Finally, the most wonderful time of the year! The time when costume parties fill slots on our Google Calendars and we avoid texts from our moms asking us to send them pictures of what we’re wearing.
Hillsborough Street will soon be lined with sexy cats, sexy catwomen, sexy pirates, all stumbling their way to the next party. According to the movie “Mean Girls”, “Halloween is the one time of year where girls can dress up [in a revealing costume] and no one can say anything about it.”
However, whenever Halloween rolls around, there is always one group of people being criticized more than any others — grown women. While there is an issue with companies marketing “sexy” Halloween costumes to middle and high schoolers, there is no problem with consenting adults showing some skin.
The argument that revealing Halloween costumes is setting feminism back is antiquated at best and harmful at worst. There is merit to the argument that women should not have to feel pressured to wear next to nothing in the middle of fall.
At the same time, calls for modesty in women’s dress are getting louder. The U.S. is veering toward a more conservative culture, shifting our clothing choices.
Have you noticed dresses getting longer and necklines inching towards the collarbones?
I’ve seen the short skirts and corset tops of freshman year be replaced with modest sundresses and full-length skirts. The frat lots, once populated with low-cut tops and short shorts, have been replaced by clothes I could wear to Sunday church.
Of course, modesty isn’t inherently negative. Sundresses are flattering on anyone. Still, it raises the question: Why does nearly everyone seem to be dressing this way now?
People’s personal fashion choices are not inherently political statements; it is notable that modesty is creeping back into the mainstream.
With a few scrolls on TikTok, anyone can see that “slut-shaming” is back in vogue. Women have always been praised for their modesty and adherence to what men desire, but it seems like the feminist campaigns of the 2010s seem to be replaced with tradwives, modesty culture and sundresses.
Despite the feeling that there is no space for women to wear revealing outfits, there is one night a year when adherence to social roles and stereotypes is somewhat non-existent.
Halloween is a night when people can express themselves. Many queens of RuPaul’s Drag Race have said they love the art form because of doing drag on Halloween.
While some say Halloween is just an excuse for revealing costumes, it offers expressions of sexuality typically discouraged by society.
I have had my fair share of revealing costumes. I’ve been a Playboy bunny, an angel and Little Bo Peep. Over the years, I’ve come to recognize that Halloween is a strangely empowering time.
There is a peace in going outside in a costume that you could never wear any other time and seeing other women doing the exact same thing.
It is interesting to note, with the fear of sounding repetitive, that men are not under pressure to dress modestly, especially during Halloween. One of the only reasons men receive backlash for their costumes is when their costume choice is inherently offensive.
It is not about a necessity to wear a revealing costume. Halloween is about freedom, choice and expression. The point is that women should be able to wear whatever they want — revealing or modest — without shame, embarrassment or fear. The debate isn’t over the costumes themselves, but over women’s right to choose.
To every woman on campus, this Halloween, wear what you want. Put on a lacy bra and a short skirt. Slap on some pointy ears and tell people you’re a cat. Appreciate Halloween for what it is: A chance to accept yourselves and your peers.
