A skin and bones Halloween costume was pulled off costume retailer Ricky’s website after many deemed the outfit ‘Anna Rexia’ offensive.
According to Village Voice, the advertisement showcases a woman holding measuring tape wrapped around her waist. The black dress also includes a bone hairpiece and a heart-shaped ‘Anna Rexia’ badge. The product sold for $49.99.
Eating disorder professionals say the costume appears to mock the body dysmorphic disorder, anorexia nervosa.
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William Walters, coordinator at the National Eating Disorders Association, spoke to the Voice about the item: “It makes light of something really serious…It’s hard for us to find it funny.”
On Wednesday, Village Voice says a Ricky’s spokesperson contacted the newspaper to say “the store wasn’t supposed to be selling the Anna Rexia costume anymore.”
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An error message now greets visitors to the original costume link.
Back in 2007, The Huffington Post called the costume, “so offensive, so ridiculous and plain non-sensical.”
Halloweenstore.com is still selling the product with the slogan: ‘No bones about it-this dress will spark some conversations!’
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