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Halloween costumes: Porn queen or fairy princess?

Is Halloween getting too sexy?

Could be if you’re looking for a Halloween costume that will fit an adult woman. There’s the sexy gangster dressed in a mini pinstriped jacket (we can’t tell if there is a skirt underneath), lace garter and lots of cleavage. Or what about the sexy construction babe? (Hint: guys don’t try to wear this on the construction site!)

A New York Times article took a look at the trend of risque Halloween garb. The Times did a quick look at various websites that sell Halloween costumes for adults.

“It’s a night when even a nice girl can dress like a dominatrix and still hold her head up the next morning,” Linda M. Scott, the author of “Fresh Lipstick: Redressing Fashion and Feminism” (Palgrave Macmillan) and a professor of marketing at the University of Oxford in England, says in the article.

Of course, you can always make your own. And, if you search heard enough, you can find a G-rated witch or princess.

Are you having trouble finding a costume to wear to a Halloween party with your co-workers that won’t make them think you have a side job at a strip club?

Do you think racy costumes are demeaning or a chance to let your inner wild girl shine through? Do such costumes to send the wrong message to impressionable girls?

What do you think of these costumes? Too sexy or just fine?

Permalink | Comments (31) | Post your comment |

Comments

By Robby

October 20, 2008 1:57 PM | Link to this

I thought about going as Karl Marx this Halloween. I figured he’s going to be a popular historical person given who’s going to be our next president.

By Jan

October 21, 2008 6:07 AM | Link to this

Robby - don’t waste your money. Apparently most Americans don’t know who Karl Marx is.

By Bill

October 21, 2008 9:05 AM | Link to this

Sure, Americans know who Karl Marx is! He’s Harpo, Groucho, Chico, Gummo, and Zeppo’s older brother!

By State retiree II

October 21, 2008 9:59 AM | Link to this

Go as Armadillo Man or Sonny Perdue — they both hide easily!

By Pro Hater

October 21, 2008 10:01 AM | Link to this

What?

By Heather

October 21, 2008 10:06 AM | Link to this

It’s not just college kids who are into this trend. I live in Alpharetta and there is a big group of us parents that get together for a yearly Halloween party at someone’s house (we leave the kids with babysitters). Believe me, the costumes at these parties are quite risque! I think it’s a fun and cute way to get away from the daily grind.

By Lurch

October 21, 2008 10:06 AM | Link to this

As a guy, I am all for the sexy costumes for those women who can wear them and make them look sexy. but women, if you do get one of these to wear, wear it confidently, don’t be tugging and pulling on it all night…wear it and make the men drool…that’s what it is for. And for sure, make sure you get those stripper shoes!

By KEITH

October 21, 2008 10:11 AM | Link to this

I thought I’d just wear a pair of roller skates and go as a pull toy.

By Billy

October 21, 2008 10:32 AM | Link to this

I don’t have any problem with these costumes for adult Halloween parties, but even the costumes geared toward kids are risque. Walking through the costume section in Party City makes me glad I’m the father of boys. Teen and even preteen girls’ costumes are just like the “naughty” womens’ costumes — just with less room in the bust. The neck/hemlines are every bit as low/high. If an 11 year-old had breasts and was wearing the girls’ version, she’d spill out every bit as much as a woman would.

I’m reminded of the Halloween party scene in Mean Girls. Lindsay Lohan shows up as the bride of Frankenstein or something and is totally out of place. Then a friend tells her that Halloween isn’t for wearing a scary costume, but for dressing up as slutty as possible. The way costumes are going, it won’t be long before girls over 8 or 9 have no choice but to look like they’re wearing themed stripper gear.

By THE CATHOLIC HAMMER

October 21, 2008 10:56 AM | Link to this

I would like to remind everyone that Hallowe’en is a RELIGIOUS HOLIDAY.

Having fun with it is great, but don’t forget all of the saints that have gone before us…

KEEP THE HALLOW IN HALLOWE’EN

By NICK

October 21, 2008 11:09 AM | Link to this

As long as the chicks look HOT in their custumes…Bring it on!

By Tired of the politics!

October 21, 2008 11:41 AM | Link to this

Robby, does EVERYTHING have to be political?? Give it a rest! But since you started it, I’m going to use your reasoning and go as a memeber of the KKK since I’ve seen more racism, bigotry, and ignorance this year than I have in the past 34 I’ve been alive. And before you start with the “race card” thing…I’m white!

By jakesdad

October 21, 2008 11:48 AM | Link to this

sex is a normal facet of a normal life but just one of many including partner, parent, child, sibling, friend, professional, neighbor, citizen, hobbyist, etc. to assume that recognizing/embracing sexuality MUST come at the expense of respect of/for a woman’s other roles is completely fallacious and just as wrong as men who only value that one w/o recognizing/appreciating the others…

on a slight side note I’ve been watching that new show “Life on Mars” which I enjoy but it’s kind of shocking to see what the woman psychologist is subjected to in the workplace (a police station no less). I know that stuff used to go on openly (& unfortunately still does in pockets) but it’s still kind of shocking to see it (presumably) accurately depicted so I can see why some women from that generation are unable to accept that there are men nowadays that can appreciate “the whole package”…

By Scalia

October 21, 2008 11:53 AM | Link to this

Why aren’t guys required to dress sexy? A sexy baseball player, fireman, or policeman.

