Halloween Musings

I work at a Children's Hospital; so naturally with today being Halloween, I was expected to dress in costume. My goal? To impersonate some sort of well known character without having to make any major purchases, aka use things I already have:

Mission accomplished. (I mean doesn't everyone have red patent leather flats laying around their closet.... or is that just me, the self-proclaimed clothes-a-holic?).

Things I realized in the process:

1) Dressing as a well-known character does give every person you encounter license to refer to you in character all day, regardless of whether or not they actually know you. ("Hi Dorothy" was the refrain all day, along with "Where's Toto?").

2) As a caveat- dressing as a beloved children's literature character goes over better when the majority of your coworkers are NOT Latin (aka did not grow up with the Wizard of Oz). "Are you a pilgrim girl?" "Wow, you look cute, but I have no idea who you are" "Your shoes don't match"= all things I heard today. (Side note- who hasn't seen Wizard of Oz? Like... seriously, isn't that mandatory for both childhood and US citizenship?? Classics people, they are the glue that holds our social society together.) (Side note to the side note, I actually love my culturally diverse coworkers but enjoy being able to throw things they don't know back at them given the number of 'pretty little white girl' jokes I endure on a daily basis! :) No racist backlash please!).

3) There's a reason I avoid pigtails and attempt to dress professionally on a regular basis. I lost track of how many other employees were genuinely shocked to find out I was staff, apparently I looked just like a 12 yearold trick or treater ( epic fail.... unless I could get away with ACTUALLY trick or treating for the goods... maybe I didn't think this through!).

4) Ruby slippers are $*#& on the feet, even when they are the ballet flat version.

5) Unintentionally baking cookies for a bake sale that are in theme with your costume is an epic win, even if you don't realize it til after the fact.

Wicked Witch of the West Cookies anyone?

6) Always amusing when you forget that you are in costume and get confused as to why people keep staring at you and smiling.

7) When all else fails, stand next to someone with an even more ridiculous costume and enjoy the day!

Happy Halloween Everyone!