October 25, 2009
Halloween is about fantasy, fun, and (of course) candy. But some of the kids' costumes seem to cross the line: a sexy pirate, a belly-baring cheerleader, an axe murderer. And have you ever seen a referee who looked like this? Are these simply harmless costumes or something you wouldn't let your child be caught undead in? Why can't Halloween be one time in the year where kids can just be kids? And do we need to buy these questionable costumes, or is it better to make your own with your children? Dana Loesch of Mamalogues asks, "Have kids' Halloween costumes crossed the line?"
What is your child going as for Halloween? At what age is a gory costume appropriate? How about a "sexy" costume? Join the Momversation by commenting below.
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23 Comments
I took my 7-year-old daughter to grab a costume at the local party shop the other day.
Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader: $9.99 in the sale bin.
Generic "USA" cheerleader costume with long sleeves and skirt to knees: $27.99.
Damn the budget. We spent the thirty bucks. I wasn't even having the conversation.
Sun, 2009-10-25 20:28
Same thing happened here Mindy.
My daughter (5) picked out a "Candy Corn Witch" costume - complete with garters and miniskirt. She wasn't interested in the slutty aspect - it was just pretty to her. It was on sale, so we bought it and I got out my sewing supplies and altered the costume significantly - a slutty short skirt on a 20-year old turns out to be a modest to-the-knees skirt for a 5 year old.
Violent costumes will not happen under my roof.
Slutty costumes in kids are pretty much a moot point around here - in most of Canada the most important characteristic of a Halloween costume is "will it fit over a snowsuit?" Snowsuits make just about everything modest enough for anyone.
Thu, 2009-10-29 23:27
Maybe there was something cut out in the editing, but I disagree with Asha's comment about when kids want to dress up as "slutty" anything, her choice would be to consider a party instead of trick-or-treating. If it were me, and a pre-teen to teen child of mine wanted to be a slutty whatever -- I would MUCH rather have them outside in the cold in my neighborhood than inside at someone's party where parental supervision could be nil.
I mean, I'm sure kids *could* get up to anything outside, but I don't want to make it comfortable for them to do so, and saying them should go to a party instead doesn't work for me.
That said, I know not all moms are like us. I was shopping at a Halloween store the other day, and the saleswoman had to ask a mom shopping with her 14-year-old daughter if the costume she was trying on wasn't too risque. I mean, when someone who makes money off of you buying something slutty asks you to reconsider your chooice, maybe you should.
Sun, 2009-10-25 21:43
Companies don't make what parents won't buy.
When they start making slutty dog catchers, that's where I draw the line! And a Dog Killer costume... that would be wrong.
Mon, 2009-10-26 08:11
I don't mind the bloody gore costumes as much as the slutty. The gory I get, it's Halloween and it's scray. But a 5 year old looking like she's getting ready for some tricks, and I don't mean as in fun, ha-ha, is wrong on SO many levels.
Mon, 2009-10-26 08:17
I have to agree... so many of the costumes I've seen to teens/tweens, even the little kids are getting pretty bad. When I was a kid, it was cool to be a fairy, a princess, even a clown or a scarecrow. I think things have just gotten to risque and vulgar.
I am one to make my girls' costumes as well... I can control how long/short things are and how they fit... That's fine with me!
Mon, 2009-10-26 08:18
My daughter is a little young for the slutty costumes yet at 19 months old - though not for inappropriateness. My rules for her are as follows: 1. Comfort - she is first and foremost a toddler, not a costume, so if she can't run around in it, she's not wearing it. 2. Inexpensive - I just can't see spending a fortune on a costume that she'll wear once MAYBE twice if we're lucky. 3. Room for growth - Last year we bought a costume, and she outgrew it by the time it was time to wear it - luckily we went to a major children's store and found an entire costume for $11. 4. Weather appropriateness - I'm not a parent who is going to buy her a costume that has no sleeves or is just a leotard no pants underneath when it's End of October and just hitting 40 degrees outside. That's about it here.
