This article originally was posted at Spanitz Consulting in 2006. It's getting closer to Halloween time, so I thought I'd share my response to my daughter's elementary school Halloween parade that year. For the complete, unedited article, click the link above. Changes to the article here are in this dark orange font.
Ok, so it wasn't just me being a prude as I watched the kids file by in the hallway of my child's elementary school yesterday afternoon.
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| halloweencostumes4u.com |
The children were dressed in typical Halloween fare (ghosts, Jedi knights, Darth Vader, witches, princesses, Ninjas (including the Teenage Mutant Turtle variety), a few grim reapers were on hand, baseball and other sports heroes).
But one costume wearer couldn't help but catch everyone's eye as she marched down the hall next to the youngsters.
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| bizrate.com |
Thankfully, the wearer of "Dorothy the Tramp from Oz" costume**, as I dubbed it, declined to wear her thigh-high stockings to an elementary school, but little else was left to the imagination.
And that was just the front view of the costume. Not only was the cup about to overfloweth from the neckline of the adult Dorothy outfit, but there was a tattoo snaking up from the breast of the wearer, which drew even more attention to the cleavage revealed from the skimpy neckline of the blouse.
The back view revealed a lacy hemline that barely skimmed the buttocks of the wearer--perhaps it extended an inch or two below the butt--
BUT I was hoping, as was one male observer nearby(though I expect it really would have been an answer to his prayers), that the wind wouldn't catch that skirt as she exited the building. I was hoping she wouldn't have to bend down to tie any shoelaces because I really didn't want to see if she was wearing the standard granny-white underwear or a thong or perhaps nothing.
Not that I wanted to look, but it was getting increasingly difficult to tear my eyes away as my mind was contemplating all of the appalling possibilities.
Other parents mentioned to the school secretary the tastelessness of the Dorothy from Oz costume. I can rest assured it wasn't just me thinking there was something amiss. The secretary cringed and told me that the wearer of the costume was a PARENT who had come in to help with the Halloween party.
Yikes.
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| wizardofozclothing.com |
I think had that been my child's class I'd have asked the parent to go put on some clothes.
In true child form though, the kids were more entranced with Dorothy's huge shoes (see photo, below, and at right) than they were with any other part of the costume. ("Mama! That lady's not wearing a seat belt!" said the child, of the naked woman zooming by in her automobile. . . .)
And I also think it's kind of scary that a parent chose to wear that outfit to an elementary school Halloween party. Save it for the bedroom, honey, or for your no-kids allowed Halloween parties. I think, aside from a handful of fanaticists, this is one reason why schools ban Halloween costumes and resort to having "autumn parties" instead of "Halloween parties."
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| bizrate.com |
I don't know. I'm sure the woman thought she looked quite nice, and thought the outfit really cute. And, it's a character from a children's story after all, so that makes it all right. But, let's examine the reality, here.
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| bizrate.com, teen Dorothy |
The Teen Dorothy has a looser bodice and waistline and (presumably) one-piece white tights, and a less-fitted skirt. Are the one-piece tights a bow to virginity, vs. the thigh-high stockings?
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| costumes4less.com |
It has been in the news recently that Halloween garb is getting a bit more. . . risque, and it doesn't seem that it's limited just to the adult set. As you can see from the outfits pictured here, the "teen" costumes are getting to be a bit skimpy as well. My sister remarked that a third-grade child at her school was dressed as a Geisha - with skimpy skirt and extremely high-heeled shoes. "Cute idea," she remarked, "but the costume was definitely too adult-looking for a kid that age." The costume wasn't nearly as modest as the one pictured, here.
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| vintage 1970s devil at goblinhaus.com |
Does anybody remember when Halloween costumes were composed of whatever you had lying about the house? We used to feel sorry for the kids who had store-bought costumes -especially the ones that were like plastic bags and had the character and name of the character you were supposed to be dressed as, performing some heroic deed. Picture Spider Man in all his red and blue glory, splashed across the front of something equivalent to a kid-size white garbage bag, with his logo in big letters, scaling the side of a building while rescuing a kitten stranded on the rooftop. You get the idea. They really looked bad, bad, bad. Tsk.
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| komar.org |
Halloween merchandise is a really big deal now, though, and people spend just as much on Halloween as they do on Christmas. Decorations, light and yard displays, and so of course, costumes must keep up with the Joneses as well. I have no complaint over the improvements made to store-bought costumes. But home-made ones can be just as nice, with a little bit of effort.
Maybe dressing as a hobo isn't all the rage anymore - our popular culture and the times have changed and hobos aren't aound so much as homeless people, who I guess would be their counterparts in this day and age. Witches are still in vogue, as are princesses, grim reapers, and licensed characters such as Mickey Mouse and Super Man.
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| areyouinmyphoto.com |
As a kid back home, admittedly reaching the dark ages now, our Halloween costumes consisted of a few basic pieces: black skirt, cape, dad's old coveralls, old flowered fabric that often doubled as a cape for a gypsy, red kerchiefs pilfered from dad. Accessories were then added. Witch? Get a black hat and stripey socks. Hobo or bum? Smudge some dirt on that face and wear the coveralls and an old flannel shirt. Clown? Coveralls worked again, with colorful ruffles around ankles and wrists.
