I thought I was going crazy this year looking for costumes for the kids for that pagan holiday coming up next week.
This is what I saw my choices were for boys: pirates, Star Wars, super heroes or Power Rangers. That is pretty much it.
For girls, thank goodness I didn't have to shop! I see spaghetti straps on the fairy costumes. I see French maids for seven year olds. Wonder Woman, in all her glory. Ballerinas and fairies with the dress mid thigh. Who's holiday is this anyway? I know the real answer is pagans, but on the marketing level, it's supposed to be for kids. So why are we dressing these girls, in particular, as though they are going to audition for an adult movie?
I just found my backup. Another parent besides me sees what I see. Click for here the short article.
And the argument I had with my kids! I tried the approach of what people see when they open their doors. We always see all the Star Wars characters (seriously, costume makers, the original Star Wars is 25+ years old, let's get something new going!) and pirates. Let's find something that no one has seen and will be surprised to see. The boys were a little intrigued by that, but it was hard to say "no" to the storm troopers.
I found a costume for a ketchup and mustard bottle. Could you imagine opening your door and seeing my kids decked out like that? That would be fun! Kids said no.
What we did find was a Shaggy and Scooby Doo costume. I found a deal on them with free shipping. That will also be fun to open your door and find on your porch. Picture JM with a Shaggy wig on!
But as I was scrolling through costumes online, it is getting weird! I don't like what I am seeing in kids costumes at all. I might be needing to make them for the kids in the future.
In addition, practicality. Where I have been bugged is how skimpy the costumes are getting and yet trying to dress the kids warmly. I have very vivid memories of trick or treating with snow drifts higher than me. Well, that was Colorado for you! Where we live now, a thirty degree blustery night is not out of the realm of possibility and is quite normal. Okay, so how do you put a pair of sweats on beneath a pirate costume that only comes with a silky vest for a top? How would you put long underwear underneath a ballerina costume that has spaghetti straps and comes mid thigh? I know, I am practical and just ruined the fun.
I might have just found a way to make my millions. Make costumes for "that" holiday that truly are whimsical, fun, practical, warm, and appropriate for children. Not "sexed" up.
3 comments:
oh so true.... we went in search of costumes for the girls... and there is just NO WAY I am putting them in some of that stuff... so we left with nothing... I don't even know what we are gonna do yet.
I NEED to be able to put something warm under it and yet it not be SOOOO cheap that it falls apart halfway through trick or treating.... blah I don't know what to do yet.
I have some old witches costumes from the older girls.... so maybe those can be adjusted... I just can't see spending $20 on one outfit they will wear once and it won't even be something "cute"
A scarecrow costume is really easy. Flannel shirt, jeans, straw hat, twine around the ankles and wrists. Maybe some fake straw sticking out in places (pom pom material or something from a craft store). I saw a lot of things at Once Upon a Child but I'm sure they were smaller sizes. I was an artist when I was a kid. A smock, a paint pallet, a paint brush and a barrette and a little paint on the face. These can be pretty last minute too.
This year we told our kids that we are not buying costumes. They need to come up with something they have at home.
Our neighbor is in the midst of moving and had some extra boxes. My son is going to convert that into a green Lego piece.
My daughter wants to be a tie-dye fairy. We borrowed fairy wings, got a white shirt from a friend that we tie-dyed and I put purple and pink streaks in her hair.
Our costs? A bottle of paint, two boxes of Rit dye (one at 40% off at Michael's), and purple hair coloring ($5 off). A very cheap Halloween for us!
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