# Gender Biased Costumes



## GKling (Jun 25, 2013)

Bear with me, because this is more of a rant than a post. I'm working on a charity Haunt, and researching buying some costumes that we can loan to our volunteers. I've no problem finding options for men, but (pardon the language if I offend anyone) where has it been written that damn near every retail costume for a woman (or even a girl) has to make them look like a prostitute? I'm looking for SCARY, not slutty! Jeez&#8230;


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## jaege (Aug 23, 2009)

A vampiress is sexy regardless. Its how they lure in their meals. 

Seriously though, retailers are making what sells. Costumes are about fantasy. Many women (and most women's men) have that sexy sultry fantasy thing going. Why do you think lingerie is such a big industry? Nature of the beast. Check out the female TOTs. The little ones are usually something cutesy, like a princess or a kitten, the older ones are doing the sultry thing, and likely chasing boys at a party.


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## scareme (Aug 29, 2006)

I'd say there are some little girls being cutesy, but more are dressing slutty. I've had girls that look about 7 and flat as a board come up in a bra top and mini skirt. When I ask what they are suppose to be they say, A diva. Diva? We used to call them working girls. And their parents are with them. I know it's a night for pretend, so hopefully they get it out of their system, and never dress like that in real life. But I have to agree with GKling, give women a choice. Put something out besides sexy so women can choose what she wants to be.


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## Copchick (Apr 10, 2012)

I agree with the above posts. You're right GKling, it is frustrating for a lack of costume choices when all that is available is slutty pirates, slutty witches or slutty whatevers.


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## [email protected] (Aug 25, 2012)

Generally speaking, women are not willing to intentionally make themselves look ugly and then parade around in public. (I'm not sure that they want to parade around looking slutty either, but the costume industry has decided that they do.)


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## Haunted Spider (Sep 6, 2010)

I have to say that I agree with the above posters on the styles of costumes available. On that note, I have bought 3 or 4 on clearance for my wife to wear other nights than Halloween......ahem..

I don't know what you are looking for in costumes for your young volunteers, but I will tell you what we have used and what worked in the charity haunt I used to help with. 

A lady in a wedding dress, bloodied up, and make up to look corpsed but not zombied was the best greeter/ let groups go back costume ever. She would sit with the patrons as they waited. Goodwill/ thrift shop special.

Having a long druid type robe with ghastly make up and hair fritzed out was also great. And you can use a guys costume robe for it. 

A girl in a straight jacket with wild looking make up and eyes will get most patrons attention. And again the straight jacket can be a guys. 

And of course the girl from the ring. Long black hair and a white robe type outfit does wonders. Just make sure they never talk, just act like the girl.

Our best scare we got was with a young girl in very heavy make up in a coffin / coffin room. Dressed like she would be buried in nice clothes, but dusted up like it had been there a while. When she sat up and screamed, patrons hit the floor. Heavy unreal looking make up was key more than the outfit honestly. 

Good luck in the charity haunt. Hope this gives you a few ideas of what to do.


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## SMR (Aug 4, 2013)

It is frustrating. I used to work at a party store and plenty of parents came in with their 12 or older girls and were livid to find out that their only options weren't very PG. I think the only costumes we had last year that met with any sort of approval were the basic angel and the plus sized lady in waiting. Inevitably, they sold out, and then parents had to buy leggings and body suits to make up for the area not covered by the costumes.

Haunted Spider is right though. You'd probably have better luck going through Goodwill or any other thrift store to get something that'd work. Could be cheaper that way too!


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## ZombieMa (Jul 16, 2013)

It's really true, most women's costumes leave you falling out on top and hanging out underneath. A lot of the shorter costumes are less revealing with a petticoat underneath. 

I find costumes at the thrift store that aren't as revealing. I think the trend of super-skimpy costumes has been mostly in the past ten years or so, so it's still possible to find older costumes with more coverage. Scrubs and choir robes also make good costumes sometimes.


