Friends,
I have a confession to make. I don’t love Halloween.
I know. Crazy, no? I mean, who doesn’t LOVE Halloween? Well, to be more specific, what I really don’t like is dressing up for Halloween…
The truth is, I’m just sick and tired of Halloween costumes…for women. Why is it that men get to dress like this?
Whilst women have to wear costumes like this:
I say ‘have’ to – of course, it’s a choice. But I spent this weekend browsing the costume aisles at my local Halloween store and to say there was a dearth of non-sexy costume choices is an understatement. Those that are, let’s say, less revealing, go to the other extreme…wanna go to a Halloween party dressed as a giant bumblebee? No, me neither.
In the end, I found ONE costume for teen girls which is neither ‘slutty’ nor ‘blob-inducing.’ It’s a racoon costume. Akkkkk.
So the reason I am dressing as a racoon for Halloween is because I cannot be anything feminine: a pixie, a fairy, an angel or whatever, due to my pixie cut and being petite and overtly ‘feminine’ looking. Let me tell you, I don’t want to be courting harassment disaster. Only the other day a guy wanders over to be in Corner Bakery and asks, ‘what are you dressing up as for Halloween? Tinkerbell?’
Guffaw, guffaw. Funny, right? Er, no! Let’s go with patronizing. Of course, he meant well, but I’m just sick and tired of hearing comments like this, and I certainly don’t want any costume that might make me look ‘cute,’ ‘sweet,’ or ‘like a pixie.’
I guess what I’m saying is that, for women, Halloween seems to be about reducing yourself to a cartoon version of what a woman should look like, OR rebelling against that and wearing some voluminous costume that hides every feminine curve just to avoid predatory eyes or caving to the ‘slutty’ costume trend.
The third option is to make your own costume, but who has the time? Not me! If I was less tired and feeling more creative I would try to come up with something amusing and fun and something that represented ‘me’ but I’m just not feeling it this year.
The fourth option is to don a witch’s hat and cape and look like you don’t really give a damn.
So this year, I’m gonna be a racoon.
A. Racoon.
Have pity on me.
Milk & Honey 