Kamelia Kaveh
Staff Writer
Halloween, originally meant to be a night of dressing up, eating an excessive amount of candy, and getting scared silly, has slowly transformed into a debate of what a costume should be — funny, scary, cute, or relatable — with almost every choice somehow being considered “wrong.” Although the question doesn’t specify gender, this conversation often targets women, reflecting the societal expectation for them to prioritize appearance over comfort.
Every year, the discussion surrounding Halloween costumes becomes less about creativity and more about criticism. Somewhere along the way, dressing up has turned into a contest of meeting everyone else’s expectations rather than having fun. It’s a debate built on differing opinions about what defines a costume to be “in the spirit of Halloween.”
Whether you’ve been planning your costume for months or rushing to throw one together the night before, the real question shouldn’t be what’s cute, comfy, or scary — but rather what makes you feel most yourself. A costume should be an act of self-expression, reflecting your interests rather than conforming to the assumptions of everyone else.
Despite feeling good in your costume, comfort should be another important factor when choosing a costume. Being able to walk, dance, and even breathe comfortably throughout the night doesn’t have to come at the cost of style. In fact, comfort and confidence go perfectly hand in hand. This doesn’t mean a costume has to be boring, as people may expect, instead it’s about being able to truly enjoy the night by feeling good both in the way you look and how your body feels.
Sadly, even though women are ridiculed for wearing cute costumes that are “not in the true spirit” of Halloween, criticism continues to follow them if they are dressed in scary and/or funny costumes. For instance, many women receive comments that their costumes “aren’t that funny” or that they “ruined the joke.” No costume is safe from scrutiny, never immune from judgement.
So, when given the difficult decision of whether to choose between being cute, funny, or scary, know that your answer should be entirely your own — no matter the path you take, some sort of criticism follows. All that said, although both men and women face unfair treatment during Halloween, women endure far harsher and more frequent unkindness, an unfair phenomenon that continues to exist not only at college, but beyond campus.
Thus, the question remains: Why do women face judgement no matter what they wear? Unfortunately, the answer lies in the structure of society where women are criticized endlessly, even on a night that is supposed to be about entertainment and self-expression.
Whether you choose to dress in a manner that is cute, scary, comfy, or funny, that decision ultimately should be yours alone. Choosing to dress a certain way for a holiday comes at the cost of your self-expression, falling into society’s expectations at the expense of your individuality. So when you decide on what to wear for Halloween — or anything else — knowing what is most personal to you is the only choice that matters.
Your costume should be a representation of you and not of anyone else.