A Mean Girls Halloween
October 29, 2024
Writer: Zoe Brown
Editor: Zoe Gellert
“In the real world, Halloween is when kids dress up in costumes and beg for candy. In Girl World, Halloween is the one day a year when a girl can dress up like a total slut, and no other girl can say anything else about it.” - Cady Heron, Mean Girls (2004)
Halloween was once a holiday when we dressed in fun costumes and knocked on doors, hoping to find a house with full-size candy bars. During the transition from childhood to adulthood, our costumes changed from leggings and oversized T-shirts to lingerie and mini skirts. It felt like there was a new objective—to look as hot as possible while wearing as little as possible.
Though we tend to blame everything on social media, this classic stereotype was catapulted in the blockbuster film Mean Girls (2004) in the early 2000s, and over two decades later, little has changed. Unfortunately, for many girls, what should be a liberating, fun experience is a major cause of stress and anxiety. There is a notion that our bodies need to look a certain way and fit a certain standard to look good in a costume. As October 1st comes and goes many people feel the need to “prep” for Halloween by spending extra time in the gym, restricting their eating, and stressing about what their bodies will look like in their costumes.
“Oh my god, my hips are huge.” - Karen Smith
“Oh, please, I hate my calves.” - Gretchen Wieners
“At least you guys can wear halters. I’ve got man shoulders.” - Regina George.
Our society has perpetuated unattainable and constantly changing beauty standards, and body types go in and out of popularity as if they are trends. These standards take a significant toll on an individual's mental health as they struggle to keep up and achieve the body that the media deems more attractive than others. During Halloween, people feel especially exposed and vulnerable, which often results in an increase in unhealthy eating and exercise habits and a decline in mental health and body acceptance.
"Calling somebody else fat won't make you any skinnier. Calling someone stupid doesn't make you any smarter" - Cady Heron
As individuals and as a society, we need to move our mindset from focusing on looking a certain way to feeling a certain way. Your health should be the number one priority, and a healthy body comes in every shape and size. Health is about fueling your body and doing things to make yourself feel good mentally and physically. You should not choose foods based on calories but by the nutrients and vitamins they provide and the foods that feed your soul. A balanced diet is the key to healthy, intuitive eating. Have that salad and the cupcake you've been craving; they can both fit into a healthy lifestyle. Similarly, you should work out to feel a certain way, not just look a certain way. Physical activity has benefits beyond strengthening your body, such as reducing anxiety and depression by stimulating the production of endorphins, serotonin, and dopamine, which aid in positive mood regulation, lowering stress hormones like cortisol, and stimulating the growth of brain cells, which helps increase plasticity (APA, 2020). Next time you feel yourself slipping into the toxic mindset of Halloween prepping or feeling insecure about your body and appearance, turn on a playlist that inspires and motivates you, look at our lifestyle page or go to Pinterest, and create your own uplifting mood board, or even listen to a podcast episode to hear others stories and remind yourself that you are not alone.
When you put your costumes on this Halloweek and look in the mirror, empower yourself to feel confident and beautiful.