Do you remember Halloween with fondness or terror? For me, it was always a mixed bag–half filled with candy, and half with the torture of having to make my own costume.
My family could not afford store-bought costumes, so the default was usually a hobo, a witch, or a ghost because they were easy to make with old sheets and cast-off clothing.
I was nearly a teenager by the time I got a brand-new Batgirl costume from K-Mart, and what a disappointment! The fabric was flimsy nylon, tightly fitted, and just tied on around the neck with two strings. It was cold that night, so I had to cover the cape with a jacket. The only thing still visible was the bat emblem on my chest and the molded Batgirl mask, which was kind of cool.
By that time, most of my friends had outgrown the Disney princess and fairy costumes in favor of something a bit more daring.
As for me, I never was into the princess vibe. It was bad enough my mother made me dress like a girly girl and act like a goody two-shoes. I wasn’t about to pretend I liked it!
Did you know that Halloween is now one of the most popular adult holidays? There is something appealing about trying on an alter ego for the night. We can use it as a chance to try out different personalities without fear of judgment or shame.
That is why I say Halloween costumes hold up a mirror to our souls. When we choose a costume, we are choosing an alternative identity that we want to try on for size. It may be who we want to be, or who we think we truly are.
Of course, we all wear masks of various kinds throughout our lives. We may wear a perfectionist mask at work, a people-pleasing mask at home, and a social butterfly mask with our friends. They protect us from our childhood fears of not being loved or belonging. No wonder so many women suffer from the imposter syndrome.
At a recent retreat, I had the participants come to our dance party dressed as their favorite childhood shero. I dressed as Jo in Little Women, complete with quill pen and a lopped off ponytail.
Our guests included Annie Oakley, Pippi Longstocking, Carol Burnett, and Madeleine. Here is a glimpse of what it looks like when grown-ups get to choose who they want to be in the world.
Writing Prompt
Check it out for yourself. Write a short memoir of your favorite Halloween costume. Who did you want to be, and what did it represent to you?
Did you want to be a fairy princess so you could experience the magic of changing a pumpkin into a chariot?
Were you longing to be Wonder Woman so you could have superpowers and defeat the bad guys?
You could write this as a simple, sweet memory, or could could go deeper to see what it means about your authentic self by using my 10 Writing Prompts for Powerful Life Stories.
If you want to share, please join us in the Shero Sisterhood Facebook group where you can get feedback from other like-minded women.
I would love to hear about your favorite costume. Leave me a comment, or better yet, post a picture below 🙂
