Cultural Appropriation
Come on, guys, it's 2016! Can we all agree that other people's cultures are not costumes? For those who don't know, cultural appropriation is when a person finds something that they think is "cool" or "pretty" in another culture, copies it and pays no mind to it's origin or meaning.Cultural appropriation is like you copying from your friend's homework and getting and A, while your friend gets an F. It's not cool and in the end, no one wins. Please think twice before donning a bindi or Dia de los Muertos makeup.
Dehumanizing Costumes
While you might laugh at a Halloween costume making light of a current event, it's still not okay. A prime example of this is the Kim Kardashian Paris Robbery costume. Yes, many people are fed-up with the Kardashian family's exploits, but you have to realize that they're all human too. Costumes like the one shown above are not only over the top, but also unfair to the people they depict. You have to remember that behind these costumes are real people with emotions who may be shaken up with all that has happened.
Political Costumes
Halloween is the time for shoving candy in your face, watching scary movies and jamming out the The Monster Mash. Even though the election is right upon us, now is not the time for politics. A Halloween party is never a good time to start a heated political debate over a costume. It's not worth ruining everyone else's good time. No matter how funny or smart you think your political costume is, please leave it at home.
Over-Sexualized Costumes
I understand if you would like to show some extra skin on Halloween night, but please be mindful of your costume choice. There are some strange choices of "sassy" costumes out there such as an ear of corn, My Little Pony characters and even Pizza Rat. Please don't take childhood icons such as Disney Princesses or the Power Rangers and sexualize them, as in their respectful movies and TV shows, most of them were the age of 18.
So what can I wear?
You can wear anything you want, as long as it's mindful of other people. You don't want to ruin any friendships over your choice of Halloween fashion. The best Halloween costumes are those that are clever and creative, so start with that. Visit a thrift store to get something unique to you and your costume and look at ideas on Pinterest for hair and makeup. While it might seem restrictive to play fair with your costume on the night of Halloween, when you use your creative imagination, the possibilities are endless.
