Halloween has always been one of my favorite holidays. We always dress up (I think I've not dressed up maybe 5 years total). However, being overweight on Halloween is very limiting. First, costumes are cut small, so if you want to go buy a costume at a store, their size large is meant for like a size 8-10. Plus sizes are sizes 14-16. Add to that, for some reason, women's costumes are mostly over sexualized. Who wants to see a fat, sexy Little Red Riding Hood? or a fat, sexy police woman? It's hard to feel good in a big, plus size, especially in store bought costumes that seem to be cut for a mannequin and not for a real body.
So, there is the "let's go to Goodwill". Guess what, again, it's hard to find plus size stuff. Gowns? Retro skirts? Nope. People used to be thinner, so it's hard to find fun stuff in the bigger sizes and then when you do, it's a man's suit or shirt and you feel frumpy and even more huge. At least I always did. Do you know how many times I went as a man? And it's mostly because I couldn't find fun women's costumes/clothes to wear.
One year our entire family went as characters from The Lord of The Rings. Me? I went as a peasant woman from Rohan. I found a bunch of wool skirts, cut them down and made 3-4 skirts into ONE that fit me - and I needed all 4 skirts to do it! The costume was great, but I wasn't the sexy Elf princess any other beautiful female character from the movie - nope, a fat, peasant woman - plain and blah...
Last year we wanted to go as characters from Toy Story. I got my youngest son a Buzz Lightyear costume off ebay (as it was way less expensive than a new one or making one). I got my older son an all blue jumpsuit an alien head piece for the Pizza Planet alien. We already had a felt cowboy hat, so I went to goodwill and found a shirt for my husband to be Sheriff Woody and then made the vest, added buttons to the shirt and a drawstring pull and fake cowboy boots. Last year for me, I was stuck. What could I be? The only thing I could think of was Mrs. Potato Head as she was the only round character. Me as Bo Peep? Nah... Me as Jessie? Nah... only Mrs. Potato Head would fit my body shape at all.
Well, last year, I didn't get to the adult costumes, so it didn't matter. My younger son wanted to go as Buzz Lightyear again this year so I decided to get the other costumes together. I beefed up my older son's costume a bit, did my husband's costume and then realized, I didn't need to be Mrs. Potato Head. I "could" be Jessie if I wanted to. Sure, I'm not skinny like she is, but I'm not rotund any more either.
So, I went to Goodwill to find a plain white shirt (I didn't have any) that I could work with and all the shirts I found were too big. Now I'm not tiny, but wow!!! That's a first! Then, I realized while looking around, I could fit into a lot of things now. I might not even need to buy plus size costume pieces. It's liberating!
Of course, when I was at the fabric store, I about choked when I looked at what size costume pattern I would need - a size 20!!! Yikes! But, that isn't considered plus sized. I picked up a pattern to be the Queen of Hearts next year (or some year). My husband can be the Mad Hatter (my own personal Johnny Depp). Yep, I can wear something like that now! And it feels great!!
Stats for 10/29/11:
Beginning weight: 255.6 Now: 182.0
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