Now this is a fraught time of year for feminists. Any good Halloween costume ideas out there? Jezebel warns us off non-creative sexy costumes here. And reprinted on Angry Black-White Girl’s blog here is the Top 10 Reasons Not To Wear A Culturally Appropriating Halloween Costume list that got its start on facebook. (Thanks sex geek for the pointer.) So given that the skanky tribal theme is off, what’s on? What would be a funny and feminist Halloween costume? Or feminist and really scary?
13 thoughts on “Choosing a Halloween Costume”
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Feminist Philosophers 
In honour of my government’s totally meaningless appointment of 5 long dead feminists to the Senate, I’m planning on going as “Zombie Nellie McClung”. Turn of the century, matronly dress + zombie make-up = a totally meaningless Senator who can’t vote or introduce bills on anything. Should be a good time.
I mean, one could always just go as a feminist. That’d be scary, right!?!
Excellent ideas so far. I love zombie Nelly.
A member of the Junior Anti-Sex League from “1984”! It’s easy as pie (you just need overalls or coveralls and a red sash), just pretentious enough to make you feel creative, and the opposite of those annoying sexy X costumes.
My daughter came up with the idea of dressing up as Medusa. (I suggested her twin brother go as a stone, but he didn’t think that was such a great idea.)
That would be such an awesome combination.
One year I went to a Halloween party as a suffragist–long black skirt, black shoes, prim white blouse, black jacket, black hat, black gloves, a large sign saying “Votes for women!” and a fervent expression on my face.
I went to a fancy dress party once in normal clothes, with a broomstick. When asked what I came as, I said “nothing, there was no parking”.
I went as a vampire, not a scantly-clad one though.
I wore a black poet shirt, black velvet pants, boots, a vampire-looking goth coat, and heavy silver jewelry.
I acted the part a bit, taking up an air of refinement and melding it with my usual “I’m strong, independent, and in charge of my life” attitude.
What about something like Trinity from the Matrix…she was always clothed and very tough. Her sexiness just showed through on its own, she didn’t have to dresss that way.
Dingit!! Does that mean Ngila Dickson’s pre-LotR looks are offensive now? Lucy Lawless as samurai, as Amazon and as Kali are some of my favourites!
I went as Lady Godiva in 89. Because I was living in downtown Toronto, I was half joking when I asked my fiance to get a cop to let me borrow his horse. When I went back to where he was working security an hour later, he told me that one of those cops actually said yes, and I missed it.
Double Dingit!
How about Lady Godiva riding on the back of a guy dressed as her pet horsie? Or her pet cop?
Then there’s the timeless sci-fi characters. I like Pris from Bladerunner, Sarah Connor and Terminatrix Kristanna Loken. Unfortunately, what’s really scary about them is too subtle for this gadget&commodity worshipping generation. Get as Naomi Klein on that as you want.
If everything goes well with my finances this fall, I’m going as a Klingon, complete with a big honkin bat’leth for skewering p’tach Romulans.
BOO!
My friend G’s boyfriend wanted her to dress as a “nurse” one Halloween…I pointed her to a “medical wear” order site and suggested she dress as an ACTUAL (not a sexy) working nurse: scrubs, running shoes, a stethoscope, and a watch! :)
You could also go as a “University Professor.” Harris tweed and blue jeans. That’s what my first-year English prof called it–he wore it to a ball game once. He was only there to watch his daughter’s school sing the national anthem, then went to the parking lot and read Nietzsche….
I’m a pirate this year, and my partner is matching. The length is to the knee and no cleavage is shown. The sexiness is all in my curves.
I plan on working as a nurse, so when the time comes, I will wear my scrubs on Halloween. ;)