Should White Women Dress as Beyoncé in ‘Formation’ for Halloween?

So, you want to dress up as Queen Bey this Halloween? Maybe you want to rock a ruffled yellow frock like the Roberto Cavalli dress Beyoncé wore to smash up some car windows in her infamous video album “Lemonade.” Perhaps you want to wear a sparkly black latex gown with one earring hanging from a bloody earlobe, in homage to one of the superstar’s most recent display of onstage badassery.

But then again, you might be entertaining the idea of wearing Bey’s outfit from her current Formation tour. That might be a bit of a problem … if you’re white. With cultural appropriation at the forefront of social dialogue, Halloween is the perfect time to make an unintentionally insensitive costume choice. And the clothing store Planet Blue has found itself at the center of a controversy by posting an image on Instagram of a white woman wearing the entertainer’s Formation outfit — also seen in her “Lemonade” video — as a costume.

In the photo, the woman can be seen wearing the entire outfit, right down to the long, blonde braids and both “birds” at full salute. According to Mic, some people were offended by the photo, deeming it an ill-advised attempt by white people to take over a potent signifier of black empowerment. Some commenters also questioned the company’s decision to use a white model.

“Yeah not cool the album is about black rights, really not meant to be a costume for white girls,” one person commented on Instagram. Another chimed in: “You do realize her album is about the black rights and is extremely wrong for white people to even dress up like this. White Beyoncé isn’t a thing and should not be a thing, it’s cultural appropriation.”

As Mic pointed out when “Lemonade” debuted, the song “Formation” is indeed a bold statement about black female empowerment. “Throughout the song, Bey serves up lyrics that embrace her blackness and Southern stereotypes, while further aligning herself with the Black Lives Matter movement,” writer Chris Riotta noted. Such lyrics include:

“My daddy Alabama, momma Louisiana
You mix that negro with that Creole, make a Texas bama
I like my baby heir with baby hair and Afros
I like my negro nose with Jackson Five nostrils
Earned all this money, but they never take the country out me.”

The question is, with all of the meaning behind “Formation” — embracing the beauty and sexuality of black women, empowering black women, and railing against social injustice — should women who aren’t black step aside? Is crossing off this costume from their wish list simply the socially responsible thing to do?

Mic writer Ashley Edwards went as far as to suggest that there could actually be something positive about white women embracing black culture. “There’s something to be said that a white woman wants to dress as Beyoncé in an era where she is boldly taking a stand for black lives and black femininity,” she said. “Not everything has to be appropriation. Sometimes, it’s just paying homage.”

Although its costume does not come with a history lesson, Planet Blue did provide this statement to Mic in reaction to the controversy:

“Our Halloween inspiration was intended as an expression of our appreciation and solidarity for both the art and social commentary of Formation. Due to the political and cultural importance of Formation, we specifically strove to recreate the strength of Beyoncé in way that we hoped would positively inspire our customers. Our costume was not meant to make light of the importance of Formation.”

What are your thoughts on white women wearing a Formation costume? Insensitive cultural appropriation, or well-meaning homage to one of the most respected entertainers in popular culture?

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest, for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day.