Steppin' Out Saturday: Halloween

The girls and I got the Halloween season started off right this weekend and stepped out 

to my cousin's annual Halloween bash.  This is by far one of Isabelle's most favorite 

holidays and she plans her costume for months, pouring over the costume catalogues 

that arrive in our mailbox starting in August.  This year, she decided we would be a family 

of kitty cats and Brees and I happily jumped on the feline bandwagon.  Brees wore one 

of Belle's old costumes and, for once, kept it on the entire night without trying to strip 

and claw her way out of it.  I wore one of my cardigans and my old faithful Mardi Gras 

tutu with ears and a tail found in the girls' dress up box.  We purchased Isabelle's costume 

at a local Halloween store and I was elated that it was not only reasonably priced but 

very well made.  At 8 years old, the costume selection for her age group is already 

making me nervous.  Why are Halloween costumes so scandalous and oversexualized?  

When did this fun, kooky, scary holiday become an excuse for girls and grown women 

to dress up as hookers and call it a costume?  It's infuriating.  But it's reality and so we do 

our best to set the example and empower our girls to be strong, confident, self 

respecting young ladies.  We remind them to have fun and celebrate their innocence.  

And when Halloween comes around, we encourage them to be as silly and free spirited as 

can be, just as long as they share their candy with their parents...