The author dressed up as
his father in 1990
The Boston Globe (2008) reports that the popularity of revealing costumes is declining for girls ages 6 - 14. "For the first time in years," according to the Globe, consumers are "seem to be demanding more fabric for their cash." According to a column at MSNBC (2008) entitled "Sexy Little Devils", this can only be to the good: "studies show that the oversexualization of girls correlates with depression and eating disorders."
I'm all for covering up at Halloween. I'm from New England. It's freaking cold at the end of October! Sure, when I was a kid, I wanted to have beautiful, lightweight costumes, but they were usually combined with a heavy coat, so they never got seen. The best New England Halloween costumes I ever saw were based on a painted cardboard box, and could be worn over a snowsuit, if necessary.
Still, there are few things that make me crazier than the phrase "studies show". We've looked at a lot of studies about depression and eating disorders, and I haven't seen anything mentioned about "sexy nurse" costumes. A quick search this morning didn't find anything, either. What do you think?
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5 comments:
[info]furikku
2008-10-31 03:23 pm UTC (link) Track This
Well, the exact phrasing was "the oversexualization of girls," of which ultrasexy costumes are one symptom. I have noticed (with relief) that this year's crop of store costumes have a nicer variety of modest stuff and even a decent amount of not-totally-gendered costumes, which is pretty cool.
dan4th
2008-10-31 08:27 pm UTC (link) DeleteTrack This
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I'm all in favor of "not totally gendered" costumes, like firefighter, alien, etc. I never wanted one as a kid, that I can recall, but I'm highly in favor of them being available.
The word "modest" gives me the screaming heebie-jeebies.
furikku
2008-10-31 08:32 pm UTC (link) Track This
The word "modest" gives me the screaming heebie-jeebies.
I can definitely understand that. Sorry about that. I just feel kind of weirded out when the majority of costumes for gals I see in stores are pretty sexualized. Perhaps just "nonsexualized" would've been a better pick.
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[info]dan4th
2008-10-31 08:56 pm UTC (link) DeleteTrack This
No, modest is a perfectly acceptable word, I just have bad associations with it.
...
Ooh, and gmail kicks up all kinds of fun ads to piss me off when it shows up in an email: "modest swimwear" "modest dresses" -- why is it that only women are called upon to be modest, again?
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[info]dan4th
2008-10-31 08:57 pm UTC (link) DeleteTrack This
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I should point out that my answer to the oversexualization of women/girls is to oversexualize boys and men. I don't know if that actually solves anything.
Every costume I've had for the last...oh...20 years...has basically just been an excuse to have facial hair...so the photo amuses me.
Last night dressed up as my boss. Similiar red beard to your photo.
furikku
2008-10-31 09:00 pm UTC (link) Track This
Yeah, I can definitely understand that.
Because men are completely incapable of things like restraint or willpower, so women have to dress properly so they won't rape everything in sight feel uncomfortable!
...even though women are apparently also completely incapable of restraint and willpower because we're emotional and all men are stoic and would only betray emotion with a single tear at a very pressing time.
So as you see, it makes total sense.
[info]furikku
2008-10-31 09:01 pm UTC (link) Track This
It would at least make advertisements more interesting for those of us who aren't particularly attracted to the female form. :D
naohai
2008-10-31 10:14 pm UTC (link) Track This
My manager was just complaining about this to me. All the pre-made costumes for adult women she found were similarly oversexualized.
Personally I have always made my own costumes.
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