‘Anna Rexia’ Halloween Costume Pulled From Shelves

Hmmm…what to be for Halloween this year? There are the old standbys – French maid, naughty nurse, slutty school girl – or I can really mix it up and be an eating disorder. That’s right, there’s an actual costume, called “Anna Rexia,” which is a play on anorexia nervosa (you know, that hilarious mental illness with a crazy high mortality rate). The costume consists of a black mini-dress with a skeleton on it, a tape measure and a hairpiece in the shape of a bone.

Who comes up with these things?!

The costume has apparently been around for a couple years now, but since Halloween is just around the corner, it has begun surfacing once again. And, not surprisingly, it’s pissing people off. Online costume retailer Ricky’s, for one, is under major scrutiny for selling it on its website. In fact, it removed the costume within one hour of posting it because people were complaining.

According to Gothamist, a Ricky’s rep said, “We seriously apologize if this costume has offended anyone. The costume has been taken down from our store due to complaints and we didn’t realize the kind of harm this would cause.”

Didn’t realize?! Look, I like to think I have a pretty good sense of humor (I even plan on buying some “Schweddy Balls” ice cream once it’s out!). But this just takes ‘offensive’ to a whole new level. Anyone who has been affected by an eating disorder – or really anyone who has a brain-slash-heart – knows that it’s a serious condition. And with children as young as five years old being hospitalized for the disorder, it’s no laughing matter.

Oh, and P.S., the costume comes in a plus-size version as well. WTF?!

(Photo: gothamist.com)