Mon, 2009-10-26 08:21
Halloween costumes have gone way to far. It's disturbing. I think our rules are going to be if it's not acceptable to wear to the church party, then it's not an appropriate costume.
Mon, 2009-10-26 08:37
I can't believe some of the costumes that I see these days. My daughter is only 3 so this hasn't been an issue for us. This year was the first year she really told us what she wanted to be and we could make her a "fairy monster" costume. I don't understand why it is ok to let kids dress up in slutty costumes. Who wants to see their daughter looking like that? I don't mind gore as much. I'm pretty sure my husband would tell my daughter she had to dress as a non-slutty nun if she picked out a slutty costume when she gets older just to show her that's not ok.
Mon, 2009-10-26 11:00
Living in Canada takes whole different set of rules when it comes to costumes.
Rule #1: If the costume doesn't fit under any winter gear you can't wear the costume.
Nope that is pretty much the #1 rule I follow!
Mon, 2009-10-26 11:15
When we were 6 years old my sister and I were going to be "Hula Girls" for Halloween. This included bikini tops, flip-flops, plastic leis and grass skirts. I don't know what we thought we were going to wear under them - nothing? But on the day of the school Halloween parade (and that night for trick-or-treating), my mom made us wear our jeans and WHITE TURTLENECKS under our costumes. Let me tell you, wearing a bikini top over a turtleneck shirt was not as glamorous as I had imagined it would be. And we had no concept of "slutty", we just thought we would be beautiful in our skirts and bikini tops!
Mon, 2009-10-26 12:05
Halloween costumes, clothes, dolls- it's all gotten so out of hand that I can't stand it. As the mother of a little girl, as well as a daughter, and a sister, I want to take some of these companies, manufacturers, parents, etc. and shake them silly. Anyone who wants to see me lose control need only wave a Bratz doll in my face.
Some clothes, looks, are a matter of opinion, and I'm all for self expression (at times to extremes)- but ANYTHING that makes a child look even remotely "hot" is f-ing ridiculous. This is one of those issues that's like a finger in my eye. In this day and age, for what reason would anyone risk it? Sexy little girls? Are you kidding?!?! Insanity!
I once had a very cathartic attack on this issue here:
http://judgementalzine.com/index.php/2009/03/sex-candy
There's simply no excuse.
Mon, 2009-10-26 12:59
Heck ya we do and will monitor what our kids wear...That goes for Halloween or any other day of the year!
I bet those kids that are Pig Killers or Slutty Fairies are also the ones whose parents let them wear too short shorts to school or a bloody scene of some sort on their t-shirts, any day to school.
But nope, no crazy evil, sadistic or slutty costumes on my kids...no thanks!
I'm all about having fun and using your imagination, but if their imagination includes killing someone or wearing hardly any clothes I may put them (and ME!) in therapy! ;)
(psst, Loved the music and pics that went with this momversation...made me lol)
Mon, 2009-10-26 13:47
Oh! And here I am concerned that this mask might be too scary for Cam to wear to the Halloween Fair (they say family friendly costumes only on the invite...)
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y25/surferbaby/GEDC0487.jpg
Could you imagine a PIG KILLER...OMG?!
Mon, 2009-10-26 13:52
we dnt do Halloween for a few reasons but I think its sad when parents let their kids dress up as slutty anything you see all these girls looking like hookers walking down the street going to strangers houses asking for treats Ya thats Wise!
What happened to being batman or rainbow bright? Last yr I saw a slutty Rainbow Bright seriously WTH is wrong with people? I dnt care for the gory but isn't that what Halloween is about scary monsters aliens, witches .
we dont dress up and celebrate Halloween But we do get cheep costumes the next day to fill the dress up box they can dress up anytime This yr we will be going to a Harvest festival at our daughters Christian school the have games and fun but no slutty or scary costumes allowed some kids dress up some dnt
Tue, 2009-10-27 11:00
I HATE Halloween so much! If it weren’t for my husband our girls wouldn’t carve pumpkins or need costumes for trick or treating. I’m lucky so far as in our girls aren’t interested in the slutty & bloody costumes. I pray it stays that way. For the most part we/I try to make their costumes. Last year our 9 yr old was a “pierogie” and she was a HIT in our town of old folks. It took some imagination and sewing on my part, she looked great. She was the only girl in her class dressed as a food but she loved it & I approved.
http://marriedsingleparent.blogspot.com/
Wed, 2009-10-28 05:22
We teach our children to live their faith.
