Costume Shopping 101
A question I have been hearing
far too often lately is: "What are
you being for Halloween? Have
you thought about your costume?"
I have thought about it, but only for short periods of time. I don't know about you, but I always feel like there's such a stress on the costumes people choose. It's as if this will be the only time I'll be able to dress up, and by not picking the right costume I'm ... well ... screwed. So in an effort to figure out what I want to be for Halloween, I've decided there truly is no better way than getting it down on paper, hence this article.
Halloween ... a day when, let's face it, girls dress like sluts and it's okay. Whatever happened to the days when you got to dress up as something you wanted to be or someone you looked up to? Women's Halloween costumes have been formulated to garner the attention of men through the exploitation of their breasts and butts. Walking into a Party Packagers to shop for a Halloween costume, I can only imagine what I'll find this year. Of course, there will always be the popular "sexy" costumes, the ones that stay the same every year: the nurse, the police officer, the convict, the witch, the referee and the list goes on and on.
The one thing many women don't realize is that by dressing up promiscuously, some men may feel like it's okay to degrade us because we look "easy." Let's face it: half the costumes that are worn on Halloween night belong in an adult store, not on the backs of young girls. There's a line that shouldn't be crossed when costume shopping, so by following a few simple steps, you'll be sure to look approachably sexy but not exceedingly scandalous.
Step 1: Choose an original costume
Walking into a costume party where everybody is dressed the same is no fun. If you know what your friends are dressing up as and you think it's a great idea, ask if you can stretch the idea. For example, if you both want to dress up as Lady Gaga, remember that she sang Telephone with Beyonce, and they both looked pretty hot in that video — why not dress up as the dangerous duo? This way you'll both feel satisfied with your choice, and in a way you'll both get what you want.
Step 2: Choose one area of your body to emphasize
Vittorio Missoni always stressed to the women of his family that sexy is only beautiful in small doses. The rules of dress were: if you show one key part of your body, you didn't show another. For example, if you were planning on wearing a short dress and having your legs show, you made sure that your décolletage was covered, as were your arms. Sexy was based upon what you imagined and not what you already saw. When you're choosing your outfit, do your best not too parade around half naked.
Step 3: Shoes, shoes, shoes
I'll say it in every article if I have to: people need to start looking down at their feet. I promise you that come Halloween night, you are going to be on your feet all the time. Whether it's from dancing, bar hopping or walking from party to party, your feet are going to kill by the end of the night. So before buying your six-inch meat heels that would go perfectly with your Lady Gaga outfit, try looking for an alternative. If you cant find an alternative, look into buying a pair of Dr. Scholl's For Her High Heel insoles. They're made for heels over two inches and will save you from hours of soaking the next day — definitely an investment I'm willing to make.
Step 4. Melting makeup is not hot
Assuming your costume involves makeup — as most costumes do — make sure you apply intelligently. Before you put your makeup on, exfoliate! It'll remove dead skin cells from your face and allow makeup to be applied evenly, with no splotches. Second, apply a primer. There are even primers for acne-prone skin, such as Clear Prep FX primer and antiacne treatment gel — it'll make your makeup look flawless and keep your skin from breaking out. Lastly, make sure you remember to remove all makeup before you go to bed. Dermatologists say that sleeping with makeup is one of the biggest mistakes girls make. For example, when you sleep with mascara on, it actually reduces the rate of eyelash growth. Clean your skin and give it the night to breathe; it'll thank you in the morning.
Although a lot of these steps should be followed in everyday life, they seem to be more prominent around Halloween. If you're really not sure how you feel about them, take them out for a test spin before the big day. Happy shopping!
I have thought about it, but only for short periods of time. I don't know about you, but I always feel like there's such a stress on the costumes people choose. It's as if this will be the only time I'll be able to dress up, and by not picking the right costume I'm ... well ... screwed. So in an effort to figure out what I want to be for Halloween, I've decided there truly is no better way than getting it down on paper, hence this article.
Halloween ... a day when, let's face it, girls dress like sluts and it's okay. Whatever happened to the days when you got to dress up as something you wanted to be or someone you looked up to? Women's Halloween costumes have been formulated to garner the attention of men through the exploitation of their breasts and butts. Walking into a Party Packagers to shop for a Halloween costume, I can only imagine what I'll find this year. Of course, there will always be the popular "sexy" costumes, the ones that stay the same every year: the nurse, the police officer, the convict, the witch, the referee and the list goes on and on.
The one thing many women don't realize is that by dressing up promiscuously, some men may feel like it's okay to degrade us because we look "easy." Let's face it: half the costumes that are worn on Halloween night belong in an adult store, not on the backs of young girls. There's a line that shouldn't be crossed when costume shopping, so by following a few simple steps, you'll be sure to look approachably sexy but not exceedingly scandalous.
Step 1: Choose an original costume
Walking into a costume party where everybody is dressed the same is no fun. If you know what your friends are dressing up as and you think it's a great idea, ask if you can stretch the idea. For example, if you both want to dress up as Lady Gaga, remember that she sang Telephone with Beyonce, and they both looked pretty hot in that video — why not dress up as the dangerous duo? This way you'll both feel satisfied with your choice, and in a way you'll both get what you want.
Step 2: Choose one area of your body to emphasize
Vittorio Missoni always stressed to the women of his family that sexy is only beautiful in small doses. The rules of dress were: if you show one key part of your body, you didn't show another. For example, if you were planning on wearing a short dress and having your legs show, you made sure that your décolletage was covered, as were your arms. Sexy was based upon what you imagined and not what you already saw. When you're choosing your outfit, do your best not too parade around half naked.
Step 3: Shoes, shoes, shoes
I'll say it in every article if I have to: people need to start looking down at their feet. I promise you that come Halloween night, you are going to be on your feet all the time. Whether it's from dancing, bar hopping or walking from party to party, your feet are going to kill by the end of the night. So before buying your six-inch meat heels that would go perfectly with your Lady Gaga outfit, try looking for an alternative. If you cant find an alternative, look into buying a pair of Dr. Scholl's For Her High Heel insoles. They're made for heels over two inches and will save you from hours of soaking the next day — definitely an investment I'm willing to make.
Step 4. Melting makeup is not hot
Assuming your costume involves makeup — as most costumes do — make sure you apply intelligently. Before you put your makeup on, exfoliate! It'll remove dead skin cells from your face and allow makeup to be applied evenly, with no splotches. Second, apply a primer. There are even primers for acne-prone skin, such as Clear Prep FX primer and antiacne treatment gel — it'll make your makeup look flawless and keep your skin from breaking out. Lastly, make sure you remember to remove all makeup before you go to bed. Dermatologists say that sleeping with makeup is one of the biggest mistakes girls make. For example, when you sleep with mascara on, it actually reduces the rate of eyelash growth. Clean your skin and give it the night to breathe; it'll thank you in the morning.
Although a lot of these steps should be followed in everyday life, they seem to be more prominent around Halloween. If you're really not sure how you feel about them, take them out for a test spin before the big day. Happy shopping!
