Halloween Costume Fashion More "Dirty"Than Scary?

Halloween is supposed to be a moment when people pretend to be something they aren't, but singles looking for love at parties may be revealing more than they want prospective partners to know.

That's because revealing outfits are hot this year, with Lady Gaga-like lingerie and "Jersey Shore"-inspired tight tank tops topping the list with costume retailers.

Retailers say Lady Gaga costumes are big this year, but dating experts say consumers should be aware of the signals wearing sexy costumes sends to others.

Halloween has long provided an excuse for partygoers to dress in outfits bordering on the salacious, scary or even slutty. In fact, professional matchmaker Kim Primerano jokes that sometimes it seems those are the only costumes available.

"I expect guys to wear gory costumes on Halloween -- that's to be expected," said Rudov, author of the dating manual, "Under the Clitoral Hood: How to Crank Her Engine Without Cash, Booze or Jumper Cables." "But if women are going to be slutty, it does send a signal. You can't say, 'I was slutty for Halloween, but that's not really me.'

"You are what you project," he said. "If you dress like a slut, don't be surprised if people think you're a slut."

Ellen Rittberg, who writes about what it's like to be single again after 31 years of marriage, says singles of both sexes should be careful of costume selection on Halloween.

"If I see a disgusting, dripping costume on a guy or ridiculously revealing costume on a woman, I automatically assume the person is not someone who shares my values as a friend," Rittberg told AOL News. "We know Halloween is all about ghouls and goblins, but if a costume is really gross, it's going to be a turnoff."

A turnoff, maybe. A window into a person's subconscious desires? Definitely, according to clinical psychotherapist Nancy Irvin.

"When a single person dresses slutty, he or she is sending a signal that he/she is acknowledging that there is an 'inner slut' that wants to be expressed or satisfied," she said. "With a gory costume, someone is releasing some anger or dark aspect of the self that is definitely best kept repressed."

Psychotherapist and relationship expert Mary Pender Greene is even more specific about the hidden meanings of Halloween costumes.

For instance, she says a French maid costume reveals someone who is very submissive, while a catsuit represents a desire for independence, and a vampire outfit reveals personality traits that revolve around the wearer's fascination with the dark side -- and perhaps a desire to get in touch with his or her own dark and scary self.

As kinky as that sounds, Irvin says Halloween can be a good time to express those attributes.

"We all have many facets of our personality; some we like to flaunt and have reinforced, some we want to disown or repress," she said. "Halloween is a wonderful opportunity to express those parts of ourselves, in a safe, 'judgment-free' environment and 'flex' those parts of ourselves that generally stay repressed. It's actually a very healthy thing to do."

you may be better off sticking to familiar ground rather than partying with strangers.

"If you're going to wear an extreme outfit, you are better off going to a place where people know you," she said. "Remember what happened when Prince Harry wore a Nazi costume at a party?"
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