As a girl I don't remember buying a costume for Halloween. We had an old cardboard box that was full of odds and ends of different costumes and masks that was pulled out and we were given carte blanch to do what we wanted. I remember rummaging through it each year waiting for something to spark my interest, or better yet, creativity. Most of the time it didn't and I was left to come up with something else from other things around the house.
Some costumes I do remember are that of being a baby, a pair of cards with a friend of mine, a punk rocker, and a paper boy, which wasn't much of a stretch, since I had or shared a route for 7 years; the only difference was that I was naturally a girl. But even if my costumes didn't amount to much, the fun I had trick or treating in them did and that is what Halloween was all about.
Each year I am always surprised at the creativity of some new costumes. I always wish I had a brilliant mind that could concieve such creative genius. But over the last few years I have been surprised in a different sort of way when shopping for various costumes. In order for you to fully understand, allow me give you a few examples.
When I had Emma, I wanted to be Little Bo Peep with her as my sheep. So I started the hunt in stores and online and this is an example of the type of costumes I found:
Not quite the Mother Goose version I grew up with.
Richard's usual costume is a Pirate. So I decided to be a female pirate one year with this as one of my search results:
Can you imagine anyone (let alone me) wearing this trick or treating? Not exactly the "Pirates Booty" I had in mind.
So I am wondering if Halloween has changed since I was a girl walking the streets wearing pajamas, sucking a binky, with painted freckles on my nose, happily filling my pillowcase with treats? Do we now have to look like street walkers willing to turn tricks to get the treats?
If so, give me my ratty old pajamas any day!
11 comments:
love it! so true!
Oh my gosh, that is so true! My kids want me to dress up this year and it was impossible to find something that covered most of my skin and keep me warm at the same time. What a joke! And the price for these "costumes" are outragous!
We are having the exact same discussion in our house. THANKFULLY, Kirsten wants to be a storm trooper this year. :D
Our costumes growing up were either what we made ourselves or those plastic outfits that came with a mask that by the end of the night were in shreds. LOL. They never lasted the entire night.
I think we got those plastic costumes all of twice. All of the other years we were left to our own devices in coming up with costumes.
Brennan wants to have a party this year and I told him that was just fine but no one would be allowed to enter if their costumes were gory or immodest. Aint havin' it.
You know....it's funny. Yesterday while I was getting ready for the day and looking at my sorry ol' self in the mirror I got to thinking about all of the "stuff" that is being done to make people "beautiful" these days and I thought, "you know what? I can't wait until natural beauty is in". You never know what is real anymore. Fake eye lashes, fake body parts :), fake nails, fake hair, fake........
I went shopping for clothes for Kirsten a few weeks ago and spent a pretty penny because the only store I could find that didn't make a little girl look like a street walker was Gymboree which is EXPENSIVE! A price I was willing to pay to keep my girl looking like.....a little girl.
It's a tough one Natalie but one that we have to stand firm on and quite frankly, the homemade cute ones are the memorable costumes. When kids come to my door I remember the cute home made ones far more than the department store ones that every kid is "tramping" around in.
I just picked up a "Family Fun" magazine at Wal-Mart and they have some simple cute ideas I'm trying to sell Matthew and Kirsten on. Kirsten's not buying it. She's dead set on being a Storm Trooper. Whu? But I might be able to persuade Matthew to be a washing machine. :D
Grief! Sorry for the book.....but I had to vent with you on this one. :)
ahh...good timing...we are going through a little "thing" over here as well...it is such a competition sometimes...i got joyce a "i want candy" t-shirt from old navy yesterday, which was perfect for her because really that is what she wants. i think my kids are really struggling right now because it was 100 degrees the day before yesterday and we don't know where to get a pumpkin....we have always gone to the red barn and rode the tractor thing and picked them out and then gotten ice cream or a bag of apples....oh, holidays...we are going to have to re-invent our holidays this year. blah blah..sorry for the 2nd book....lol
I so understand! I wonder why they think people that are larger than a size 4/6 don't want to dress up? What a pain!
Giggling. Okay Natalie I am so sorry but I totally missed the boat on this one didn't I? Several hours later it finally hits my brain that you were talking about costumes for you....not kids....and the photos were of adults in costume.......and well, quite frankly I think Richard would be thrilled if you'd dress up in that thar Pirate costume and wouldn't complain one bit about the bootie!! :D Thaz just my opinion on the subject and now I am going to go crawl back in bed and suck my thumb because I really am making a fool of myself today....
Rachel, You kill me!!! It goes right along with kids costumes since the Little Bo Peep costume is intended for a teenager. Anyway, I had to giggle because you read Richard's mind, he said something very similar to what you wrote! I guess dirty minds think alike! JK.
But a big HEAR HEAR to your "book". (BTW I like "books"- it gives me a break from the monotony of house work.)
As I got ready for church on Sunday I realized I did not have any nylons and what tan my legs got this summer has faded with the heat, I wished that we could go back to when sickly white skin was in and women with "a little more to love" were considered the ultimate beauty. Society definitley has a skewed view of what "beautiful" is now a days.
I actually quit associating with a few of my friends from highschool a few years ago because I was so tired of hearing about what work everyone was having done. And you are right, they were fake- from head to toe inside and out. Sadly, they were focused so much on replacing themselves with the fake stuff that there was nothing of the 'real' them left.
I'm glad Kirsten wants to be a clone trooper. Good for her! If you haven't gotten her Costume yet, we have the Commander Cody costume Ashton is wearing in the header photo on my blog. We also have the one Dallin has on, but I think it might be too small for your tall skinny lady. I would be happy to lend it to you. Let me know.
I think Richard would agree that great minds think alike. :D
I prefer to think of myself as trashy in a classy way. I'd hate to be considered tacky!!! :D
I think that if you were to wear either of those outfits you would be walking the wrong streets...
Sheece- I know that's why I had to say something.
Heather- Thanks for being here. It is crazy- the skimpier they are the more they cost!
Rach- I think we covered each other already. Yes, classy trashy- I like that. :)
Misty- Yes, your traditions will be a little different now won't they? but who knows maybe they will be better.
Chastina- It is frustrating cause even the 4/6s are smaller than that.
Guest- You are absolutely right that's why you won't catch me dead in either one.
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