Ladies, dress as you wish this Halloween

In my previous article “Do You Have My Size?” I mentioned my struggles in choosing my Halloween costume between FashionNova Curve and Amazon. I decided to buy the FashionNova version of Lola Bunny, but this decision did not come without judgment from others.

The FashionNova Curve’s choice is different from the cute Torrid or the elegant Lane Bryant. It has trendy outfits that are meant for nightclubs and girls’ nights to make their customers feel sexy. Surprisingly, many are uncomfortable with the idea of ​​young women feeling and dressing sexy.

After years of shame and disgust with my body, I’m finally in a place where I can confidently and comfortably wear revealing costumes. I was so ashamed of my curves in high school that I covered myself in loose, dark sweaters and leggings.

I remember everyone always telling me to stop hiding my face with my hair and covering my mouth when I laughed. I remember how much I hated showers because looking at my body in the mirror made me shatter.

Gradually, I upgraded to cute and casual clothes, like graphic T-shirts and tights. I became tired of hating myself and my body, and I wanted to be confident like my friends and colleagues.

I realized that there was nothing wrong with stretch marks, cellulite, and belly fat. There’s also nothing wrong with my big chest that I’ve had since I was eight, or my ass with a mind of its own. It’s a part of who I am, so how can I hate it?

I consider my Lola Bunny costume a milestone, but I know I will face judgment for displaying my body in a sexy way. Some people would look at my stomach with disdain, not because of my weight, but because they could see my belly in the first place.

What’s wrong with wearing a sexy Halloween costume? I said “sexy,” although some would call it “slutty.”

What’s wrong with a woman showing off her body? Isn’t it a sign of radical self-love and confidence to wear such a bold outfit? Wouldn’t it be brave for a woman to wear what she wanted, risk being glanced at and shouted at by men? Or the possibility of fumbling hands, or the danger every woman would feel in the presence of a threatening man?

This is part of shaming prostitutes – a specific branch of sexism that reinforces the idea of ​​a pure woman, someone who is “moral enough” to save herself for the right man. She dresses modestly with class, wearing what flatters her body, but not so much as to attract the attention of the “wrong type”.

Women who show little cleavage or wear short skirts are constantly given a dirty look. If she’s wearing a sexy Halloween costume, everyone thinks she just wants attention.

What no one considers is how having the ability to dress the way he wants is the definition of self-agency and bodily autonomy. He knows what he wants and how he wants to express himself, so why does he give up what makes him feel confident?

I’d be lying if I said I had no qualms about my costume, wondering if it was too much or if I really wanted to wear it. But when I tried on the costume, I didn’t want to take it off. I like to wear it around my house like a ’50s housewife wearing a frilly dress while doing housework.

I know I look good when the shorts hug my hips tightly and the knee-high socks highlight my legs. I looked in the mirror in disbelief but beaming with pride.

I will no longer hide my body out of shame or judge others, and I’m done holding back. I don’t stop halfway from where I can be and how good I feel.

My Lola Bunny costume is the first step to giving the best I can. Every woman who wears a sexy Halloween costume gives herself the same.