'Slutty' Halloween is Everywhere....but Here!

 The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon listed Top 5 Halloween Costumes this Year!

Last night we held our bi-monthly style training with a group of fellow ASU students.  

The subject of “Slutty Halloween” came up. It seems as though the term, "Slutty Costume" seems to be everywhere this Halloween.  We wanted to share with you some of that conversation. 

Several of the young women present said it was their first year as an ASU student and they felt like many young women look to others to answer the question: How do you do Halloween at ASU as a college student?  One first year student expressed what she felt some young women must be feeling. - "The reason most girls dress that way is because it's your first year. You don't want to be the outcast. You just do what others do, so you fit in"

Some of the older students gave their advice to their fellow classmates. Here are some of their suggestions:

• "I don't think Halloween should be an excuse to show more than you normally would."

• "You tell the world how to treat you by how to dress. Should that change on Halloween? Probably not" 

• "It's a dangerous situation you're putting yourself in... Especially think about the influence of alcohol or other substances on a weekend like this."

• "I have cousins that are 13 years old buying these costumes because there's nothing else TO buy. Guys do look at girls, and to me it bothers me because guys are looking at my younger cousins"

• "I wouldn't change my level of comfort for one night to have fun"

What do you think of that?

My favorite question of the conversation was,

"When did the slutty costume start being a thing??" Well, we looked into it and read this article by Suzanne Labarre. Here are some of excerpts. 

 Slutty Halloween Costumes:  A Cultural History

.....What’s different now, of course, is that the permissive sexuality of the 1970s has been normalized--co-opted by mainstream culture--and packaged in flimsy plastic wrap for average (largely female) consumers. Nancy Deihl speculates that today’s sexy costumes can be traced, in part, to the general immodesty of contemporary women’s clothing, a trend that got underway in the 1920s and hasn’t stopped since, not even to straighten a micro-mini. As mass media became more frankly sexual, so too did Halloween costumes.....

....For retailers, it’s a gold mine. HalloweenMart.com, a major online retailer, has said that sexy costumes count among its top sellers. In Bloomington, Indiana, Campus Costumes has had to ratchet up its order of barely there costumes every year since the store opened. Last fall, Victoria’s Secret started offering Halloween costumes that are virtually indistinguishable from the company’s lingerie. Frederick’s of Hollywood, Victoria’s Secret’s sleazy sister, has been pushing sexy Halloween costumes for years and has said that Halloween is its third-largest season after Valentine’s Day and Christmas....

.....It’s big business now, and as those in the $6.8 billion American Halloween industry will tell you, money is always sexy. Not surprisingly, a sexy-money costume can be yours for $32.99.

You can read the entire article here: SUZANNE LABARRE

Some of our friends have had a different approach to Halloween and the costume parties they attend. So, no, not everyone chooses the "Slutty" costumes.... some of the BEST are simply being creative and funny...!! 

                                          Have a safe and happy weekend!!        

The Barden Bellas

Bon Qui Qui

Pigs in a Blanket

Smurfs

Disney characters

Wilma & Betty

Caesar and Grapes

Hermione Granger

The ASU Women's Basketball Coaches as Marvel Super Heros!!!

Club SDWP: True Colors!

We had a blast last week at our Club SDWP meeting! One of the most important keys to finding your style is finding what colors look best on you, so we dedicated the latest meeting to discovering your Dominant Color Characteristic (DCC). Everybody has a unique coloring that makes them beautiful, so it was fun trying to figure out the DCC's for a few members of the club. Check it out!

We learned that twins could have different DCC's based on their hair color alone! 

Thank you to the brave Club SDWP members that were willing to model for us during the meeting, it was so much fun! Be sure to make it out to our Club SDWP meetings every 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month at BA265!

SDWP Product Love!

We asked a few of our Club SDWP Officers about their favorite beauty products this month and we've found some winners for you to try!!

1. Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin Spray from Bath and Bodyworks. $14"I LOVE this body spray. I think it may be a problem, but it smells like cinnamon and fall magic, and not too sweet either." -Soy, Blogger/Social Media Officer of Club SDWP

2. Not Your Mother's Clean Freak Refreshing Dry Shampoo. $5.99
"I've always used TIGI Rockaholic, but it got too expensive because I use it so often. I've tried other cheap dry shampoos like Treseme and Pantene but they just didn't cut it. Not Your Mother's is perfect because it has Rockaholic quality with a price for a college girl's budget."- Maddy, VP of Club SDWP

3. Mary Kay Lash Love Mascara. $15
"It's so hard to find a good mascara and I always go back to this one. It gives a lot of length and the brush is amazing- it defines every lash. It's pricier than a drugstore option but mascara is my one thing I'll spend a little more on to get a quality product!" -Brenna, President of Club SDWP.

4. No. 7 Hydrating Mineral Water Spray by Boots Cosmetics. $10
"I put it on after my makeup and it sets really well. It gives you that glowing, refreshed feeling and makes my makeup last all day!" -Berenice, Officer of Club SDWP. 

A STYLE STORY: Styling Confidence

You can't do personal style without getting personal. 

                                                                    - Sun Devil Stylist

There is one reason why I love being a stylist.  I desire to inspire young women to take a passionate approach to tell the world: first, who they are and secondly, to tell others how to treat them...personal style does that! OK, maybe that's two reasons.  

