Dressing Up is Hard To Do
Kirstin Vander Giessen-Reitsma, Student Activities Coordinator
catapult
Vol. 6, No. 19

My husband often tells a story about the Halloween he dressed up as Dick Tracy.  He was so excited in the days leading up to October 31—which says a lot for the odd boy who didn’t really care for candy—looking forward to the snazzy suit and trench coat.  But when it came time to put on the costume, he discovered it was just a one-piece suit printed on cheap nylon fabric topped off with a molded plastic hat.  Instant Tracy was little more than scratchy flame retardant pajamas.

More and more, the Halloween streets are littered with instant costumes, outfits purchased in a complete set for $14.99 intended to represent Captain Jack Sparrow or a princess or Harry Potter or a cheerleader.  They require little effort and possess a quality that’s apparently intended to compost entirely in three weeks.  This phenomenon seems like a loss to me, not only in terms of the global market by perpetuating the flow of Cheap Plastic Crap, but in terms of turning dress up into a commodified, sale-priced, once-a-year event.

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