Very Scary Halloween Costumes!
Okay, I know that it's June. School ends for my kids next week and my thoughts should be focused on afternoon baseball games, backyard BBQs, and trips to the beach. My biggest concern right now should be making sure no one in the family gets poison ivy, a really bad sunburn, or eaten alive by mosquitoes.
But instead, I find that I am stressing about something that I'm sure no other woman on my block is concerning herself with...
What on earth is my daughter going to wear for Halloween this year?! 
Tricia and my DNiece, Catie, (both 13) have decided that they want to dress up as Pirates. On the one hand, I'm very pleased because I love the idea of the whole family having co-ordinating costumes in the same theme.
On the other hand, I am having mild anxiety attacks just looking at the female pirate costumes that would fit both Catie (very tall and thin) and Tricia (average height and curvy.) Because of their sizes, they will need adult size costumes, so commercially-offered pirate "lass" costumes are no longer cute... they are "sassy," which is just a more ambiguous term for "slutty".
Remember me telling you about the inappropriate Snow White and Alice costumes we saw at the Pirate & Princess Party?? Well, here is a sampling of what is offered for female pirates:
"Sexy Swashbuckler"... "Booty-licious"... "Playboy Scandalous Pirate"... "Captain's Mistress"
... and (my personal favorite)... "Captain Booty Sexy".
Mind you, I'm not a prude. But these costumes are more appropriate for couples' bedroom fantasy activities, not Halloween costumes! (IMHO) My DSis is of the same opinion and has also vetoed any "sassy" costumes.
One thing that is working in our favor is that the girls have decided that they do not want to wear short skirts because they will be getting on and off of rides all night. (Whew!) Great news, but that leaves out about 85% of the costumes shown.
So they are looking at a costume with a knee-length skirt or some sort of pants or leggings and, have their hearts set on wearing boots. Not high-heeled boots like the "Booty-licious" model is wearing, but boots just the same. (That's going to be a whole 'nother discussion because they need to be able to walk around in them for 7-8 hours!) Okay, forget the boot issue for now, let's get back to the main costumes.
I suggested black ragged-legged pants and striped shirts with big belts, boots, and bandanas...
No. "That sounds ugly."
I suggested brown pants and white ruffled blouses with lace sleeves, long vests, boots, and hats with plumes...
No. "That sounds ugly."
I even got desperate and suggested the POC Elizabeth costume...
http://www.buycostumes.com/Pirates-...e-Adult-2007-Costume/31521/ProductDetail.aspx
No. "I don't like it."
"But why?"
"It's ugly."
Oh. For. Heaven's. Sake!!!
So... I need an age-appropriate pirate costume(s) that is "pretty" but not sexy and comfortable but not "ugly". Tricia is being im-poss-ible. (In other words, a typical teenage girl.) Finally, I told her that unless she wanted me to try my hand at sewing
she and her cousin would have to find their own costumes and her aunt and I would retain ultimate veto power.
Annoyed, she scrolled through the pages herself and came up with two costumes
she declared not "ugly". They would certainly need a bit of tweaking to make them more age-appropriate (to which she agreed), and so I agreed that she could discuss these with her cousin. These are the choices:
Choice # 1:
http://www.buycostumes.com/Rustic-P...t-Collection-Costume/19282/ProductDetail.aspx
(Not only is this costume
very expensive, it would need a different blouse unless this one could be altered. Either that or she would need to wear a cami underneath it.)
Choice # 2:
http://www.halloweenexpress.com/south-seas-siren-adult-costume-p-11808.html
(This costume is very
inexpensive... so the material and construction is probably cheap and flimsy. I'm not crazy about this blouse, either, but again... appropriate substitutions or the addition of under-layers are always an option.)
This is
not going to be easy....
Kathy
either young lady...
I wonder if we can somehow get chocolate and shopping into our meet! 
for us moms of autistic kids.... WDW is so wonderful for them!!
