Halloween costumes have a long history of being controversial; that’s arguably part of the fun of the holiday. From caricatures of political figures to sexualized zoo animals, flirting with the boundaries of social norms is core to the celebration.

Many Halloween retail stores have long sold costumes that attempt to embody cultures. While cultural appreciation is an honorable pursuit, the lines are often blurred during this highly marketed holiday.

If a child is vastly interested in Japanese culture, for example, I see no issue in allowing that child to dress in a Kimono - regardless of race. Costumes like “Native American Seductress”, “Geisha Dragon Lady”, and “Tequila Bandito” are where things become problematic - and yes, these are real examples available for purchase this Halloween season.

There is a fine line between cultural appropriation and cultural appreciation, and while the line is unclear, I hope this helps you make mindful choice about your costume this season.

Are you dressing like a cultural group you don’t identify with the rest of the year?

If you were not acculturated, or raised within the knowledge base of a particular culture, you may be missing out on the significance of the garments you’ve chosen. For example, the Sari is widely regarded as a symbol of grace in Indian culture. To wear this to a Halloween celebration, particularly those risqué in nature, would contradict the honorable traditions associated with this type of dress.

If you don’t have a close cultural connection with the group you are choosing to represent, you may consider asking someone who does, conduct a little personal research, or rethink the costume choice.

Do the garments closely resemble traditional dress of that culture?

If you choose to dress in another traditional garment, you are choosing to represent an entire culture and, in a sense, becoming an ambassador. Having some cultural knowledge of what you choose to wear is ideal. Is it a celebratory outfit? Is it ritual dress or do people in that culture wear this type of dress year round? If the garment does not resemble the traditional dress, you may be disrespecting years of tradition. This mainly happens when retail stores generate ‘sexy’ versions of traditional outfits.

Are you trying to be ‘sexy’?

There’s nothing wrong with feeling sexy or being comfortable enough in your own body to show a little skin this Halloween. Sexualizing a traditional outfit, however, is disrespectful to the values of the culture which you are representing. The ‘Sexy Nun’, for example- while maybe the humor lies in the antithesis of the outfit itself, the wearer disrespects hundreds of years of Christian practices and mocks the lives of nuns, monks, and the like.

Think of it this way; what if there were a costume out there called “Sexy [insert your name here]”, and it was a parody on your lifestyle? Some may think, “Heck yeah! I’m pretty sexy, I would be honored!” That is not the intention of these outfits, however; they are intentionally caricaturing and making fun of everything you stand for in a way that is also extremely over-sexualized. Does that make you feel uncomfortable? Consider this when choosing your costume.

What other options are out there?

Have no fear, there are plenty of costumes out there- even ‘sexy’ ones- that don’t mock the beliefs of entire groups of people. From animals to movie and book characters, the only thing that limits you is your imagination. So get out there - get creative and stay mindful!