A scary or slutty costume is not appropriate!
The good news is that our kids have never asked to be anything that wasn't soooo cute! This year, I'm sewing Hogwarts robes. Totally cute!!
Oh, right...back to sewing!
Wed, 2009-10-28 06:27
When I saw this page, I immediately thought of your question, Dana. Now you have the opportunity to not only dress your children slutty, but also your pets! HOW FUN!
http://www.divinecaroline.com/22323/86210-slutty-costumes-gone-dogs
Wed, 2009-10-28 14:57
I just think some kids' clothes have gotten out of hand, period. I don't have a girl, but if I did she would be wearing frills, florals and pinafores as long as possible. Dress-up occasions will be ballerina, fairy, poodle, koala. I don't know. Whatever, but it won't have the word "slutty" before it, that's for sure. LIttle girls should be little girls for as long as possible! They will have plenty of time for knee-high boots and bikinis when they get (much!) older.
My son on the other hand is easy. He has several costumes he wears frequently - like, to day care and stuff. He has Superman, Spiderman, a pirate, a clown, a Christmas elf, and countless soccer kits. See - easy!
Wed, 2009-10-28 18:38
Thu, 2009-10-29 07:13
Aceiatx- Thanks for the video and for not being afraid to put that perspective out there. You know in the midst of my diatribe about what little girls should and shouldn't be wearing, and the debate about gorey/scary costumes, I almsot forgot about the reason you're supposed to dress up on Halloween. It's so the evil spirits don't recognize you right? The idea is to blend in. The original costumes to celebrate Halloween would have been reeeally scary! It's only after marketing became part of the equation when Superman and the fun stuff would've even entered into it. It BECAME a fun holiday, but that is not its origin. A slutty prostitute would portend evil! That makes perfect sense.
And it's true- options for girls often involve being sexy. It's no wonder why costuming has become what it has. It reminds me of the part in the 'Sex & the City' movie where Miranda shops for Halloween costumes. She picks up the only 2 she could find and says "Great. Witch or sexy kitten- these are the only two options for women." A little creativity can open things up a bit, but it doesn't address the reality of society's expectations. Its obvious (especially these days) that girls are pressured to step it up a notch in regard to womanhood, so what better time than a costume holiday for them to want to try it out? The first time I ever noticed a boy noticing me was during Halloween, and it was all about the costume. Nothing slutty, I was a cowgirl- but I insisted those jeans be tighter than usual. The boy's response was the single greatest day of my life to that point. At the same time, all my mother saw was a cowgirl. I know that's not exactly what you were saying, but it got me thinking about that.
Forums like these really make us evaluate our choices, the reasoning behind the choices of others, and helps us get to the core of certain issues. I really hadn't looked at the issue that way until you mentioned it. Thanks!
P.S. My daughter's going as Wednesday Addams this year. Simple. Inexpensive. Frigid. LOL!
Thu, 2009-10-29 09:25
Slutty may be in the eyes of the beholder. that fairy looked okay to me, the heels being a tad dangerous perhaps. Bloody stuff doesn't bother me, either.
I was rather surprised at the number of boys wearing girl's outfits this year. They ranged in age from approximately 9 to 15.
If I had a daughter who wanted to dress as a slutty nun, I'd assume she'd been viewing classic porn cause nuns don't dress in full regalia anymore. If the kid has never seen an old-fashioned nun where are they learning the old-fashioned fun of parodying them in a salacious manner?
Sandra
www.bloodmother.com
Thu, 2009-11-05 13:59
GAH!! Dana... my 4 year old just came in as I was watching and said, "Mammy, what's a sluddynon?" I put my arms around him, gave him a kiss on the forehead and said, "Ooh, honey. Mammy doesn't have any idea."
Sun, 2009-11-08 05:35