Wednesday, October 15, 2008
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My Not-So-Holy Halloween Costume
The Halloween post a couple of weeks back got me thinking about another touchy issue with the holiday: the costumes - that is, the costumes if you're a female between the ages 18-24. As the Mean Girls line goes, "Halloween is the one night a year when girls can dress like a total slut and no other girls can say anything about it."
Okay, is it totally inappropriate that I'm a Christian college girl dressing up as Britney Spears in her new video, Womanizer? Granted I'm not gonna be Britney in the sauna, if you get my drift, I'm going as Britney the Trashy Secretary. The costume itself, even in the video, isn't very sexy or provocative at all - it's really Britney's actions in the video, while dressed in that outfit, that make her look slutty. The only reason I decided to be her is that I have most of the components of a secretary's outfit in my closet already, so I wouldn't have to do to much shopping. Plus, it's an excuse to wear a black wig and bright red lipstick in public....
Maybe I feel a LITTLE convicted because of the outfit's connotation, despite its actual modesty, but I definitely tow the line at looking like a stripper or a Playboy bunny.
Christian females fond of Halloween - what's your criteria when picking out a costume - is modesty a factor? Do you feel convicted wearing something that might have a distasteful connotation? Guys, would you think less of a female friends (especially a Christian one) if she dressed in something "slutty" for Halloween?
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Comments (56)
Hmm, I don't dress up for halloween, but I do dress my kids up. They get to be cartoon characters or something else non-demonic. I don't condone the "evil" of halloween, but can't resist giving my kids the fun time I always had as a child on halloween. I don't think dressing slutty at anytime is ever a good idea, even on halloween. Just a thought. I would suggest praying about it. God cares about the little things, you know.
i posted a blog on the "slutty" halloween costumes a few years ago. usually i make my own costume because the premade ones in the stores show far too much skin for my liking. i don't get much into halloween in the first place, though, because it's a secular/pagin holiday.
I am 26...so I guess I am 2 years out of the age range you are saying.
All our stuff is family friendly. We are dressing up for our church's Harvest party.
The boys are going to be either cops/firefighters/Army
My daughter will probably be a princess
(IF we can not find appropriate ones on Friday then they will be going as the holy bible in costumes that I made)
I am planning on wearing a long wig and my Victorian dress.
Family friendly.
I don't think it should be used as an excuse to look like a slut.
Most holidays are pagan...so that's not my argument. I don't celebrate Halloween though due to the fact that it seems to be surrounded with Witches, Ghosts, Devils, etc...things that are made to promote fear...something we, as Christians shouldn't have. I think you are obviously feeling convicted enough over your costume to question it...so why rationalize it out and wear it anyway. In addition, why the heck would anyone want an excuse to look slutty? I'd imagine even on a holiday there's nothing positive that can come from that image.
I live my modesty so of course. And then it has to be creative and original and colorful as well.
oy. i'm the kind of guy who thinks less of females when they dress like sluts. just the way i am.
Galatians 5
19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness,
revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have
also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not
inherit the kingdom of God.In Galations and other parts of the bible, Halloween is specifically forbidden because it is witchcraft, in Galatians is says they which do such thing shall not inherit the kingdom of god,
In some countries children are killed on this night , i lived in canterbury and they had a magic shop which sold knives in the magic shop beware of this festival it is not just dressing up!
1) Wear what you want to wear as long as you are comfortable. If you don't think it's slutty and you're only dressing a certain way for the "play" that goes with Halloween, then what's the harm? We, as people, are in no position to judge you because of how you choose to dress, especially for one night of the year.
2) Having said that, wear something that you wouldn't mind people judging you for anyway. What I mean by that is, even though it's nobody's place to condemn you and "banish you to Hell" for wearing a skirt that's not below the knee or a shirt that's a little more V-necked than they'd prefer, people are going to think and act however they want. It's a good idea to think about how others will perceive you. Are you okay with other people thinking you're a "slut" because of the way you dressed? Would you want someone to have that as their first impression of you?
3) As for the more direct question, I'm more of a modest person, but that's just my nature. That doesn't mean I don't like the other costumes available at Halloween I just wouldn't feel comfortable in them. It's a personal decision.
Good luck with your decision!
i don't think you should dress up as britney spears, even if you are dressing very modestly. britney spears is not somebody Christians should be emulating because she doesn't uphold Christian values.
you can argue that guinevere (of the arthurian legend) also doesn't uphold Christian values, and that's true. but because britney spears is such an icon in our culture, i think it would be best to avoid anything that associates you with her. :)
My standard for both everyday clothes and for costumes is "will it encourage my brothers in Christ to stumble"? So I care a lot more about actual modesty than associations that could be made, but I personally would probably choose not to dress up as Britney Spears.
lol@ your costume choice
it's a matter of taste but honestly, i wouldn't do a slutty costume--too many grey areas.
HOWEVER i did dress as tyrone biggums (dave chappelle) last halloween and he is a crack head...still controversial even though it wasn't slutty, lol
seriously, if you don't feel bad about it, then go ahead but if you feel a conviction from God then obviously don't go through with it. we can give you our opinion all day long but ultimately it doesn't really matter what other people think.
