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Last week while walking back from class, I overheard this very conversation:
Girl 1: “So I have this really slutty dress and I haven’t been able to wear it yet.”
Girl 2: “Make it into a costume and wear it on Halloween. You’re allowed to look really slutty on Halloween. That’s the point.”
Since when has dressing slutty been the point of Halloween? Last time I checked, Halloween costumes originally began as a way to scare off the spirits of All Hallows’ Eve, which is why typical Halloween costumes are usually ghosts, witches, skeletons, devils or other monsters.
Although those costumes are still around, somewhere along the way, women, especially college-aged females, started to change the theme of Halloween by dropping the scare factor and turning the holiday into an excuse to dress like a slut for a night (because they never do any other night, right?)
College Halloween parties are now filled with sexy policewomen, sexy firewomen, sexy nurses, sexy princesses, sexy gladiators, sexy cats, sexy maids, sexy sailors, sexy pirates, sexy witches, sexy vampires, sexy cheerleaders, sexy girl scouts, sexy cowgirls, sexy teachers, sexy librarians, the ever-so-famous sexy bunnies and sexy (fill in any costume here).
What happened to the days of dressing up like a pumpkin, a fairy, a gymnast, a ballerina, a scary old witch or a vampire, and when does this whole “sexy” business start? I wonder when girls go from dressing up like old witches to being sexy policewomen.
In my opinion, the transformation begins late in high school, but doesn’t really kick into high gear until freshmen year of college, when it seems acceptable — almost mandator— for girls to dress slutty on Halloween.
The transformation to slutty costumes in college might be due in part to college-aged men and their expectations. After talking to a few of my guy friends, the consensus seems to be pretty similar. They want girls to look good all of the time, of course, but agree that on Halloween it’s nice to see the sexy side of girls come out.
One guy friend said that Halloween is not just an excuse to party, but also an excuse for girls to show off their bodies. So it seems that some men find it acceptable, even admirable, for girls to bare all on Halloween.
Guys may like the looks of these sexy costumes, but they shouldn’t be fooled. Even though they leave little to the imagination and seem easy to rip right off, the extra zippers, pleather fabric, fishnet stockings and strappy shoes can’t quite be ripped off as fast as boys hope.
It does seem possible that girls like using Halloween as an excuse. They may be wary about looking slutty on other occasions, for fear of disproval or fear of being called a actual “slut,” (whether they are or aren’t doesn’t quite matter, the word alone evokes fear in all females). However, Halloween seems to be their one chance to be a slut without any consequences, while still getting positive attention from men.
Getting this attention from guys does come with a cost, however. Remember that Halloween is at the end of October and temperatures on Halloween nights are often less than 50 degrees. Nevertheless girls walk around like half-dressed Victoria’s Secret models while guys stay covered up in their not-so-sexy costumes. This doesn’t seem quite fair if you ask me.
Besides being freezing, these typical girl costumes show a lack of creativity and originality. It doesn’t seem to take much time and thought to go out and buy a sexy costume at the local Halloween store or sexycostumes.com.
Last Halloween, I actually decided to count the number of sexy costumes I saw, out of frustration and to prove a point to some friends. I saw 47 sexy policewomen in one night—and I had only gone to one or two parties. Girls never want to show up to a formal dance with someone wearing the same gown as them, but it seems perfectly acceptable for 47 girls to all be sexy policewomen.
Next Halloween I suggest females get a little more creative. Think about some of your favorite famous characters or try group ideas—they are always a fun alternative. I would also recommend opting for a comical costume rather than the sexy approach. I would rather a boy give me attention because of my personality and humor than my sex appeal.
I will continue to try to persuade my generation to change, but until the perception and attitudes of both genders transform, I will find myself searching for a costume in the Halloween aisle that doesn’t make me look like the next Playmate of the Year.
Caitlin Maloney is News Features Editor at The Review. His viewpoints do not necessarily represent those of The Review staff. Please send comments to cfm@udel.edu.
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