Editor’s Note: Originally published on Nov. 1, 2012, this column has been republished after being the most read story during the week of Halloween.
Halloween used to be a holiday all about scaring, a holiday for kids to get dressed up as their favorite whatever and go get candy. However, Halloween is now becoming just another party holiday. There have always been Halloween parties, but the character of them is changing. The point is no longer creativity. The point is now to show the most skin to as many people as possible.
It starts with the costumes being sold. Costumes being marketed at young adults and teenagers are meant to be sexual. Go to any Halloween website or store, and you will find entire sections devoted to sexy costumes.
At Party City, for example, they sell costumes with names like “Sexy Nurse,” “Sexy Cop,” or “Sexy Fireman.” This changes the culture of the holiday from one of trying to frighten someone to one of trying to accomplish a slightly different f-word. At least we’re still giving out treats (in whatever form they may come in).
You would think that it’s extremely easy to get cold in fishnets when it’s 40 degrees outside. But you’re not outside. You’re at what used to be called a costume party. Costume parties aren’t so much about the costume anymore. They’re more about which one of the 10 sexy cops at the party would you most like to get “arrested” by or which male stripper has the least of his clothes left on. For a certain demographic, Halloween means dressing as cat if you’re a girl or just taking your shirt off if you’re a guy. There must be other things out there with the same amount of sex appeal. Cats don’t even seem that sexy to me. I have allergies. For example, you could go as a nudist. Just ditch the fish nets and you’re done!
Now, I’m not your mom, so I don’t really care what you do on Halloween. Halloween is a fun holiday for everyone, (besides those poor children in District 69) but fun can come in more ways than one.
Edris • Oct 28, 2013 at 9:03 AM
DRY
John • Nov 8, 2012 at 10:49 PM
Women have the right to choose to dress poorly if they want to.
Obviously, I’m displeased with this issue as well – I’m as sick of cats as everyone else – but it’s not our place to go insulting or judging girls for dressing up this way. It’s their choice. Is it inappropriate? Yes, it is. But it’s not our place to limit what girls do. “Shaming” girls who choose to dress in an inappropriate manner is just going to hurt their self-esteem and make them feel bad about themselves – the same kind of needs that drive them to dress that way in the first place. The need for positive attention.
Who is at fault is not the girls wearing the costumes, but the people who manufacture and advertise these costumes. A lot more good would be done telling these companies to cease production, than to tell girls to stop buying them.
Nick Michalesko • Nov 1, 2012 at 9:23 PM
It’s always been like this, we just got older and more boring, so we joined the adult’s in their interpretation of Halloween.
Sarah • Nov 1, 2012 at 8:09 PM
This is a really good article on Halloween costumes. Not to mention completely accurate. Halloween changes so much as you grow older.
Jack Thornton • Nov 1, 2012 at 7:07 PM
Sorry to hear about your cat allergies. *sadface*
Amanda • Nov 1, 2012 at 2:34 PM
I am so glad you wrote this article. I completely agree with you. Yesterday, I was trick or treating with some friends and a parent walking with her child commented to her husband, ” I appreciate the girls with the non-slutty costumes”. When I am looking online for costumes every year, I usually find the typical “Sexy fireman” or “Sexy Nurse”, but this year I stumbled upon “Sexy Pumpkin” and “Sexy Nun” costumes. I didn’t know how to respond to this because it seemed so ridiculous.
Great article! 🙂
Drake Nickell • Nov 1, 2012 at 2:27 PM
It’s a great article.
And I love how you called out Party City and other costume retailers for marketing Halloween as a sexy holiday. Yeah, girls will always have… revealing costumes. But those places are the source of turning what should be a homely outfit into a party one.
Trick or treater • Nov 1, 2012 at 2:22 PM
@farhan Ahmed,
If the government controlled what we had to wear, it would be taking away our rights to choose. A little to far with that idea.
Trick or treater • Nov 1, 2012 at 2:14 PM
This article had me loling. I do agree that people do this. I must of seen 50 cats in the school the day before Halloween. And we all know why girls didn’t dress as cute doggies. I loved when people did original kind of costumes that no one else had. The baby and the guy dressed as a cheerleader. Even an Angry Bird and Princess Bubblegum from Adventure Time. But not a kitty cat. Maybe if someone was Puss In Boots. I’d love to see the face paint for that costume.
