ugh I posted before I saw Jilli's post. That's really disturbing that there are no non-sexy options anymore.

Thinking back over my Halloween costumes, I was male most of the time. Even when I went as a bear I was thinking of myself as a male bear.

When I was in one yesterday, I did not see one costume for grown women OR tween girls that wasn't a "sexy" twist on something. Every costume the store offered for females involved some combination of low-cut, super-short skirt, thigh high stockings, or a midriff shirt. Every one.

It's annoying, reductionist, objectifying, and un-creative as shit.

(Though I do have one friend who makes hysterical whore versions of costmes. One year she was a sexy storm trooper. Messing with a convention and I'll give you props.)

I'm all for looking sexy. Yay, sexy! Yay, corsets! But when that is the only option available, even with something as innocuous as Halloween costumes, that's disheartening.

That's just bloody ridiculous.

Yet another reason to go the thrift-store route, which I always preferred anyway.

smonster, I don't know if this helps, but keep in mind that NOLA is not just the metro area. There's always the northshore, which I believe has a better economy and job market than the city proper. And there's Baton Rouge. If you do move down to NOLA, it's not like you have to sink or swim there if the job doesn't pan out.

Oh, this heat can just totally kiss my ass.

Just watch out for Bon Temps, smonster. I hear some weird shit goes down in that town.

I'm all for looking sexy. Yay, sexy! Yay, corsets! But when that is the only option available, even with something as innocuous as Halloween costumes, that's disheartening.

Plus it reinforces only one acceptable way to be "sexy."

Not to mention that it reinforces the idea that "sexy" is the only acceptable option for women, and any woman who would want to look any other way (or be any other way) is not a "real" woman.

Yet another reason to go the thrift-store route, which I always preferred anyway.

I always dressed up as a witch. A covered neck-to-ankles, green face paint, shrieking cackle sort of witch. Dude, I wanted to be the Wicked Witch of the West when I grew up, what else was I going to dress up as?

I need to go hit the local Value Village in the next few days, because they save goodies all year to put out for Halloween.

I'm waiting until the third week in October when the thrift store near my parents is marking everything 75% off.

I'm waiting until the third week in October when the thrift store near my parents is marking everything 75% off.

Could I maybe I give you a list of things to keep an eye out for? insert grin and batting of eyelashes here