Leggings to Lingerie: Halloween Costumes of the Modern Era
Image Courtesy: Strike
Trick or treating. A thrilling experience that involves strategy, endurance, and most importantly the perfect costume. Picture this: as you look in the mirror your eyes light up. A thought crosses your mind…everyone is going to be so jealous of my costume! Your hand grazes the doorknob, and visions of candy flood your mind. But just as you are about to open the door you hear,
“Honey it’s cold outside, you’re going to need to wear something under that.”
A sigh escapes your mouth as your heart sinks to the floor. You turn to see the dreaded long sleeve shirt and leggings dangling before your eyes. Seriously?? … As you sulk over to receive the discouraging combo, you cannot help but wonder if warmth is worth the potentially ruined costume.
While this is an experience a lot of people can relate to, with mature eyes it is clear our parents were just looking out for our best interests and not trying to humiliate us. Although, if we follow this logic, does the threat of frostbite decrease with age? Or do teenagers take independence and run with it?
According to Lindsey Lohan in Mean Girls 2004, “The hard-core girls just wear lingerie and some form of animal ears,” for Halloween these days. Why do leggings turn into lingerie as we get older, and when did the term “Halloween costume” become synonymous with showing skin?
Now don’t get me wrong…I am in full support of anyone wearing whatever they feel the most confident in; though I am curious as to when this cultural norm began.
In 2021, The Library of Congress wrote an article named, “The Origins of Halloween Traditions,” which reveals the logic behind the original Halloween costumes. Around the eighth century, the celebration of Halloween – or All Hallows Eve – was rooted in traditions from the Celtic festival of Samhain. It was believed that spirits and all things spooky roamed the earth during this night, and people of the time would make bonfires, celebrate, and dress up in costumes to ward off unwanted souls. As a result, rather than the fun and creative costumes we are used to, people tended to dress more scary and realistic. Although the custom of Halloween costumes spanned across continents, it was not until much later that costumes took on a promiscuous image.
The true emersion of sexy Halloween costumes occurred in the 1970s. According to a 2022 Time article called, “Halloween 2022”, Halloween in the 70s was during a “sexual revolution”. This was a time of cultural innovation which sparked women reclaiming their images.
Being able to dress without boundaries has been a privilege coveted by women for centuries. Fortunately, Halloween is a holiday where expectations should be broken. Therefore, it became empowering for women to rise to the occasion.
The 70s was an era of bright colors, flower crowns, and bell-bottom pants; it makes perfect sense that this is the time period that put sexy costumes on the map. At the time, there was a rise in the popularity of Star Wars and Barbie costumes; I bet you could imagine how many “Prisoner Leia” costumes were circulating.
By the early 2000s, costumes were being influenced by celebrities like Brittany Spears and Micheal Jackson. In addition, other rising celebrities like Paris Hilton and Kim Kardashian had some costumes that broke the internet.
Whether it was a cultural movement, or simply emulating celebrities or popular media, sexy costumes have been a staple of our community for a long time. So, if you’re ever nervous while you’re planning out costumes for Halloweekend, remember that extravagant Halloween costumes are a timeless expression of feminism and autonomy. Therefore, no one can stop you from choosing lingerie over leggings.
Strike Out,
Writer: Paige Yoskin
Editor: Nishtha Jadav
Graphic Designer: Anita Emokpae
Boston
