What Makes the Slutty Holiday Slutty?

Growing up in my family, my parents never condoned Halloween or any of its traditions, saying that it was dangerous due to the ever-worsening moral condition of society. They would talk about how safe and fun it was when they were kids and then how twisted and dangerous it had become, citing stories of kids finding razorblades in apples and poison in candy. They also viewed Halloween as a “dark” holiday associated with witches and spirits, seeing as it is the general consensus that more activity associated with demons and the spirit world are encouraged by this holiday. Typically, I would go with my brothers and sister to a fall party at my church where games and candy were abundantly presented in a safer and less “dark” atmosphere. For this reason, I am not abundantly familiar with the typical traditions of Halloween parties, especially at the college level. However, from what I have gathered through costume advertisements, the news media, stories, and friends, the attire (or lack there of) has been steadily sliding down a long, slippery slope. Outfits have continually gotten more and more revealing, explicit, and bold. As I thought about this concept, I said to myself, “soon it will be the norm for college students to wear nothing at all to these ‘costume’ parties!” However, after further contemplation I reasoned that option out, because I believe that a party of this type would eliminate the primary reason that students attend. That is, the reason of wanting to express themselves through their attire and having the chance to draw extra attention from the opposite gender, above that which they would normally receive, by outdoing their peers. Clearly, this is what Halloween parties are all about. Once I deduced this, it was easy for me to
see why Halloween has become so “slutty,” and also why women’s costumes tend to follow certain trends.
There are two reasons that Halloween costumes are worn: a) to attract attention, b) to express oneself. (I’m not sure, but I think it all started with Karate Kid outsmarting his arch-rival to get the girl by dressing up as a “walking shower,” complete with shower head and curtain.) Because men tend to be visually stimulated, women recognize this and dress accordingly. They realize that men think a great deal about the opposite sex and about sex in general. Thus, they attempt to draw men’s attention through their choice of costume. Unsurprisingly, many times this “costume” tends to consist of less costume than actual skin. Women are seeking to turn the heads of men by dressing provocatively. This is the reason that so many “slutty cops, nurses, and princesses” are seen.
Women, on the other hand, tend to gauge their self-worth by the comments they receive from others, especially those they receive from men. Because such “slutty” costumes tend to draw men’s attention and produce compliments, this has become the normal attire for women attending these parties. Thus, unless women cease to care what men think, their costumes will likely continue to follow the “slutty” trend.