Farhan Ahmed • Nov 1, 2012 at 2:12 PM
I agree with what your saying here, people are just getting corrupted and doing this, especially teenagers. Even stores are supporting this by selling those types of costumes which their parents are “ok” with. I agree that halloween’s now like a big party with costumes which isn’t right which I blame everyone for. Teens shouldn’t be doing this but parents should be making sure not to buy them the costumes or let them go to parties. This is showing how companies are getting more and more corrupt and the government isn’t even doing anything about this. In some cities it’s banned to trick-or-treat but its “ok” to have parties that are inappropriate. In my opinion, I blame the government overall because they should be warning parents of these parties and banning inappropriate costumes instead of banning traditional trick-or-treating or even halloween in school.
Rand • Nov 1, 2012 at 2:11 PM
I completely agree with you on this article. I feel the exact same way. I barely even see any scary or creative Halloween costumes anymore. People are not thinking about Halloween the way they should. A Halloween party should be one where a bunch of friends decide to make a scary movie night at their basement with the lights off or to just have fun and hang out with the best customs they can wear, stuffing their faces with candy and waiting for kids to come asking for a treat. It is pretty sad that instead of people asking what the scariest custom to wear is, they ask what would make them more desirable by the opposite sex.
Nice job on delivering this message with some humor!!
Jay • Nov 1, 2012 at 2:10 PM
This is such a true article!!
Giovanna Zavell • Nov 1, 2012 at 2:10 PM
I agree with Danny on this. Halloween was meant to be a holiday where you can dress up, as a character or scary something. I don’t understand why girls even want to wear these tiny costumes that show more skin than they cover in 40 degree weather, I would be freezing. Halloween has gotten a new definition that will probably grow more and more in years to come.
Nichole • Nov 1, 2012 at 2:09 PM
I totally agree with this article, but I think that Halloween is a holiday for dressing up and for going and having parties. It is a lot of fun to dress up, but you have to go somewhere when you dress up and see people with their costumes
Rhiannon • Nov 1, 2012 at 2:09 PM
This article made my day, ohmygawd! There were way too many cats to count, like get a creative costume people! Anyways I agree that Halloween has gotten sexy, like most holidays have become about. What I have to say is, “In the regular world, Halloween is when children dress up in costumes and beg for candy. In Girl World, Halloween is the one night a year when a girl can dress like a total slut and no other girls can say anything about it.” and I completely agree with the amazing quote from Mean Girls. And at the end of the day, I was not a cat, I was a fricken Angel! <3 <3 <3
Nat • Nov 1, 2012 at 2:09 PM
In some ways I agree with you. Even walking through the halls on Tuesday you could see many people dressing up inappropriately. But I don’t think that for everyone Halloween is all about showing the most skin.
Ashley Pak • Nov 1, 2012 at 2:07 PM
I totally agree. The change allows young adults to expose themselves without getting in trouble because most likely everyone is doing it. But it is also the stores and advertisement who show off and sell these type of costumes when it’s 40 degrees outside.
Giovanna Zavell • Nov 1, 2012 at 2:06 PM
I agree with Danny on this topic. Halloween is really meant for scaring, not dressing up as something that has the word sexy in front of it. I also don’t understand why people would want to wear these tiny costumes in 40 degree weather, I would be freezing. Yes, Halloween is supposed to be a fun holiday, and it is, but sometimes, in this situation, the meaning gets a totally new definition.
Rachael • Nov 1, 2012 at 2:06 PM
It’s true, everyone likes to look hot on Halloween. I guess it doesn’t bother me if it’s a hot AND creative costume. Or at least a costume period. Some people just wear a tight dress and are like “ohhh…. ummm….. I’m a dancer?” like what? If you want to dress like a prostitute, be the best prostitute there is. Go all out with the cheesy lipstick and stuff. Don’t just put something on you think is cute with no other rhyme or reason.
Kasia • Nov 1, 2012 at 2:06 PM
I agree with Danny ,and its sad to see Halloween become something different from what we used to know when we were little kids. I can’t imagine Halloween in 5 or 10 years.