As Halloween approachs a lot of us are starting to think about what we would like to dress up as this year. Do we want to be sexy, funny, or scary? Would we like to make a costume from the things we already have in our closet or would we rather buy a new costume?
As I look around at costumes available at costume shops it becomes increasingly disturbing at how many costumes are being made into “sexy” versions. As the title says, we are making a costume of a kitten, sexy. As you go row by row you see the “sexy nurse” or “sexy pirate” or “sexy police officer” or even “sexy clown.” We have created this fantasy of the “sexy” woman that is only acceptable to be lived during Halloween. Â
Halloween costumes have, for women, become about being sexy and some say even slutty. Now I realize my use of the word sexy and slutty are both subjective and not necessarily clear but here is what I mean by these words. When I say “sexy” it is in connection with what a costume is being marketed as, making a woman look sexy and appealing. By “slutty” I mean women striving to look more than what is marketed as sexy and wanting a socially acceptable environment to be “slutty.”
With all this being understood why do women want to dress up as sluts for Halloween? To test the waters of what is socially acceptable or to express an inner want to be free to be slutty? When did Halloween change from kids dressing up on Halloween to get free candy, to adult women dressing up in slutty costumes? Trick-or-treating came to the United States in the 1940s and was a widely practiced in the 50s. But there is nothing to tell us when costumes for women became “slutty.”
We may never know for sure when the purpose of dressing up changed for adult women, but we can start to question the kinds of costumes we buy and wear. Do we want to support companies that make costumes entitled “sexy kitten?” Is this the kind of image we would like to present as acceptable? Now I don’t think a massive boycott of these kinds of costumes will necessarily change them, but it can help to make people think about what costumes they are wearing.
I like to dress up as many of us do – it is fun and reminds me of being in theater. I also want to be respected and looked at respectfully, so I don’t want to wear a “sexy nurse” costume that is way too tight and is non-covering. Women do not need to expose themselves to feel like they are attractive and good looking in a Halloween costume. We are respectable women behind the latex we may put on for Halloween.
None of this means that you cannot feel sexy on Halloween, but it does mean that wearing super tight clothing and clothing that does not cover the body is completely unnecessary to make a woman feel sexy. There are plenty of costumes that are sexy yet respectful at the same time so let’s think a little bit more about the costumes we are wearing for our Halloween parties and dances this year.
Photo Credit: Sexy Kitten CostumeÂ