Did You Dress Up Yesterday?

I’m not talking about a nice suit or snazzy new heels. I want to know if you wore a costume to work on Halloween, and if so, what you wore.

A friend who works in a bank told me that one year a colleague of hers came to work as Carrie, from the Stephen King book/movie. Carrie, drenched in fake blood. To wait on people as a teller. Um, no! Another friend who works in a publishing office said that her supervisor made costumes mandatory because there was a big meeting on Halloween and it would be “fun” if everyone was dressed up. So she went as the Wicked Witch of the West, green face and everything.

How much is too much? I think a witch’s hat and a stick-on mole are in a completely different category from full makeup and head-to-toe witch’s robes complete with broomstick, just like a pair of rabbit ears and some whiskers are different from a full bunny suit. To each his own, but what’s really appropriate for an office environment?

Personally, I’d vote for no costumes because I think they’re distracting and unprofessional in a business environment, and senior leadership would be fully within their rights to ban Halloween costumes in the office. But I don’t think they should — or even can, legally — mandate them.

What’s your opinion?

Contents © Copyright 2007 Kristen King