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.
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.”
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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