Barb wrote a story on sexy hallowe’en costumes in the weekend Rec.

Nelson is the author of a study called The Pink Dragon Is Female: Halloween Costumes and Gender Markers, published in The Psychology of Women Quarterly in 2000.

She was quoted recently in a New York Times article discussing what’s behind increasingly sexual women’s Halloween costumes.

[...]

Bunce said there’s cause for optimism, however. Left to their own devices, many young girls will choose to wear scary outfits — costumes that make them ugly, green-faced witches or skeletons or ghosts.

They’re saying: “I don’t want to be cute or sexy,” Bunce said. “Young girls are putting their foot down and saying ‘We want to intimidate people too.’ “

Princess is one thing, French maid quite another | UW prof questions trend toward turning girls into sex objects The Rec 28 Oct 2006