For Stanford students, Halloween can provide an exotic outlet from the rigors of academia — and clothing. For one day out of the year (and one night at Exotic Erotic), students can sport hardly anything without raising an eyebrow, and this year promises to be no different.

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Scantily clad students pose for the camera at Exotic Erotic. Halloween and the famed 680 party are two occasions for students to escape from normal apparel constraints. #gallery http://daily.stanford.edu/image/full/6434
Stanford Daily File Photo

Scantily clad students pose for the camera at Exotic Erotic. Halloween and the famed 680 party are two occasions for students to escape from normal apparel constraints.

Many Stanford girls are flocking to websites like Trashy.com to buy racy outfits. Popular costumes include police uniforms, angel and devil outfits and lingerie, all of which leave little to the imagination.

Many view the scanty dress for girls on Halloween as an escape.

Many noted the contrasts between men and women’s Halloween costumes. Senior Punit Govenji pointed out that men dress as battle-ready firefighters while women dress as naughty firefighters with mini-skirts.

Some girls said that peer pressure is an impetus to wear revealing clothes on Halloween. Others worry that these clothes leave women open to unwanted advances from male students.

“Dressing up for Halloween can be an unhealthy outlet because too many times men will try and take advantage of girls,” said freshman Juliet Idiga. “Yet it is the only time in the year that someone can dress up like a whore for a legit reason.”

Some freshmen warned that men might get a wrong impression when they see women in revealing clothes.

“If you choose to wear something slutty, it would be naive not expect guys to not treat you differently,” said freshman Emily Dansereau.

What accounts for this difference? In a recent New York Times article, Adie Nelson, a sociology professor at the University of Waterloo, stated that many girls get the idea to wear sexual costumes at a young age. She cited the various Disney heroines and femme fatale imagery present in popular culture.

Indeed, many girls acknowledge that what is worn on Halloween is only acceptable on Halloween.

“If I were to wear these costumes to class I would be uncomfortable,” said freshman Ali Payne.

Ultimately, though, many considered risque clothing as nothing more than the spirit of the evening.

“I view it,” said senior Milton Solorzano, “as the uniform of Halloween.”