Did you know 77% of young women  between the ages of 15-21 get their confidence from the way they look?*  So, what if you are unsure of how to express your style and have never had any help?  What is your confidence level?   It has been stated by business professionals that," it only takes a quick 7 seconds to make a 'first impression' and two long hours to change it".*  That is important when you are applying for a job or a summer internship...or even making a friend!  

Club SDWP is building a Stylist Team here at ASU! We produce the largest fashion event on campus, Sun Devils Wear Prada, coming this February!  This semester we will be working with The Body Project participants to  build a community of women at ASU who are confident about their personal style, as well as their smarts, abilities and talents!

Come out to a Club SDWP meeting and learn to create your own unique personal style!!  EVERY 1st and 3rd THURSDAY 5:30-6:30pm in BA 265

Meet Bailee!  She is a Sophomore studying Broadcast Journalism

We so enjoyed meeting up with Bailee and listening to her personal concerns about creating her personal style.  We think you will be able to relate to her as she is beginning her journey of creating a personal style that fits her comfortably!  More often that not, we need a friend to come alongside us and encourage us to believe in our own natural beauty.  We believe EVERY woman is beautiful and can learn to express their unique personal style. Remember, you can't do personal style without getting personal.  Thank you Bailee for getting personal with us!  Read her Style Story below.

Bailee having fun as she is growing in her confidence with expressing her own personal style!

How do you describe your current personal style? Who has influenced you the most in your clothing

choices?

Very simple and casual, and to be honest I feel I'm a lot more stylish in my head than when living it out. I have Pinterest boards and Wanelo collections full of pieces of clothing that I'd love to have but I'm terrified to wear them – that is, I don't feel like I can pull a lot of these looks I see in the Urban Oufitters or Pac Sun catalogs and it severely limits my style. I've only recently begun to venture from the world of graphic tees and skinny jeans and started to actually test some of the limits that I'd set up for myself – limits that really had no credibility to begin with.

When did your ‘style story’ begin? What was your age and circumstances when you began to shop for yourself and choose ‘styles for yourself? How did you personally feel about who you were at that

stage of life?

I started choosing styles for myself around fifth or sixth grade, although I was so unoriginal in my style that I suppose you could call it my “own.” I wanted to dress like the other girls in my grade who I thought were cool, and I wanted to fit in. I was very insecure about myself, especially in my style. I stayed very casual and dressed down for several years simply because I didn't feel confident enough to believe I could pull anything else off but plain and simple.

What is your favorite personal feature and how do you ‘play it up’ in expressing your personal style?

Definitely the hair. As much as I tend to complain about it (it seems to be both a blessing and a curse sometimes), I absolutely love my hair. I can hardly ever get it to sit the same way twice, so good hair days are typically days I like to really express my style – you never know when another good hair day will come along again so you gotta take every chance you get! Because my hair is a bit more unique compared to how most girls wear it (and because to get it straight like “most girls” I'd have to slave away for hours at it with a flat iron), I like to see it as an excuse to dress a bit quirkier. I've already got the bold hair-do, why not go bold with my style as well?

Bailee in a 'fresh face' of natural looking make up.  

Talk about your experiences shopping in boutiques, malls or on-line clothing ordering.

To be completely honest shopping in boutiques, malls, or just person in general is very nerve-wracking for me. I feel like I'm just surrounded by all these girls who know exactly what they're doing, how to mix and match the perfect outfits and what the hottest trends are at the moment, and here I am with absolutely no idea where to start. That being said, I really enjoy online shopping. I can surf a brand's website for as long as I'd like without feeling like I've overstayed my welcome. It's also nice for a girl without a car who can't drive out to all her favorite stores.

What are one or two items that are hardest for you to shop for, and why do you think so?

Probably hats. I love seeing girls walk around campus sporting cute floppy hats or even snapbacks or beanies, but this is where the curse part of my hair being a blessing and a curse comes in. Finding the right headwear to be able to fit with the mane, and not look awkward, tends to be a struggle.

Beautiful Bailee!

What do you LOVE to shop for? Name a few of your favorite items?

Shoes, shoes, shoes. Unfortunately they tend to be one of the most expensive items to shop for, but they're great. They can dress up or dress down just about any outfit, and they last pretty long as long as you treat them right.

What do you DISLIKE the most to shop for? Name a few of your least liked items?

Swimsuits, without a doubt. I think that's pretty common for a lot of girls, though. I can feel completely confident about myself, my style, and my body, and then I try on a swimsuit and all of that seems to crumple. I'm my own worst enemy, and every “flaw” I believe exists, whether it does exist or if it's a

complete fabrication of my mind, seems to be magnified while wearing a swimsuit. (SDWP swimsuit discussion coming soon!)

When you shop for clothing, how do you feel about your body? What do you think is the most challenging part of your body to dress and why?

I'm not the most confident about my body while I'm shopping. Like I said before, I'm my own worst enemy and my flaws stick out to me like a sore thumb even if they're not even noticeable to others. For me, the most challenging part for me to dress is my legs. I played soccer for 12 years, and although I haven't played competitively for about two years now, my thighs are still a problem area. (And worse, because I'm not playing anymore I can't even blame it on my athleticism!) It makes buying shorts a huge area of discomfort for me.

Bailee and friends after their first personal style session with SDWP stylists.
You will meet them soon!

THANK YOU to JC Penney and Sephora in Tempe Marketplace and 

Matt Le Photography!!

+Shaunti Feldhahn  *(http://www.businessinsider.com/only-7-seconds-to-make-first-impression-2013-4)