Happy Halloween!

[Emerson]

I realize it's pretty late for all the mainlanders out there, but I can't help saying Happy Halloween to everyone. I'm not one for dressing up, so much, myself, but I do appreciate a good Pagan holiday every now and then. And as Pagan holidays go, you can't beat Halloween.

I have noticed an interesting phenomenon on Halloween that I want to ask everyone's opinion about. Every year lots of people - many of whom seem to be otherwise vanilla - wear bdsm-themed (or otherwise kinky) costumes. My question is, do you tend to dress up in a suggestive, bdsm way, or do you just do a normal costume?

I'm also curious as to whether or not there's some venting of repressed sexuality on Halloween. Do vanilla folk sometimes let out their subconscious kink on Halloween? My sub, before we really knew each other, would tend to wear fairly suggestive costumes on Halloween, despite the fact that she never had really been into bondage, nor was she apt to dress provocatively on any normal occasion. Then again, maybe most of the bondage costumes you see are just lifestylers getting away with it in public for the day (though some costumes are just too over-the-top)... Hard to say, really. If only we could do a survey.

Regardless, here's to Halloween. Not every day do you see Pocahontas in hand-cuffs.

[Mastrovenice]

I also get a chuckle from all the guys dressed as women, complete with balloon breasts. Makes one wonder what kind of underwear they wear the other 364 days..

[Occam]

I do think that some of the people that dress skimpy and kinky are trying to express a repressed sexuality. But for most it is just a way to cut loose and drop all inhibition. We Americans are prudes in general, and women that dress sluty are looked down upon. But Halloween gives them a chance to be as sluty as they would like and no one thinks twice about it. But that's just how is see it.

[Mairead]

Halloween is one of those few times when the norms of society are relaxed and even reversed for a day. So it is acceptable to express yourself and aspects of yourself in ways that normally are taboo. I guess Halloween (and other events like it) are the pressure release valves, letting people just let loose.