http://www.glamour.com/health-fitness/blogs/vitamin-g/2011/09/health-controversy-the-frighte.html
The above picture and link are from an article I found on Glamour.com today. I wanted to share it because it relates so much to what we have been talking about lately. This halloween costume, called Anna Rexia, was sold by a store called Ricky's until it was recently discontinued due to the controversy it caused. The costume is a skeleton dress with a tape measure around the waist.
We have been talking in class about how women are culturally pressured to have perfect, skinny bodies, and about all the problems and eating disorders this cultural pressure has caused. This costume pokes fun at that issue in a very disturbing and distasteful way.
This article also made me think about another common body practice of women dressing up in sexy halloween costumes. Our culture, in general, tends to see Halloween as the one 'free pass' day, where women can dress in the shortest, tightest, lowest-cut outfits imaginable, and not be thought any less of (at least in theory). Its very interesting how our culture completely shifts for just this one day each year.
Although some costumes, like the one above, might cross a line, I think it is perfectly ok for women to want to look their best on halloween. Many of us are 'docile bodies' in this halloween tradition. Many women (myself included) eagerly plan out their halloween costume a month or so ahead of time. Our culture loves October 31st, and as long as Halloween trick-or-treating is around, I think the body practice of sexy halloween costumes will probably be around too.
I'd love to hear what everyone thinks about this topic.
I LOVE Halloween as well. Although, never for the mini sexy costumes as much as the unique, historically correct or brilliant costumes. Halloween was historically a holiday to dress up as something that you are not so that the evil demons wouldn't come and eat you. But now, it's more of a tradition to dress up as something that you are not so that you can get candy. (oh consumerism)
ReplyDeleteInteresting costume design, brilliant actually in design and such. But kind of sad that they would glamorize anorexia into something sexy. Its painful to look at myself.
I would have never thought in my wildest dreams that one would or could glamorize anorexia (even though people in charge of advertisements do it all the time) but actually making a costume for it on one of the most popular days of the year...that's intense.
ReplyDeleteThinking about 'docile bodies' and 'body practices' I really think this image has a lot to say about our cultural practices nowadays. At first when I seen this, I thought it was a joke but maybe that's exactly what the person was thinking when they made the costume up (they didn't really think somebody would buy it I hope)...the Anna Rexia costume pokes fun at a very serious condition that young women (women in general) have nowadays. And maybe they wanted to say 'hey look at this ridiculous costume that's probably gonna open up A LOT of PEOPLES eyes are how messed up OUR CULTURE is...I don't know but that seems a way that somebody could take it.
I think it's a little serious though (that costume) cuz I don't think anyone with anorexia would really wear it, it's embarassing and if you were really really really tiny and wearing it I think if people got what the costume means, well they would probably feel bad for you. This costume and the way it blew up in the face of every person (since it was taken off the shelves and no longer sold anymore) that maybe their saying anorexia is sad and we really need to start thinking about it and how to help people who have it.
This post makes me wonder, would it be considered so offensive and inappropriate without the title on it? I say this because the only thing that seems particularly offensive is the title. Besides the title, the costume simply looks like many other slutty and promiscuous costumes that marketed as well as bought by young women during halloween. Sure, the measuring tape could be considered offensive as well, but I wouldn't have drawn the connection between that and an eating disorder without the title attached to it.
ReplyDelete