Choosing the perfect Halloween costume can be daunting, whether you’re a DIY-er or a Spirit Halloween shopper. There are endless options to be something other than yourself on Halloween whether it’s something sexy, goofy or majestic. But just because you can be anything, doesn’t mean you should be just anything.
Cultural appropriation is the act of taking elements from a culture or group and using them for fun or aesthetic. There is a big difference between appropriation and appreciation. Appreciating a culture usually involves research and an authentic interest in a culture’s struggles as well as the cool aspects of it. Appropriation is different because it lacks respect and boundaries. This is an oppressive behavior at its worse, and at best it is ignorant. There are some “costumes” that just aren’t ok, especially if it hurts people’s feelings or trivializes people’s experiences it’s not funny or cute. The good news is that you can educate yourself on cultural issues and pick a Halloween costume that will allow you to have a great time without being offensive!
We have compiled a list of examples of costumes to avoid, and some pictures of creative alternatives to get you started on your way to a happy Halloween that should be great for you and everyone you meet.
Bad Costume: Native American princess – Historically, Native Americans have not fared well after Chistopher Columbus “discovered” America and today the story is not much brighter. Native American women experience sexual assault and poverty at disproportionately high rates in the U.S. Not to mention that the few reservations left are routinely threatened by industry projects such as the Keystone XL pipeline.
Good: Katniss Everdeen – if you’re drawn to strong women archetypes and a down to earth vibe, Katniss would be a great idea. A good braid is essential to this costume so pick a good tutorial from Pinterest before you start. An added bonus is that you can buy this look at a Halloween store if you don’t want to scout out separate pieces, especially since making your own bow and arrow might be a little more effort than needed. But if you’re feeling fancy you can certainly create any of Katniss’s outfits from the Capitol, there’s nothing to stop you from being the Girl On Fire!
Bad Costume: Geisha – there is a lot of conflicting information floating around about geishas. They are not prostitutes! Sexy versions of this “costume” perpetuate a negative stereotype about Japanese culture. It is hard to accurately reflect and analyze this part of culture without research, making it an inappropriate costume for a night out with your friends.
Good: A peacock – peacocks are beautiful, feisty and colorful making this a perfect costume for a DIY-er. Start with a sturdy headband and get some peacock feathers to make a headdress or incorporate the feathers into your hairstyle. Save a bunch of feathers to add on the back of a skirt or tutu for a nice tail. Keep your top in the jewel family color scheme, something a royal blue or emerald should do the trick. Make everything pop with dark neutral make up and some fancy fake eyelashes!
Bad Costume: Anything with blackface – Let’s face it, if you have to paint yourself dark to appear as a person of color, then you shouldn’t be attempting to dress yourself up as such. You do not have the experience of people of color and it’s disrespectful to use their existence as a costume that you can wipe off after the party is over.
Good Costume: Pick lyrics from a song and create a visual representation. Last year a friend and one of her sorority sisters went out as a “nightmare dressed like a daydream” from Taylor Swift’s Black Space (pictured above). No one will have the same costume as you, winning you major creativity points and a great conversation starter for the rest of the night. Maybe you could be Nicki Minaj’s The Night Is Still Young by dressing in all black, covering yourself in stars and carrying around a pacifer or baby bottle or Drake’s Hotline Bling which might be better communicated by your dance moves than your outfit!
Bad Costume: Caitlyn Jenner – For whatever reason this costume is being marketed to both men and women. Transgender people are not costumes, there are very serious challenges associated with that identity making this “costume” simply not ok. For example, transgender individuals are significantly more likely to be murdered than cisgender people. Transgender people aren’t humorous or anything to poke fun at.
Good Costume: Red from Orange is the New Black – never mind being an awesome character, Red’s outfit with keep you comfy all night and you won’t be lost in a sea of Pipers and Alexes. Order some checked chef pants from Amazon and a white jacket. If you know how to sew you can embroider “Red” into it yourself, or if you’re less inclined draw it on with a fine tipped Sharpie to prevent a lot of bleeding around the threads. You will probably want to run out and get a wig unless you are a redhead. For added laughs you might nab yourself a fake chicken to carry around!
Finally, be sure to show off your creative, and culturally competent costume to Her Campus Towson by either tagging us or directing messaging us a picture of you in it on instagram (@hercampustowson)! We will post them on our page and whoever gets the most likes on the picture posted by us will win an amazing prize!