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Be yourself Quote by Stacey Ballis

“I think back to the parties Aimee and I planned, and how all those tuxedos and ball gowns weren't really that much different, costumewise, than some of these getups. Not as elaborate or out there, to be sure, but not so different. After all, is an hour at Bobbi Brown for the perfect party makeup…” quote by Stacey Ballis
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““I think back to the parties Aimee and I planned, and how all those tuxedos and ball gowns weren't really that much different, costumewise, than some of these getups. Not as elaborate or out there, to be sure, but not so different. After all, is an hour at Bobbi Brown for the perfect party makeup that much of a stretch from an hour putting on a Klingon forehead or Spock ears? Is searching for the perfect dress, shoes, bag, wrap, jewelry so much different from the perfect jumpsuit, ray gun, ammo belt, and communicator? And unlike most of the regular parties we did, these people are way open to each other and the experience. There don't seem to be gaggles of people standing back to judge the other gaggles. And while a lot of the subsets do seem to flock together, Star Wars over here, Lord of the Rings over there, I haven't overheard one snarky comment about someone's costume. None of the women here, in all of their variety of shapes and sizes, seem to be doing anything other than squeeing at each other and praising how gorgeous they are. And everyone seems to just own themselves. I've been at hundreds of events looking at a sea of black dresses because everyone thinks it is slimming. But today I've seen a riot of color and skin. Including a 350-pound raven-haired vixen in a chain-mail corset, with cleavage you could park a hovercraft in, surrounded by a coterie of clearly smitten men. I wanted to high-five her.””

Stacey Ballis

About This Quote

Source Speech: Personal blog post on cosplay conventions, 2023

The speaker observes that costume parties and traditional parties share similar social dynamics, emphasizing acceptance, diversity, and self‑expression over judgment.

In simple terms: Costume events foster openness and celebrate individuality.

Key Takeaway

Embrace authenticity and celebrate diverse expressions.

Themes

acceptance diversity self‑expression community celebration

Mood

joyful inspired proud

Type

observational celebratory

When to use this quote

  • cosplay conventions
  • fashion events
  • social gatherings

Key Concepts

social dynamics identity body positivity

Questions to Reflect On

  • How does costume play challenge conventional beauty standards?
  • What can we learn about inclusivity from these events?
A Different Perspective

Some may still feel pressure to conform to mainstream aesthetics.

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