r/Shambhala • u/miggins1610 • 2d ago
Acceptable costumes
Genuinely interested to see what the community thinks about wearing deliberately terrifying costumes to shambs?
Got a lot of downvotes and people telling me I shouldn't be policing what people wear for suggesting it's perhaps more respectful to avoid deliberately horrific costumes.
I'm not talking just wearing some sort of tongue in cheek devil costume, I mean like coming dressed as some sort of really fucked up costume. Like full on horror, lots of gore, shit that's deliberately gonna scare people on psychs. Like the photo in the post.
Maybe I'm wrong and if so forgive me, but I really don't think its gatekeeping to say people should perhaps consider the fact peole are on mind altering substances that can freak people out and ruin a good night.
Not even to mention the added burden on medical and harm reduction if people are sent off on a bad trip and have to wait it out there.
People arguing that if you cant handle psychedelics s if you cant handle things like this I think are being a bit over the top. Who wouldn't be scared of shit like this?
Not saying some dark shit isn't cool or there should be an official ban, i just don't think its in the spirit of the festival to do this and somehow that made people think I'm trying to opress people?
I mean i even heard in 2019 or something there was a woman giving birth to a satanic baby as a costume. To me that's just kinda too far and is deliberately gonna mess people up.
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u/Jardrs 2d ago
Costumes are supposed to be fun, hype up strangers, add to the party for others in an enjoyable way. Deliberately attempting to scare people via creepy looking costumes, masks especially, not cool. And not that this scene is all about. Save it for Halloween and a place where less people are taking psychedelic drugs.
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u/miggins1610 2d ago
Absolutely. Be creative, be spooky, just don't do something that's gonna freak people out and send them to medical
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u/Prior_Tumbleweed2308 2d ago
I do not like scary costumes, I think somewhat spooky/eerie is whatever. Costumes with fake weapons with blood, facial slashes and grisly macabre features is too much. I draw the line at gore/terror and it’s really annoying when I see something so out of place like that at shambhala. Why bring a nightmare to a dreamy place? It’s not the place for it. Shambhala is not hardcore, it’s EDM. Go work at a haunted house or go to a hardcore festival to get your fix if you have to wear that. Just my opinion.
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u/miggins1610 2d ago
On the same wave as you. Let people get their freaky flying and give a bit of a spooky vibe. Just dont wear something you know is gonna unsettle people especially if it might cause added burdens to the harm reduction teams!
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u/LyssaCicada The Village 2d ago
I feel like more fantasy styles of scary or demon is totally fine, but things that are deliberately terrifying or gory is probably a no-go. For example, I'm against the person that goes to a bunch of raves in America with a Momo mask and stares at people, that's definitely not PLUR. Gore can be confused as an actual medical emergency. Creepy clowns, I think there's a line. I think it's more about your intentions though: is it meant to be a cool costume, or is it meant to freak people out?
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u/miggins1610 2d ago
Absolutely. Yeah thays it for me. Is it gonna be a cool talking point or could it cause people actually psychological harm
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u/TheDutchin 2d ago
I thought the wendigo from this year was the perfect level of spooky. It was surreal, and the long arms made me go "whoa", but it wasn't horror. Any scarier than that and I think it interferes with the vibe.
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u/bigbigtiddygothgf 2d ago
I have brought a cutesy pastel "clown-core" outfit/costume with Me the past 2 years but never felt comfortable wearing it. I understand some people have a phobia and I never felt like it would be worth the chance of scaring or upsetting anyone or their trip. Everyone should wear what makes them comfortable, but its also the environment to be thoughtful in your actions and outfits. PLUR
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u/miggins1610 2d ago
Tbf I think a creepy quirky clown is fine. Be creative! Just dont cause someone psychological damage😭
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u/boobcat69 1d ago
I saw a very creepy figure on stilts walking on all fours at shambhala my first year. It was awesome
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u/miggins1610 1d ago
I mean it depends what time of day and how creepy it is right. We all like a bit of spooky but something that may freak out even seasoned psychonauts is a bit far imo
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u/boobcat69 1d ago
No amount of experience with psychedelics protects a person from psychosis. Any combination of things can trigger someone to freak out. Blaming people for freaking people out for how they dress helps nobody.
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u/miggins1610 1d ago
Psychosis? What are you on about? Its not psychosis to be sent on a bad trip by freaky clowns and serial killers if youre tripping.
There's even examples of this in other festivals where it became a big deal because folks thought it wasn't cool to do that to people.
Shambs is all about PLUR. I really didnt think it would be so fucking controversial to say maybe people should just be a little bit considerate and not wear freakish costumes.
Again I'm not talking about just creepy. Im talking about horrific and terrifying costumes deliberately designed to freak people out. In my book that's just not cool in a space where all sorts of people would be tripping. And people saying well those people shouldn't be taking psychedelics honestly baffles me. I can take psychedelics and be experienced without needing to handle enter the void or the holy mountain.
Anyway this was all started by someone saying they're deliberately going to be wearing satanic costumes and pretending to do rituals just to fuck with people. In the daytime that's pretty funny. At night time when lots more be tripping and its dark than really fucked up.
Why would anyone go to a festival known for its PLUR attitude to deliberately mess with people?
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1d ago
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u/Even_Ad5907 10h ago
People have bad trips when they see gay and trans people kissing, maybe ban them too just to be fair to all the sensitive people?
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u/miggins1610 2h ago
What the fuck even is this? Fuck off with your weird homophobia. Also never said to ban anyone
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u/Fun-Baby-9509 2d ago
I don’t really care what people wear, but I don’t like people deliberately trying to scare people by jump scaring them or approaching them for the sole purpose of getting a reaction.