The challenge of finding appropriate girls Halloween costumes
I might have missed the memo, but when did Halloween turn into a holiday focused on girls showing off their, um, feminine charms? I'm astonished that there are more and more costume shops that pop up in my area each year, and when you go in all the costumes for girls over about eight seem to suggest that they're college co-eds hoping to get laid that night.
I mean, really, have you gone into one of these stores and looked?
Check out these two, for example:
This is a great challenge for us parents of girls because it's one thing to say "honey, those are for older girls" and it's another thing to say "well, you're right, there are NO costumes here at all that aren't in that 'sexy' style".
I might be a bit prudish, or protective of my daughter, but when she's 12yo, she really doesn't have to strut her stuff or wear a skirt that's so short that it leaves nothing to the imagination of the boys she meets.
I actually think that this is yet another step in the dramatic early sexualization of girls in modern Western society and it's a trend that I really despise. I don't want to see little girls or even tweens or young teens dressing like they're nineteen and ready for whatever life (e.g. boys/men) bring their way.
It's hard enough to navigate these waters as a Dad, but it seems to me that as long as these are the primary choices that our girls have and that they recognize that costume shopping is a fundamentally social activity (my daughter went with a gal pal of hers, for example) AND that we as parents don't say "no" or at least tone the costumes down with leggings, underlayers, etc., then we're complicit in this process.
And I might be showing a slightly conservative streak, but I have to say that I see a strong correlation between younger and younger girls dressing in a sexy, eye-appealing and attention-drawing manner and both teenage sex and teen pregnancies. Not good.
So how are YOU handling your girls costumes this Halloween, folks?
Posted by Dave Taylor at October 8, 2009 12:04 PM
My girls always had an idea of what they wanted to be and we would go to the thrift store to see what we could come up with to make their ideas fly. Never used the store bought costumes, they are cheap and flimsy anyhow.
I'm totally with you on this - the trend is disturbing. My girls always get homemade or thrift store choices, and we've got plenty of 'dress-up' clothes to make something cool.
These 'sexy' costumes will never enter my house, and I don't see how any dad would want their little princesses to be seen in them.
This trend is just one reason I'm thankful I have boys! A friend of mine had to insist that her 5-yr-old wear a turtleneck under her cheerleader costume -- b/c she couldn't even find a cheerleader costume FOR A 5 YR OLD that didn't show belly.
As a woman, I think it's absolutely disgusting. The idea that our girls get the message that "sexy" is the one thing they're supposed to be, so, so early,just makes me sick.
Last year we had a 12-13 year old girl come trick-or-treating. I couldn't quite work out what her costume was so I asked. She was a pimp. I had no response.
It is disgusting! Truly a downgrading of mentality. I went so far as to not let my girl have Bratz dolls. Let's see here, they sell the Crack Brat, the Alchy Brat, and the Skank Brat. What a wonderful concept...Not! "Why not? Look at them Honey, they are trying to act like adults, they are not adults, and they have enough makeup on to be a circus clown." And NO! You are not prudish, you're intelligent! Keep up the good/hard work, Dad! Good post!
I really liked this post a lot up until that last bit:
"I see a strong correlation between younger and younger girls dressing in a sexy, eye-appealing and attention-drawing manner and both teenage sex and teen pregnancies."
Girls used to be married off very young. In a lot of countries in the world today, this still takes place unfortunately. Actually, women in America are waiting longer now to get married than they ever have before. Women are more independent and are more informed than ever about sex, pregnancy issues, contraception and STD's. So, I don't really think more teens are having sex. They have always been having sex. Despite the imagery, I think they are making more informed decisions about when to have sex and how to do it safely.
I hope I don't have any girls. Raising young women seems very challenging. I'm glad you didn't let your little girl get a revealing outfit. when I was 10 my mom dressed my up as the Femme Bot from the Austin Powers and I asked "Mom, are you sure it's ok for me to wear this?" We won a costume contest with it but to this day I still can't believe I wore that.
I completely agree! It is so much easier finding a costume or even clothes, for my son. She's 7 for pete sakes! She doesn't have cleavage! So far, I've gotten away with Disney Princess costumes and angels but not this year...she wanted to be Hannah Montana or one of the girls from High School Musical! We compromised...she's a fully covered up witch. Why is it so hard for clothes makers to understand that most of us don't want our kids to look like mini street walkers. People started this nonsence with us even at 2. Now I'm sorry, but who here thinks it good form to give a 2 year old Daisy Dukes? I mean, get real. I threw them away after they left. I could not imagine giving them to someone else.
well my girls have lots of problems every year looking for outfits because they are to reveling and 'sexy' but this year i have found a great website called cool halloween costumes and my little girl of 7 wants to be a cheerleader from high school musical and this website has all the answers it is just great i admit it does have a few reveling outfits but for young girls the costumes are princesses and cheerleader and for once they dont show the belly!so have a look for yourself.
i really like the fist one the cheerleader i would buy my daughter that one because she love cheerleading shes 8 years old
Well,my daughter's 10 and shes gone crazy over mini shorts and strapless tops! I'll tell her no then she'll go over to her dad and make a sad face and trick him into buying whatever she wants! Her friends do the same thing. Last year her and her group of friends all went trick or treating as Barbie dolls and theyre guy friends were kens!My daughter and her friends do wear junior clothes and people think theyre 13! This year theyre planning on going as dallas cowboy cheerleaders and the boys are going to be dallas cowboy football players! but the parents all have agreed that they cant have the uniform but can were tank tops with dallascowboys on the front
i like them both
what size r those
I am fourteen and already subjected to drugs and alcohol. My town has ten year old girls walking around, drunk, in bikini tops and short shorts. We live in an age of the gross. de-evolved into "fearless" stupidity.
