Do Sexy Halloween Costumes Signify a Fear of Death? In her essay in The Times, the author Bess Lovejoy argues that ignoring death "allows us to imagine that our mortal trivialities and anxieties are permanent." Some of those trivialities and anxieties can be found in our cheeky Halloween costumes, which increasingly seem to be about showing taut and toned skin, rather than it decomposing. Are we replacing zombie looks with sexy maid and witty high-concept constructs to avoid reminders of death? Or is it time to forget the otherworldly origins of Halloween and just have fun?