AIBU?
To think Halloween costumes don’t have to be spooky?
JessieMcJessie · 11/10/2018 16:49
In my childhood it was just about dressing up, so I remember my Mum dressing me as a Japanese Geisha, Paddington Bear, an alien, my brother as a Viking or a pirate- her only rule was that she had to do the costume with what she had at home (the Geisha was my Dad’s silk dressing gown!).
But I get the sense that these days costumes tend to be either spooky or a pumpkin, so Zombie Geisha would be OK but not trad geisha.
My DS is two, I don’t really want to put him in anything too gory, and I’d like to dress him as something he’d recognise, like a zoo animal or a Twirlywoo or something. Not a Zombie Twirlywoo.
pennyw85 · 11/10/2018 16:50
My daughter had been a bumblebee, a Dalmatian and batgirl! I agree it's fine for them to dress up as non scary
AuntBeastie · 11/10/2018 16:51
Geisha isn’t really an appropriate Halloween outfit - another culture isn’t a costume.
That said, do what you like re spooky or non spooky. I’ve always assumed costumes are supposed to be spooky given the origins of Halloween, but there’s no law saying you have to do the same.
If you want Halloween themed but not spooky go for something like a pumpkin.
NotUmbongoUnchained · 11/10/2018 16:54
I hate seeing kids dressed as Elsa etc. Halloween is supposed to be scary!
And also zombie geisha is pretty offensive. My culture is not your fancy dress.
Butterymuffin · 11/10/2018 16:54
I've always known them to be spooky costumes. I agree that pumpkin is the best option for very small kids. I don't like the majorly gory costumes though, or the 'sexy' 
ones.
ChanklyBore · 11/10/2018 16:56
Fancy dress is fancy dress, you can dress as whatever you like.
Halloween is All Hallows’ eve and it is scary only.
If you are having a Halloween party or going trick or treating, scary only.
If you are having a fancy dress party and it happens to be Halloween you can wear whatever you like.
Splurge77 · 11/10/2018 16:56
You still see loads of costumes that aren’t spooky. I’ve not noticed any change in that respect.
Although a geisha costume (zombie or otherwise) wouldn’t be acceptable to many today.
Katiepoes · 11/10/2018 16:57
It does not have to be spooky - never had any spooky costumes when I was small either. That was in Ireland - the tradition comes from the idea of disguising yourself so the spirits and pookas and various ghouls would not recognise you. Most costumes for adults in the shops now are indeed more of the spooky sex worker variety, not sure what ancient Irish ghouls would have made of that 
Honeyroar · 11/10/2018 16:58
I always find people/kids dressed in general fancy dress costumes a bit strange at Halloween- it's like they just don't quite get it!!
ComtesseDeSpair · 11/10/2018 16:59
The historical basis of “guising”, I think, come from an old Celtic transition of dressing to impersonate the spirits (Aos si) - who would enter the living world and were appeased with food and drink; impersonating them meant that one could receive the food and drink on their behalf. So traditionally, a Hallowe’en costume should be spooky - but later traditions, both in the UK and the US are for dressing up in any kind of masquerade or disguise, so it’s all good and do whatever you like.
LuckyAmy1986 · 11/10/2018 16:59
I went to Japan and had a makeover by Japanese women as a geisha, photo shoot etc and walked around lots of Japanese people wanted to take photos of me and said I looked beautiful. No one was offended, especially my Japanese relative who arranged it. Lots of foreigners can do this experience. What’s the big deal?
NotUmbongoUnchained · 11/10/2018 17:01
If you take it seriously and dress up in the full kimono and actually learn something about the culture behind it that’s great.
Katiepoes · 11/10/2018 17:02
There's a difference between respectfully taking part in a culture as you describe LuckyAmy and dressing up as the undead version to go to a Hallowe'en party.
AuntBeastie · 11/10/2018 17:03
I still wouldn’t personally find that acceptable LuckyAmy, but in any case participating in something like that in Japan with Japanese people who were sharing their culture and teaching you something about it is very different to putting on a silk dressing gown and acting out a stereotype with no real understanding of the history and meaning behind it.
Deadringer · 11/10/2018 17:05
Growing up in Ireland we always dressed as witches, ghosts or monsters, that was the whole point. If wearing a geisha costume is cultural appropriation then surely celebrating Halloween is too?
ElenOfTheWays · 11/10/2018 17:05
Halloween is supposed to be spooky ( note SPOOKY not slasher crap) so witches, ghosts, black cats, etc.
Most Americans seem to have abandoned this aspect regarding costumes and just go as whatever they like.
I disapprove personally, as I do of the ridiculous gore some people favour which has nothing to do with Halloween; but he's your child, dress him how you like. And how he likes.
Happy Halloween 👻
AuntBeastie · 11/10/2018 17:08
If wearing a geisha costume is cultural appropriation then surely celebrating Halloween is too?
Halloween is celebrated in lots of forms by lots of cultures so, unlike geishas, it’s a shared cultural tradition
Camomila · 11/10/2018 17:08
DS is 2.5, he's going as a spider from Asda...their toddler costumes (spider, monster and witches) are cute rather than scary.
Your DS might recognise ghost/spider/monster/witch...DS recognises and likes lots of 'spooky' things, mainly because of Ben and Holly.
(Terrified of dinosaurs though!)
But you have to be spooky if you don't want to, there's always lots of disney princess and batmans/supermans trick or treating.
LuckyAmy1986 · 11/10/2018 17:09
Ok but the relatives friends there now send my daughter geisha outfits etc for her to dress up in here, just for play. I understand what you are all saying that’s it’s different there to here but a geisha outfit is dress up for most Japanese people too! The day I did it there were lots of Japanese girls doing it too and it was obviously a new and exciting experience for them. They proudly showed me pictures of lots of celebrities who had been there for the experience. I don’t know, I guess don’t see why it’s offensive.
JessieMcJessie · 11/10/2018 17:10
Just let me pop back to 1979 and tell my Mum off for offending the Japanese population of rural Scotland 😀.
We called it Guising, made lanterns out of turnips (Swede), dressed non-spookily and had to do a little song or joke in return for our sweeties. It was fab.
Conseulabananahammock · 11/10/2018 17:10
I'm nearly 30 and I'm going to a Halloween gig dressed as the mask. Yep yellow zoot suit the lot!! Admittedly I probably will look pretty horrifying but not scary
LuckyAmy1986 · 11/10/2018 17:11
Oh and I didn’t learn anything that day, it was purely for dress up! I know everything I know about geishas from the Arthur Golden book!
MrsTerryPratchett · 11/10/2018 17:12
Racism is fine but spookiness isn't? Umm no.
And I can't bear the stream of little princesses that file past every time there is any fancy dress. Spooky is better than the uniform of femininity that seems to have taken over.
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