By JohnD

October 21, 2008 11:59 AM | Link to this

Actually, Halloween is a Celtic holiday. Pope Gregory(?) moved All Saints Day from May to its new date to coincide with Halloween, but due to the liturgical calendar, All Saints Day actually falls on November 1, not October 31.

And if people want to play dress up and have a little fun, what’s the big deal as long as they behave themselves (no drinking and driving, don’t think because she’s dressed like a stripper that you can be obnoxious, etc.) I have several friends that work at a church or serve on at least one committee and they take this as the one day a year to let their hair down a little and be a bit risque.

By THE CATHOLIC HAMMER

October 21, 2008 12:19 PM | Link to this

Pope Gregory III dedicated an oratory in St Peter’s to All Saints on November 1st, which became the date to honor all of the saints of the Church in Rome. From Rome, the celebration spread throughout Europe; much of the old pre-Catholic seasonal traditions were, of course, caught up in the feast day. There’s nothing wrong with that.

Hallowe’en, or “All Hallow’s Eve” (“All Hallow” being an older English term for All Saints) is the celebration of the Vigil Mass of All Saint’s Day (the evening of October 31st), and was active until the 1955 Missal, but brought back with the Missal produced after the Second Vatican Council.

The feast day wasn’t “changed to coincide with Hallowe’en.” Hallowe’en IS the feast day. It is not a “Celtic holiday”. Samhain could be construed as “Celtic New Year”, but there’s no real documentation of such, outside of 19th century Romanticism and modern “neo-Pagan” literature.

By Bob

October 21, 2008 12:30 PM | Link to this

As a man, I really wish the ladies would maintain a modicum of modesty and decency. You look cheap and trashy when you dress like a slut. I’m sure plenty of men want that, but plenty don’t, also. Keep yourself to your self and your husbands.

By Its 2008

October 21, 2008 1:06 PM | Link to this

Billy…. unfortunately 11yr olds do have breasts… too much

By UGA Class of 1981 Grad

October 21, 2008 2:02 PM | Link to this

“Is Halloween getting too sexy?” NO

Is the United States getting too sexy? Yes

Don’t believe me… ask the terrorist.

By Steve

October 21, 2008 2:18 PM | Link to this

To THE CATHOLIC HAMMER Good luck with your crusade! I have a friend who dressed as a sexy nun one year so as to honor the real meaning of Hallowe’en! She had plenty of opportunities to use her yardstick that night.

As for the costumes, wear what you want. If a woman feels like she is ‘expected’ to dress too sexy then she should either think (and dress) for herself or stay home. I suspect that most who dress ‘too sexy’ are soaking up the attention quite happily. If not then it is their personal problem to address.

By The Ladies Man

October 21, 2008 2:31 PM | Link to this

All the ladies should dress up real sexy … and then gimme some.

By The Gentlemen's Man

October 21, 2008 3:35 PM | Link to this

All the gentlemen should dress up real sexy … and then gimme some.

By Big Bad Black Bart

October 21, 2008 4:19 PM | Link to this

Those women in those costumes can Trick or Treat at my house anytime! It doesn’t even have to be Halloween!!!!

Want some candy little girl?

By oompapa

October 21, 2008 4:19 PM | Link to this

Are those kids who wear white sheets going as a ghost?, or are they going as a mattress? But in the south, it can be misconstrude as KKK.

By JohnD

October 21, 2008 5:12 PM | Link to this

Catholic Hammer - in the early 600’s (609 or 610) Boniface IV consecrated the Pantheon in Rome to all the martyrs and ordered it as an anniversay. Gregory III expanded it to all the saints and moved it to November 1. Gregory IV extended the celebration of November 1 to the entire church.

And why Catholic Hammer? It definately doesn’t make me want to join the Catholic Church.

By Dee

October 21, 2008 6:43 PM | Link to this

Heck, in Atlanta, on Halloween especially, you see more “guys” wearing those costumes than the women!

By Ramguy

October 21, 2008 7:56 PM | Link to this

Sure Americans know who Karl Marx was…..and is……..they’re the same commie lovers that love to do business with China and love to ship all our jobs there. After all, it’s not anti-democracy, unpatriotic or anti-American if you can make a dollar doing it. “wink wink”. Oh I’m sorry that’s people who sling around the words socialist and communist that’s doing that.

By cultured

October 24, 2008 2:29 PM | Link to this

the author does not know what she’s talking about with the lolita reference. in japan, a certain style of fashion is called lolita. with no obvious reference to the nabokov novel.

By Lawrence

October 24, 2008 4:08 PM | Link to this

Women in Sexy Costumes? Depends on the woman wearing the costume.

By talathiel

October 28, 2008 12:32 PM | Link to this

If adult women see themselves as hookers, or decide to act like hookers, that’s their prerogative. But when I see hookerwear marketed to children, that’s where i draw the line. It’s time parents dug in their heels and said no to the coy oversexualization of preadolescent girls. That goes for costumes, school clothes, everything. No way am i letting my child dress as prostitute for Halloween or for anything else.

By College Girl

October 28, 2008 8:01 PM | Link to this

I believe that as long as the girl a. has the body to wear the sexy outfit, b. is confident in wearing it and , c. does not try and pick up my man or any other man that is already taken with her lil slutty costume on … i’m cool with it! Halloween is all about dressing up and going out to have fun! It is not a time to be criticised. Look cute and have fun! Oh and I def agree that guys should have sexy outfits too… like fireman and cop etc.

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