Blog: How Do You Find Appropriate Halloween Costumes for Tweens and Teens?

It is that time of year again….the time I dread more than any other…Halloween costume shopping time. I have three children ranging in ages from almost two to 12 years old. I have no problems finding costumes for my 2-year-old son. In fact, I have trouble choosing which costume to buy. However, the story is much different when it comes to finding costumes for my two daughters, ages nine and twelve. 

Most of the costumes available look like something I might see at dawn on Baltimore Street after a rough night. As one example, my daughter showed me a monster costume. The outfit was a tank top, skirt that barely covered the booty, ripped fishnet stockings, high heeled platform shoes, ripped lace gloves, and make-up running down her face. I asked my daughter why it was called a monster costume. My daughter replied, “The green wig.” I told her I would be happy to buy her the green wig and she could choose something else to wear to complete the look.

It is no secret that Halloween has long been known as “sluttyween.” It is the one day when many young women get dressed up in their most provocative outfits and strut around Fells Point. I have no issue with that…for women who are over 21 years old. Those women are old enough to make their own wardrobe choices and understand the ramifications of those choices.   

My issue is that these trends are being pushed into younger and younger populations, limiting more wholesome options for tweens and teens. It is sad that as a mother, I have to search for outfits that won’t result in me being arrested for child trafficking while trick-or-treating with my children. I would certainly not feel comfortable sending my teenage daughter off to a Halloween party in one of these costumes. 

The options seem to be so limited these days. The styles are either very young or much too old. What are tween and teens girls to do? I would love to hear how other mothers handle the Halloween costume issue. My girls ended up choosing an 80’s Valley Girl costume and a Batgirl costume. What other costumes are mothers choosing for their young girls? I would love to hear that I am not the only old-fashioned mother left in Catonsville.