Halloween is one of my favorite days of the year. Holidays are the best, because they give you a reason to dress up & celebrate! Loving costumes as much as I do, Halloween has always been extra special! But what is it that we are celebrating? I never really knew…On Halloween you get to be anything you want too! You can be someone else, a made up character, or mythical creature. “In Girl World, Halloween is the one night a year when a girl can dress like a total slut and no other girls can say anything about it.” This year, I embraced that.
Spending most of October on the Sustainable Living Tour, I did not have time to crochet a costume. But as soon as I got home, all I could think about was what could I wear to Escape on Halloween weekend. I was in denial that I couldn’t crochet a costume in time, so kept putting off the search.
I had two goals for this years costume: Wear something fun to dance in & do not buy anything new!
For years I have been making costumes, shopping at thrift stores, & collecting random accessories. Even if I hadn’t, I knew I could piece something together that would work! So the night before the show, I dumped out all my costume boxes & tried on countless combinations, until I found a theme that stuck! Motley Crue backup singer. With hammydown costume jewelry, Good Will cowboy boots, an old bra from etsy, & my favorite double buckle belt, all I needed was a jacket! The next morning, I speed shopped at some thrift stores in Long Beach & found the perfect vintage one!
Since I was going to a rave, I knew I could wear whatever I wanted & not be judged. But this outfit was a bit more risque than any I had worn before. My boyfriend & friends had to convince me it wasn’t to scandalous. But as soon as I got to the festival, I stopped feeling as if everyone was staring at me.
Surrounded by other scantily clad individuals, I started to love my costume more & more. I found myself asking others about their outfit choices & the way it made them feel. Woman after woman kept saying they had never worn anything so revealing before, but they loved it!
What I started to realize, was that by embracing our bodies, we were starting to love them even more. The judgment I so commonly associated with nudity, had been preventing me from accepting my own beauty. No longer was I going to let it control my choices or self image & I hope you do the same. I left the festival with a new found confidence in myself. I never expected that going out in public without pants would make me love my body, but sure enough, it did!
So if your still wondering what to “celebrate” next Halloween, I say celebrate you! Explore a different side of yourself. Show off your strength, your passion, your interests, & your sexy badass self!
XoXo
Peace & Love,
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Megan Nicole Boyd
P.S. In case you wanted a historical answer… Halloween originates from a 2,000 year old Celtic festival, Samhain! Samhain, which means “Summer’s End,” marked the end of the harvest season. It was believed that the barriers between our world & the next were thinner, allowing spirits to damage their crops. Not until the 1950’s did it turn into the 2nd most commercial holiday in the US. Learn more on the History.com!
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What I’m Wearing!
- B-Low The Belt Double Buckle Belt
- Vintage Leather Jacket from Retro Row in Long Beach – similar curtated styles
- Leather Bra & Belt from Etsy
- Hammy Down Vintage Pearl Accessories
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XoXo
Peace & Love,
★★★
Megan Nicole Boyd
Great job on the thrift store bargain hunting!
Creative ensemble 👏
I love your post Megan. Im not sure that embracing our body and our feminity rimes with the use of revealing pieces of clothes but I LOVE that you embrace what you are going for. I think that every woman should be able to see the beauty in her own body, her own self and feel safe and confident about it. That said, I could never understand the necessity to show it off, as if needing other people’s approval on said body and quite often, sexualizing it through clothing showcasing it in a very specific way, made to attract people’s attention., For me, fully embracing my body would be to be naked at a beach, where really, clothes arent needed.I find that there is a thin line in between showcasing bodies in order to receive people’s admiration and simply being comfortable in our own skin, for OURSELVES and no one else. Again, thanks for sharing a great article that forces us to revisit our own relation to our body and body image!
You are so welcome! I’m glad you liked it! Thank you for the thoughtful reply!
For me, the fear of being negatively sexualized use to prevent me from feeling comfortable. Until the past couple years, I wouldn’t wear tight dresses. I was so worried about other people’s opinions of my body, I became insecure with myself (no matter the location or outfit).
We are all radiantly unique in our own way. But instead of being taught to respect & love ourselves, so many of us feel shame because of society’s arbitrary standards. Allowing it to manipulate our thoughts, actions, & self-image.
I don’t think it is necessary to show off our bodies, it’s not necessary to share a lot of the things we do nowadays. But we do it, because sharing the things that make us happy, usually makes other people happy too.
For me, it’s not about being admired physically. It is about letting go of expectations that prevented me from being confident in the first place.
I hope that by sharing, others will admire my liberation. Be inspired to let go of their own assumptions, & always value the beauty they behold!
Well, count me as one who does admire your personal liberation. And thanks for sharing in such an open and honest way! 🙂