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| childparentingabout.com |
I recall being a robot one year - tin foil and a box, and a mask were just fine.
Ok, we weren't top-notch stage costume experts, perhaps, but we still had a lot of fun. And the majority of the kids who tricked & treated at our house were dressed in similar fashion.
I don't object to an "upgrade" in costuming, I just wish, much like the daily clothing that is considered in style these days, that kids could still be kids and not have to select a costume from something that is inappropriate for their ages. Certainly some of the costumes available are looking a little too sexual, and that really sends a mixed message when an adult purchases a costume that is too adult in looks and tone for their elementary aged daughter (or son).
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| free4allcity.com |
There are those who object greatly to the dressing up of children in any costume be it scary or not, and asking for candy door-to-door. So let's give them more ammunition to just outright cancel the day, shall we? Let's continue to cave in to marketing and purchase sleazy costuming.
After witnessing a few get-ups at my daughter's school, I'm thinking that costume-free Halloween school days are not a bad idea. Especially if the adults don't have enough sense to wear something appropriate.
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| gigaweb.com - Mistress Dorothy |
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| electricboutique.com |
Ok, my mind and eyes are done reeling from the assault they suffered that Halloween afternoon. But if you're not attending your kids' Halloween parades at school, you just have no idea what on earth you're missing! And if the trend toward risque costuming continues, I suspect attendance at elementary school Halloween parades won't be the only thing going up next year.
**May I add that the commentary here is just that. COMMENTARY. I do not know the person who wore this particular costume, and have no idea of what kind of morals and standards the costume wearer follows or possesses. The costume wearer may be the most moral and upright citizen for all I know. The commentary here is strictly my own OPINION and is not meant as an attack on any individual or group of individuals, tattooed or not. Tattoos can be beautiful expressions of individuality. I have no issue with tattoos. My "issue" is with appropriate dress, as regular readers of this space may already know.
Thank God nobody showed up like this, however:
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| yeselguapo.com |
Let me get my piggish male comment out of the way first...that Dorothy costume depends on the woman....
ReplyDeleteOkay, that's out of my system. Yes, I would agree with you that a costume like that has no place in a school. At an adult (I include college in this) party, yes but not in a school. but it seems that people for Halloween follow the advice of the girl from Mean Girls.
Mikoyan - piggish male comment perfectly understood! Really! But yes, doesn't belong at an elementary school. Tell me - what is the "Mean Girls" advice, re: Halloween? I missed the movie!
ReplyDeleteI am often amazed at what people think is appropriate. Who'd have ever thought that we'd need dress codes for parents? Yikes, indeed.
ReplyDeleteFirst, I had no idea that there was a whole host of slutty Dorothy costumes. I guess I'm behind the times fetish wise. From my own experiences, my guess is there is always going to be that one mother who dresses inappropriately, and they don't need Halloween as an excuse to do it.
ReplyDeleteWe had one mom who used to come to storytime at the library, in some pretty revealing outfits. She was a later in life mom, and I knew more than I wanted to know about all her plastic surgeries.
The Mean Girls comment was something along the lines is that Halloween is the one time a year when it is okay for a girl (they were teenagers) to dress like sluts.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely not appropriate for elementary school. Some things never cease to amaze me.
ReplyDeleteHere is the exact line from Mean Girls:
ReplyDeleteCady: Halloween is the one night a year when girls can dress like a total slut and no other girls can say anything about it.
@Mikoyan - thank you! Mean Girls had it right, didn't they? I can't believe the number of slutty costumes that are available!
ReplyDelete@Cecelia & Single&Sane - A dress code for parents? No way! Then no one could walk in the building wearing pajamas!
@Alissa - ewwww! You know, I can admire the human form perfectly fine while it's clothed! Some people though, can't resist showing off the goods. One time, my husband and his friend were at a bar and this woman walked up, lifted her shirt, and said, "Do these look fake?" She'd just recovered from her boob job.
Ha! That last picture was great. I'm with you on how skanky Halloween costumes have become.
ReplyDeleteHeh heh. I have to tread lightly here because last year I was dressed a little like the St. Pauli Girl. And two years before that I was a French Maid. And two years before that I was a slutty pirate girl. And two years before that I was a hot teacher. And two years before that I wore a really short toga. Really. Short.
ReplyDeleteYou get my point.
I love to dress skimpily for Halloween.
That said, I would never wear these costumes to school. I wear my very adult costumes to my very-adult costume parties where everyone invited knows they are wearing costumes, too.
I love this post, and I am going to borrow it and figure out how to post it as Halloween approaches.
Per usual, you rock.
xoxoRASJ
RASJ, you crack me up! Dress as skimpy as you like - but at least you know the skimpy costumes aren't meant for SCHOOL WEAR. AAAAUGH!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThese costumes are seriously taking over the Halloween store. Two full walls of them!
ReplyDeleteI remember when growing up, we didn't have these Halloween stores. Instead we had the cheap costumes made with the plastic (I forget the company). At some point, I grew tired of those costumes and decided to press my creativity. Now, if you want to look like Darth Vader, you can go to one of those stores. But don't go the week before Halloween to one of the big box stores because they are putting up their stuff for Christmas.
ReplyDeleteIt's just as good as it was last year! ;-)
ReplyDeletexoxoRASJ