It’s that time of year again; time to grab a costume and get in the Halloween mood. Even though this is no longer elementary school, going door to door with a pillowcase for candy, costumes are still required for Halloween night festivities on college campuses. However, finding a costume can be difficult, especially considering the fact that the Halloween costumes advertised and sold to women are undeniably sexist.

In looking online for costume inspiration, it is blatantly obvious that there are double standards between the costumes promoted for men versus the costumes promoted for women. For example, the top costumes for women at Party City may seem like a reasonable place to browse around at first, until the scroll bar inches down and starts to reveal costumes such as the “Hot SWAT,” “Bad Cop,” “Sultry Scarecrow” and don’t forget the “Ravishing Peacock.” All of these have one thing in common: they are blatantly sexualized. This is especially apparent when compared to the top costumes for men at Party City that display practical looking costumes of men in powerful job positions. The sexualization of female Halloween costumes isn’t limited to Party City either; it’s a widespread cultural phenomenon that is highly advertised no matter what site is visited.

This standard is over-the-top, sexualizing objects that shouldn’t be remotely sexy. These highly-sexualized and gendered expectations are harmful and unfair to women, but especially to those on college campuses deciding how to dress on Halloween. College is a time for having fun and making memories, some of which should be had surrounding Halloween. However, the pressure to fit an ideal of sexy and desirable, even in a fun Halloween costume, could take some of the fun away. The problem with these costumes isn’t the women who choose to wear them, but the fact that these costumes are made in the first place. Their existence and promotion perpetuates sexualized standards of how women should dress. Plus, women should have more options and avenues to choose from and to feel comfortable wearing.   

Of course, dressing “sexy” on Halloween isn’t and shouldn’t be an expectation for women. There is nothing wrong with a woman wearing a costume that makes her feel confident, and maybe sexy; however, there is also nothing wrong with wearing a costume that is amusing and clever without looking sexual at all. To each their own as long as positive memories of Halloween night are part of the college experience.