Like most little girls, when I grew up I wanted to be a princess. Whether it be Cinderella, Maid Marion or Snow White, I would have given my left arm to be one of those fictional characters for just a day. Lucky for me, I never had to give my left arm because there was a day where I could be a princess âÄî Halloween. Every year up until mid-way through high school, I would be a princess for Halloween. Then one year, everything changed. All of a sudden I began trading in my princess costume so I could wear a sultry devil costume and be surrounded by other women dressed as sexy cops, slutty nurses and Playboy bunnies. Somewhere the lines became blurred between childhood and adulthood because, as an under-aged teen on Halloween, I was acting like an adult. Even now, as a woman in my 20s, I am still racking through risqué Web sites for the perfect costume. Why is it that wholesome, morally strong women, or even girls, throw their inhibitions to the wind on Halloween? Is it because for one night we get to be someone we are not? Maybe, but the mistakes made on Halloween by the sexy devil from the night before will indisputably be your mistakes in the morning. The lineage of Halloween history goes back to before we dressed up as the Power Rangers or Little Rascals; it actually traces back to the 19th century, but the holiday was quite different then. Halloween began as what were called âÄúplay partiesâÄù where ghost and ghoul stories were told by neighbors. They also celebrated the coming of the harvest with singing and dancing. It was innocent; all in good-hearted fun. What began as an event to strengthen the community is now known as one of the most notorious days for bad behavior and destructiveness by kids and adults alike. I always thought that after the childhood novelty of Halloween wore off and the fun was over, I would have to wait until the day I had my own little princess to celebrate with again. Yet that is just not so. Quite frankly, each Halloween I spend dressing up as an adult I find to be more fun than the last. For that one night, I get to wear a mask, and everyone around me is wearing a mask as well; it gives the illusion that everyone is equal. ThatâÄôs still not even the cherry on the orange-and-black cake. I would be a hypocrite to say that women shouldnâÄôt dress scandalously on Halloween because to me, and many other women, that is the best part. âÄúSlutâÄù and âÄúwhoreâÄù are both well-known, hurtful words to describe a woman who is sexually promiscuous. However, Halloween gives all women the chance to dress as promiscuous as they want, without receiving condescending glances or sharp remarks by fellow women or men. It is safe to say that most of us are jumping on the skank train for Halloween; even the soccer mom who is usually so conservative will show a little cleavage. Usually, women look forward to the chance to dress up, but on Halloween, we get the chance to dress down. LetâÄôs face it, the reason we prance around in nearly nothing on a frigid October night is because we like the attention. Other women pay us to our creative costumes and the tight buttocks that we work so hard for, yet rarely get the chance to show off. Even women in relationships jump at the chance to take it off, push it up and stick it out on Halloween. This doesnâÄôt mean that this monogamous woman is promiscuous, even though on this particular night she may be dressed like it. A few bear the midriff, some show off their legs and most of us cleavage, not just because we can, but because everyone else is doing it. Yet, I have to be honest. ItâÄôs not just the women I dress for, itâÄôs the men too; actually, letâÄôs face it âĦ itâÄôs mostly the men. The opportunity to be stared at, nearly naked, whether you are single or in a monogamous relationship, is exhilarating. That extra attention lets us know that we are desirable, and on Halloween we get those desiring glances shamelessly. Numerous Web sites give us insight to exactly why men like to celebrate Halloween as well, but isnâÄôt it obvious? Askmen.com is one of the many Web sites with headlines like, âÄúThe Halloween Hookup,âÄù and gives men clues and tips on how to bring Skankerella home with them on Halloween. We canâÄôt say we didnâÄôt ask for that considering our disguises. Yet I wouldnâÄôt jump to conclusions that all men are looking for a one-night stand on Halloween. When searching âÄúHalloweenâÄù on MenâÄôs Health Magazine Web site, numerous results popped up, none of which I was expecting. To my surprise, headlines such as âÄúFall in loveâÄù or âÄúWhat costume will impress batgirlâÄù proved to be the most prevalent result. Being the skeptic that I am, I continued to search for the confession of the chauvinistic pig I was craving on GQ.com and still found nothing. Maybe men are (almost) as concerned about looking good on Halloween as women are. With Halloween quickly approaching, itâÄôs now time to stock up on candy, pick out those skanky outfits and begin to plan our nightly festivities. Whether you are dressing as a sexy kitten or a hot dog, I encourage you to make the most out of your night. Just because we no longer trick-or-treat does not mean we have to miss out on the fun. Maybe being suspended between childhood and adulthood on Halloween is the best place to be. Some of my favorite Halloween memories have come from the past few celebrations, and I canâÄôt wait to see what this Oct. 31 will have in store for me. Paige Vigil welcomes comments at [email protected].