Are Halloween costumes too provocative, or are you just slut- shaming?

LOREL DANIELOV

As October rolls around, so do the annual festivities and preparations for Halloween. The decorations, the parties, the candy, and most importantly, the costumes.

You can pretty much guarantee that a Spirit Halloween store will mysteriously appear in your local mall when October comes around. But that's the fun of Halloween - the mystery.

Another big mystery of Halloween I've been trying to crack for ages is what would make someone feel personally obliged to criticize provocative Halloween costumes. The controversy behind provocative Halloween costumes has been around for decades.

So, please tell me, what bacteria in the air makes people feel comfortable giving their opinion on whether they think your costume is appropriate or not?

Are women’s costumes inappropriate or are we just conditioned to shame people choosing to wear provocative costumes?

Beginning with the setting. Of course, like anything else, the setting matters. If you are handing out candy to young trick-ortreaters, maybe don't wear the sexy nurse outfit, but if you are heading to a Halloween costume party and want to rock that outfit, what's stopping you?

It's always important to consider your audience before choosing a costume. That way, it will make you and everyone else involved feel comfortable.

However, remember that your idea of provocative might be different from another person’s. A leotard and cat ears can seem risque to some, but can seem tame to others. The most important thing to remember is that it’s not your job to judge how others choose to dress.

Another essential idea we must consider is the effortless accessibility of risque Halloween costumes. Have you ever walked down the women's section in a costume store? You can find an indecent version of every costume you see. Sexy nurse? Yes. Cop? Yup. Skin-baring prisoner? Mhm. You name it, and it has probably been a costume.

So who should we be blaming here? The client or the market? But regardless, rightfully so, a grown person should be able to wear whatever they want without fearing judgment for being "too provocative" or, on the flip side, "too modest" when the whole point of this day is to have fun.

Your clothes don't define you, and neither does your Halloween costume. If you want to wear a costume and consider your audience, I say, do what makes you happy. Life is too short to be judging each other off of our Halloween costumes, whether they are modest or provocative. There is already too much negativity; Halloween costumes don't need to be another concern. Live your best life!

Whether you choose to bare it all, or cover it up for Halloween, remember that what others choose to wear is none of your business. CREDIT: PEXELS

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