Sexy ‘Stranger Things’ Costume Drawing Online Criticism

Given how Stranger Things dominated the world of pop culture last year, various interpretations of the characters became one of the most popular Halloween costumes last year. Costume manufacturers were able to cash in on the property when making costumes for this year’s Halloween season, but a more salacious costume has caused an uproar, seeing as the costume is based on an outfit worn by a child.

For years, opting to make a “sexy” version of virtually any popular character has been a go-to costume, or at least a go-to joke, when Halloween approaches. While the above costume doesn’t directly claim to be a “sexy” costume, it does feature a short skirt, ruffled bust and thigh-high socks. All of these features typically tie into various sexualized school girl costumes and, considering the costume is only sold in adult sizes, sexualizes the child character of “Eleven” to at least some degree.

“We don’t take ourselves too seriously and neither do our customers,” Yandy Lingerie and Costume Company told ABC News.

“The Yandy girl strives to be the talk of the Halloween party,” the company said of their clientele. “And we’ve found these topical, pop culture-inspired costumes with a fashion-forward twist are always a fan favorite year after year.”

In addition to this time of year resulting in various sexy versions of pop culture characters populating costume shops, there’s also a surge in unlicensed products based on trademarked brands. The above costume, rather than directly referencing Stranger Things or the character Eleven, is called the “Upside Down honey” costume, with the Upside Down being another realm within the popular Netflix series.

Had Netflix officially been involved with this costume in any capacity, they would have toned down the outfit’s sexual nature, as actress Millie Bobbie Brown played Eleven when she was only 12 years old.

Costumes inspired by Stranger Things, of the sexy and un-sexy variety, are sure to be another popular outfit, as the series has only grown in popularity since its debut.

The second season of the horror/sci-fi series about a group of kids who meet a young girl with telekinetic powers who battle monsters from a mysterious realm will debut on Netflix on October 27.

[H/T ABC News]