Screw Slutoween

When I lived in Gainesville, a drunk guy once asked me where my Halloween costume was.  We were both standing on the sidewalk, waiting for the light to changes.  It was the night before Halloween, and the sidewalks were filled with college girls tripping around on their heels in their tiny costumes.

I had been out at a bar after an MFA reading, and I was wearing pretty standard attire.  Definitely not a sexy costume, which was really the question this guy was asking: why aren’t you scantily clad for my viewing pleasure?   

I went off on him in an impromptu feminist lecture—because I’m a woman, in public, you think you have the right to interrogate me about what I’m wearing? I don’t think so.  It felt good, but he probably didn’t even remember my diatribe the next day. 

  

It’s pretty well established that Halloween, for many, has become "Slutoween." I’m all about reclaiming the word slut, but it sucks that the expectation is now that girls and women will be HOT! HOT! HOT! on Halloween.

So if you’re needing inspiration, I say, go as your favorite fictional heroine.  Here are a few suggestions from books I've read lately (all YA dystopian novels):

1.       Lilah, the Lost Girl from Jonathon Maberry’s Dust & Decay and Rot & Ruin. 

She’s a spooky, bad ass zombie killer. Enough said. Plus, all you really need for the costume is a ripped shirt, a ripped pair of jeans, a spooky white/platinum blonde wig, and a broomstick modified into a spear.

2.       Deuce from Ann Aguirre’s Enclave

Deuce is a survivor who’s cold enough to be believable as a character in her world.  The outfit would be your basic post-apocalyptic uniform: dark, dull and dirty.  Wearing fake scars as the badge of the Huntress on your arm would definitely skew this costume towards the scary end of the spectrum.

                        3.  Teen Surrogate from Megan McCafferty’s Bumped

This costume would be so fun.  Stuff a pillow under your shirt (or go all out and get a fake belly), and spout slogans from the book like “fertilicous” and “do the deed, born to breed” all night.  There’s definite potential for a group costume here, too. 

                        4.  Rose from Lauren DeStefano’s Wither.

                                               

This was one of those books that left me wanting, (I really agree with this review by Sarah at I’mLoving Books) but if you feel like getting girlied up and wearing a big poufy dress, Rose would be a great character inspiration.  Add a little fake blood dribbling from your mouth, and you’re all set.  Dead Rose would be even better.