same mother in a slutty Halloween costume? Hot.

Heidi Hyde said...

Amen. You hit this one on the head.

-HH

Unknown said...

yes, it takes all the fun out of the whole thing, doesn't it?

Anonymous said...

Nothing like freezing your arse off to make Halloween a hit. They don't dare offer pasties, those babies would pop right off.

Jenn in Holland said...

hahahahahaha! That post script has me rolling here! That is just amazing you sexy kitten, you.

amanda said...

This year, I will be Tigger and my mother will be Eeyore as we open the door to hundreds of trick or treaters. The disney store has some high quality costumes for adults that tend to be modest to mildly revealing and are sturdy in nature. Trust me, tigger and eeyore are completely covered.....

ewe are here said...

I'm sure your daughter is going to be a lovely Cinderella, with a fabulous fairy godmother in tow. :-)

MF (Ramekin!) is going to be Sully from Monsters Inc. I ordered it and had it shipped to my mom's so it will be there when we get there next week.

Bayou Belle said...

You missed something girl! The other option is to be a witch of some sort. Stripper or witch. I guess that is how the guys behind costume marketing see us women!

Aliki2006 said...

Too funny (I think?!) about the pole dancing ads!!

soccer mom in denial said...

There are even slutty Alice in Wonderland and Dorothy? I mean c'mon folks!!

I couldn't agree more that it would be nice for grown-up women to have a few more options in the costume department.

But then my favorite costume of all time was the Marilyn Monroe white dress over the subway grate dress.....

OhTheJoys said...

Could you please be a Maypole?

Kelly said...

My big girl wants to be Cinderella as well. And I'm glad, because over my dead rotting corpse will she be Spicy Pumpkin or Little Pirate Cutie or whatever else offensive costumes sexualizing young girls are up for grabs!

Helen/Spike and Drusilla OK Citizens said...

We used to do family costumes. One year my dad was the Jolly Green Giant and my youngest brother was Sprout. Another year mom was bo peep and we were her flock. What was really amazing was Mom made all the costumes.

Jen said...

I can't believe that the google ads ran that! LOL. And I agree about the stupid Halloween costumes. Most years I'm a "Collage" - I get a garbage bag, poke holes for my head and arms and put little bits of cut out construction paper or whatever else I can find taped to it. It works... whatever. ;-)

niobe said...

So I'm guessing that you wouldn't be all that fond of my Lady Godiva costume. ;)

Seriously, though, there is a certain. . . unwelcome theme to women's costumes.

Run ANC said...

That's funny - I've been looking for costumes for the Boy online, and took a gander at the women costumes at the same time. I noticed the "sexy" trend, and was a bit weirded out by it. Do women not want to be funny or scary?? (Or do the women who do, have to know how to sew??) It's a bit sad, really.

Magpie said...

The pole dancing ads are hysterical.

Yes, women's costumes are dreadful.

I caved and bought a Glinda costume for the girl...because it's a WITCH not a PRINCESS. Even though it's pink and sparkly.

Unknown said...

I know the sexy women costumes KILL ME! What the hell? And I have a Halloween costume post coming to Mile High Mamas soon, so I won't reveal Declan's choice till then! ;)

N. said...

Good point.

And yes, the pole stripping ads are still there.

Jennifer said...

The pole dancing ads are too funny! (The slut Halloween costumes? Right in line with the stripper wear seen every day on the 16-24 set, I'm afraid. *sigh*)

Creative-Type Dad said...

That Hogwarts Student was really shocking
It's like they're trying to turn any innocent idea into some sexual fantasy.

I think that hilarious with the Google Ads. Crazy robots!

Anonymous said...

I'm with you on this one.

Not only am I not into the "sexy" adult costumes for women, I'm also not thrilled by the number of other sexually explicit costumes out there. One of the costumes I saw online was called "Down for the count" - where the guy was dressed as a vampire and there would be a plastic sex doll joined to his nether regions... Classy.

I don't understand all this sexing up of Halloween either, but I think its a disturbing trend. I'm sewing my own costume this year and it doesn't involve my wearing fishnet stockings, lingerie and bunny ears. I can't imagine ever wanting to wear something like that for Halloween. I'd rather be known for being clever than for being a sex object.

At least I was relieved by the kids' Halloween selections - one of them wanted to be a character from star wars and the other wanted to be a scientist - and they're both girls! I can't tell you how relieved I am that neither kid wanted to go for the horribly inappropriate outfits out there...The answer would have been "no" of course, if they had asked - but it's nice not to have to even go down that path. Still though, the kids are still young and I shudder to think what they may want to wear as they get closer to being teenagers...