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

Kind of makes you long for the good old days when everyone's costume looked like these:










That's my older sister as a demure princess, my older brother, and me


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## Copchick (Apr 10, 2012)

Haunted Spider said:


> I have bought 3 or 4 on clearance for my wife to wear other nights than Halloween......ahem...


Ha, ha, I guess that is a spin on the skimpy costumes...role playing.


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## diggerc (Feb 22, 2006)

They are out there. But it took a bit of searching.

http://www.costumeshopper.com/prods/fm66358-zombie-lady.html#.UgFg_NKOTPY


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## jaege (Aug 23, 2009)

Remember who does the dressing up. Other than little kids, its college age or near college age teens going to parties. All those college age or near college age girls want to look sexy for the college age or near college age boys that are going to parties. Believe me, if the retailer thought there was a penny to be made in marketing something else they would do it. As jaded as it sounds, its all about the money. No one is going to try and sell a bunch of spooky costumes for girls. I am sure the market research does not justify it.

I am not saying I agree with this rational, I just accept it for the crappy reality it is.

Besides the goodwill route, you can spruce up those sexpot costumes to actually be something with a little imagination.


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## Troll Wizard (May 3, 2012)

*I would have to agree with all of you about how costumes for adult women have changed over the years. I almost think there is an underlying influence from the porn industry on how women should dress for Halloween these days. And yes for the most part women buying these items are doing it for one purpose only and that's to go party!

I don't think I've ever seen any woman or teen girl out TOT'ing in these kind of costumes. Probably won't either! I think that in October they would probably freeze to death outside wearing this stuff anyway.No if woman want to dress this way for Halloween then so be it. There is a place for it, in some instances.

But I think that we should see more unique designs of costumes that use some more of the traditional uses of costumes for women. But I think if you really want to impress, it's really back to the drawing board, and design your own. Those I think look the best, for a man or a woman. The money you'd spend on one of those ready mades, you could come up with some really cool ideas and looks. :jol:

*


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## ZombieMa (Jul 16, 2013)

It's hot here in October and plenty of girls and women are out in those scanty little costumes here...some of them are teenagers pushing baby strollers. I think it's sad when they're in costume but they haven't bothered to dress up the baby...but then again, I think TOT should be for the kids.


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## Dark Angel 27 (Sep 11, 2008)

Sadly, your completely right about the hooker costumes. But on the bright side, lack of good costumes forces the people to design their own. Oh and Digger- I love the zombie costume!


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## Lunatic (Oct 3, 2006)

Gosh darn it! I really hate seeing leggy woman dressed in slutty costumes.
I hope it never goes away. Did I say that out loud? I mean...THOSE WHORES!!!


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## Spooklights (Jul 4, 2006)

scareme said:


> I'd say there are some little girls being cutesy, but more are dressing slutty. I've had girls that look about 7 and flat as a board come up in a bra top and mini skirt. When I ask what they are suppose to be they say, A diva. Diva? We used to call them working girls. And their parents are with them. I know it's a night for pretend, so hopefully they get it out of their system, and never dress like that in real life. But I have to agree with GKling, give women a choice. Put something out besides sexy so women can choose what she wants to be.


I have to point out the part about their parents being with them, especially their Mothers. Have you had a good look at what Mom is wearing? No wonder little girls dress like they do! I mean, in our neighborhood on Halloween night, I don't know what's scarier; the teenaged boys coming with "blood" all over their clothes and carrying "meat cleavers", or the Mom dressed up like she works in the Red Light District. Getting it out of their system clearly didn't work here.....


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## debbie5 (Mar 2, 2007)

RoxyBlue said:


> Kind of makes you long for the good old days when everyone's costume looked like these:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I LOVE this picture! And I love that YOU are the skelly, Roxy~


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## Copchick (Apr 10, 2012)

I love those pictures of costumes of days gone by.


