Halloween costumes:

"too sexy" or not?

Anyone who grew up in the 2000s era likely has the ability to quote about half of the movie “Mean Girls”. With October 31 festivities, one quotation in particular has really been rolling around in my head for the past few days. As Cady Heron, the main character, attends her first American Halloween party, she notes that, “Halloween is the one day a year when a girl can dress up like a total slut and no other girls can say anything else about it.” Even with this film dating back to 2004, I think the film as a whole not only still applies to today’s society, but also stirs a modern debate. Are women's Halloween costumes too sexy?

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I find there is a constant issue with Halloween shopping (especially if you are female). I specifically remember my sophomore year of high school. Two of my friends and I decided for our group costume, we wanted to be classic 1920s characters. My one friend decided to be a flapper with a homemade costume, my other friend went as a mobster using what she had in her wardrobe, and I chose to do some shopping for my detective costume. However, much to my annoyance as I arrived at Party City, I had only two choices: go with a women’s sexy Sherlock costume or wear an accurate guy’s costume that was three sizes too big. I ended up rummaging my wardrobe and buying a trench coat (which took a week’s worth of shopping) before it was all said and done.

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With this being said, it is becoming harder to avoid sexualized costumes and find something based on accuracy if you are in the women’s aisle. In fact, on PartyCity.com, customers can choose from options such as “Sexy Firefighter,” “Sassy Beetlejuice,” and “Sexy Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle,” which are no substitute for a regular firefighter, Beetlejuice, or Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle costume. Because of this, some women are wondering why companies opt to sell such revealing costumes. From sexy hamburgers to sexy nurses, for some, it seems that the sexualization of women has gone too far. Perhaps the creativity of Halloween has lost its meaning in light of fishnets and short skirts.

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However, some women do not see the harm in the sex appeal and may even encourage it. The motivation behind this thought states that women should have the right to express themselves in whichever ways they choose. Whether this be in pair of jeans, a floor-length skirt, or mid-thigh shorts. Why should women have to have a longer hemline in order to not receive inappropriate glances and comments relating to her clothing? With this view, it supports the idea of “sexy” Halloween culture to encourage women to feel confident in any attire.

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To quote another favorite movie of mine, “The Breakfast Club”, character Allison Reynolds asks, “It's kind of a double edged sword isn't it?” If women choose to dress in something a little more risqué, they risk ridicule for giving into a misogynistic culture, but if they choose to dress more conservatively, they are perceived as supporting slut shaming. So, what is the right answer? Are costumes too sexy? If so, how do we combat it? Though these questions will take more than one newspaper article to solve, I think it is safe to say that when it comes to Halloween, women’s costume choices are more limited than ever before.