First of all I think Halloween is retarded and therefore you Halloween lovers might see me as slightly biased. If I offended you, I'm sorry.....well maybe I'm not too sorry. Anyways......
As a guy I go two different directions in my feelings towards girls dressing like hoochie mamas. (yeah I just said that)
My heart either breaks for their wounded heart that is reaching out for the wrong kind of love and attention or I get incredibly annoyed that they could be so selfish and frankly stupid. It depends where my heart is at the time. Another point I might add is, as a Christian we are called to present ourselves in a holy and righteous way. So if you can dress like Britney Spears and be a holy and righteous example than by all means go for it. What are ones motives for dressing like Britney Spears anyways? That's not a judgmental statement just a question for pondering. How about we just stay home on Halloween and wait for All Saints Day, then we can go party and celebrate our brothers and sisters who have gone before us, setting the example of what it means to follow Christ with everything.
Should you? Shouldn't you?
In my opinion, I think a better question to ask is this:
If you dress slutty, could you look at Jesus on the cross and in all honesty say that you're living your life for him?
@jnathanroy@xanga - thumbs up.
@desperate4mySavior@xanga - good points
My only response is: Why?
Yeah, Halloween is a great time to become something else just for fun, but why would you want to become someone that is described as "trashy". What good will it do you?
For me, I wouldn't dress "slutty" because not only would I be uncomfortable, but my 11 year old son would be mortified and I think my husband would not like that either. Plus, it's usually cold and rainy.
Morally, that's all between you and God. It doesn't sound like the costume itself is bad, and since I haven't seen the video, I probably wouldn't make the connection anyway. However, if you are experiencing this kind of self conflict, it could be the Holy Spirit intervening.
In a followup to the Halloween post a few weeks ago (that was me), the decorations are still up and the situation even led up to my neighbor agreeing to go to church with us next week. After all, he wants to meet the Pastor of this church I attend that "allows" it's congregation to do trick or treating...but that's a whole different post
its not always just what you do in what you wear, its what you wear.
you could go as a secretary. like an enron secretary.. or something like that. (i had a dress up day at school today, and people were saying i looked like one... in a simple black and white dress)
mainly, if you look like her, someone might think you ARE her... or at least agree with what she condones.
If you walked into your church wearing that costume, would it be appropriate? I'm not talking about normal church even, .. even if you ran into someone from church, or someone you hold to have great importance in your life (pastor, family member, past teacher, old friend) something like that, would you feel embarrassed? We can twist things to be whatever we want them to be, just because the way we wear an outfit (in your case, it's not quite as slutty as her video) however, it doesn't take away the fact that it's the secretary's outfit - of Britney Spears. Sure, we can pray to God, and ask his opinion, and often times we don't hear his full wisdom on the subject because we don't want too. If God were here though, and on Halloween you were approached by him in your costume, how would you feel? Don't you think he would be very disappointed in your reasoning for this costume?
Just some thoughts.
I think that you should consider the effects of wearing it on your christian and non-christian friends. Even if the costume is intrinsically non-immoral, it may lead people to stumble. Paul says everything is lawful, yet not everything good. If it does lead someone to stumble or draw the stare of a guy, it kinda screws him up, doesn't it? but if it doesn't, if it's yet modest enough not to arouse attention, there would be nothing against it.
Ah, just go out and have fun. I think we undermine our Christian brethren too much as far as their willpower goes, and making them 'stumble'. Lots of guys seem to be surviving without lust issues, and they seem to be handling the horrible image of the female body just fine. :P That costume wasn't slutty at all, I think you should go for it. Have fun!
What's the harm? The song itself condemns disrespecting women.
As for the outfit, it really isn't that risqué and is nearly work appropriate. If you are concerned about it, just put a white cami under the sweater and you're good to go. It's actually a really cute outfit.
slutty costumes are the only ones i wear... i love feeling sexy and hardly ever get to as a student. i don't believe in being modest for anyone's sake other than my own. if a Christian man doesn't want to get aroused looking at me, he can turn his head. i don't dress up for other people.
Hmmm...
I don't think that I would look down on a girl for dressing up on Halloween in what some might think to be "slutty."
This post makes me think of Romans 13-14 where Paul talks about how certain foods are were considered to be unclean and he encourages to not partake in such food that might lead another brother to sin. If you know that such a costume might be perceived as "slutty," then it wouldn't it be better to stay away? I'm not gonna lie - Halloween is a easy time for my imagination, as a young and sinful man, to go wild.
I think @goodgirl_196@xanga basically said it all.
And honey, I'm well.....my non-christian friends at my university would definitely say I'm extremely conservative when it comes to the way I dress, and I'm dressing as Jessica Rabbit. I'll be comfortable, I'll look...hot (haha!) and probably, I'll be more covered than the rest of my counterparts....
If you wanna wear it, go for it. Life is short, so have some fun.
Mean Girls was right.... Halloween is the one night a year you can dress as whatever you, be whoever you want...
I love Halloween. It's basically my favorite.