I was talking about Halloween with my co-worker last week and learned she hates the holiday. I found this hard to believe because I'm Halloween's #1 fan. Who hates a holiday where there's free candy, you're able to scare people and not worry about getting sued and have the opportunity to dress up and pretend to be someone (or something) else? So, I asked her why she hated Halloween. One of the reasons she gave is that it's the one day out of the year where people try to dress as slutty as possible. I could see her point, some people do confuse Halloween with the Pimp n' Ho's Ball.
Today, I sat down and surfed the good ol' Intrawebs for some costume ideas. I have a closet full of bridesmaids dresses which I know I can recycle into something good. I googled "Halloween Costume Ideas" and clicked on images. My search resulted in pictures which could be used as covers for porn DVD's. I had to laugh because these very images validated my co-worker's complaint.
Halloween has been celebrated for centuries, has it always been used as an excuse to dress a little naughty or risque? I don't think so. Most depictions of witches are of the wart covered, hooked nose, hag variety. Monsters, zombies and other unsavory characters from slasher films dominate my recollection of the true spirit of Halloween. Although someone in a poorly fitted corset and fishnets can be pretty frightening, it's not on the same level as say the Headless Horseman, Norman Bates or Jason Voorhees.
This also makes me wonder, what do kids think? Do eight year old girls look at their Snow White costumes and compare it to their mother's "Ho White" get-up and want the latter?
Halloween has been divided into two very separate holidays celebrated differently depending on your age bracket and I think that needs to change. Why can't it be a horror, ghoul fest where adults and kids alike rejoice in the idea of trying to spook one another, without going to far of course (for any serial killers following my blog, this means you)?
This year I will wear a modest costume and I will make sure it leaves at least one person just a little bit afraid.
Happy Halloween!
