Boo
Dress Up
This particular holiday is acceptable to a very wide range of people. Even though there is a spiritually spooky side to it, it is mainly dress up for candy and drinks. It allows folks to delve into that side of themselves that they can’t show when the daily required uniform is a suit, workout clothes, heavy duty boots or a crooked nametag that no one notices. It is the opposite dress up day many need to display a part of themselves no one expects. There are a remarkable number of days throughout the year that instruct us how to look. We dress up for sports activities, religious services, dates and then there is a large class of clothes meant to be seen by our loved ones. My mom would call these our play clothes. They may be indifferently matched, have ripped seams or not fit but we choose them when there is no required choice.
Costumes are billboards
Make no mistake. All clothes send a message. If you think of your choice of scary wear as just what you put together to have fun with your friends on Halloween, what are you thinking for the other days of the year? Every stitch of fabric that you wear tells a story. Think about your tactics when you shop for clothing. Do you just rummage through every rack looking for something that speaks to you? Do you know exactly what you are gathering when you hunt down choices at your friendly neighborhood general merchandise emporium? These are choices. If you are building your own capsule wardrobe of items that all work together, does this meet your need to be minimally controlling? If you couldn’t care less and let your mommy decide what you should wear, who are you? When you select your outfit for the day, look at it in the mirror and imagine yourself on the largest billboard you have ever seen. What statement are you making?
Scare Yourself
Maybe it is time to frighten yourself. Even if you are not going to dress up for Halloween, put some time into thinking what you would like to dress up as. This can be eye-opening if you do it right. If you need to, visit the costume shop and walk around to see what trendy choices there are alongside the werewolves, zombies and princesses. I often like a good witch outfit. Yes, I know why I am drawn to it. And it never bothers me. It actually confirms a bunch of stuff. But you be you. Just try and scare yourself.
The Fun Part
Ask around. Everyone likes to talk about their favorite costume. And consider yours also. If yours was in your youth, consider why. The addition of candy is nice, but the comfort of dressing up as something you remember well is totally different. That is an internal memory. A core thought. Examine that one before you make judgement calls on those who just grabbed an old sheet and pillowcase. Your ability to be more than your daily self is a leap. If you could take that kind of courage into adulthood, you would know and trust your spooky spiritual side even more. Spirits aren’t meant to be feared. Spirits are each of us, just dressed differently. That alone is a great thought to ponder. And it will give you a head start on tomorrow’s outfit and next year’s costume. Go for it.
Should ghosts be trusted? Why are hobos acceptable outfits?