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## Sblanck (Sep 13, 2007)

I count myself as insanely lucky. My wife can sew, she has a regular sewing machine and a serger. She has made all of my costumes and my daughters. Costume shopping for us is looking in the back of the pattern books at the cloth store. We do go visit the big Halloween stores to see the latest plastic stuff but we don't buy costumes there. My daughter has never wanted to be any of the characters at the store. My son's last three costumes were made from cardboard and were all Transformers. I haven't seen any of the slutty teens come to my door at Halloween. I get mostly teens with no costumes and a pillow sack. Thinking about it I haven't seen any females wearing any of those crazy costumes. I guess I don't hang out with the right people.


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## Terrormaster (Sep 27, 2007)

This is something that has been bothering me for years, especially with a young daughter of my own. But unfortunately it doesn't end at Halloween costumes. Don't take my word for it, just take a look at modern geek culture to get an eye opener. 

Comic books, anime, manga, and video games. The male heroes get body armor that actually looks functional. Female heroes often have so much skin exposed you have to wonder how they manage to survive so many battles. Don't even get me started on the unrealistic body proportions. I know the primary audience is male geeks. But for once I would just love to see strong female leads who are realistically proportioned and not dressed liked a bimbo. But yeah, this is one of the major areas where role models start and it bleeds into the costume industry. Just take a look at well over 90% of the female cosplayers at conventions. Everytime I see female cosplayers they've almost always sexed up their costumes. And most of them actually MAKE their own costumes, not buy them so the blame is not entirely on the costume industry.

Don't get me wrong, a lot of them are down right stunning (in a good way). But with such large majority of female cosplayers doing this I can't help but wonder if they do so for the male attention versus just being themselves and doing something cool.

I've brought this issue up over on Google+ almost every year and most recently got accused of slut shaming. Seriously? I'm anything BUT conservative.

Anyways, that's MY particular rant on the topic. So yeah, the problem is pretty wide spread and it's become down right annoying.

But at the end of the day (unfortunately), Jaege is right. It's about the target demographic (college aged women) and money. We can speak with our wallets but it won't matter because most of us aren't even that demographic.


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## DandyBrit (May 23, 2013)

Everyday wear for little girls is like that in this country. What is wrong with kids being kids for just a bit longer - they have to grow up too fast as it is. Enjoy childhood while it is there I say - don't rush to grow up.


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## Dellanotte (Sep 3, 2013)

*College Girl's Turn*

Methinks I generally agreed until I saw the college girl generalizations--believe me, I've been to the crazy frat parties, and I've seen the slutty costumes mixed in with the perfectly decent. My own counted for the latter, even if my (rather conservative) roomie tried to toss it in the shower (I kid you not). 
I've also seen some less-slutty costumes at the "local" stores (e.g. floor-length vamp/witch dresses) mixed in with the porn scraps, but then again I'm in the Bible Belt. Maybe it varies by region? (Ha.) ... And on that note, I'm off to hand-make a costume, again, because we get the same stuff every year (other problem entirely).


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## Haunted Bayou (Feb 16, 2007)

Halloween = Releasing your inner-slut!


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## shannibal (Aug 14, 2013)

I have made my haunt costumes for the past 2 years now so I can avoid the "hooker-ish" look of the store bought ones. I like that I can make the look change if my role changes and also they are one of a kind! Most of my projects I have taken on are learn-as-I-go, and they have all turned out pretty well. It's amazing what you can learn on the internet!


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## PaganMom (Oct 4, 2016)

This thread shows exactly why I end up making my costume every year. I spent a few weeks looking for a Riding Hood costume, with no luck. Well, if I wanted half my body hanging out.
Grrr! I just wanted an adult version. instead I made my own. I got a white shirt, made the apron, and rearranged the skirt to my liking. 
When I get it all together, I'll have to post pics. I still have some tweaking to do. And so little time!


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## beaver state rich (Jan 25, 2014)

I'm not trying to hyjack the thread but that pic of the old vinyl costumes with plastic mask has me thinking of making a spot on replica of my Casper costume I wore when I was 3. Some of those old cartoon based costumes were very cool.


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## Stazy101 (Jan 20, 2016)

I'm so glad I am not the only one complaining about the lack of costumes for females. I work at a haunted hayride and try to mix it up. It is freezing outside so I need a costume that will keep me warm and scary! Who wants to always be a witch?!


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