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Halloween is creeping closer, but this year’s trend is anything but frightening – superhero costumes have finally become the favorite over princess apparel for young girls.

According to a consumer survey from National Retail Federation (NRF), sales for superhero costumes have surpassed princess costumes for the first time ever. While princess costumes still ring in at second place, this trend is certainly surprising given that young girls previously gravitated toward long dresses and tiaras during past Halloweens.

CNN reports that this is likely due to contemporary cultural changes. Author and mother Carrie Goldman, whose work focuses on parenting and bullying, weighs in on the topic.

“Princesses are often objects, just meant to look pretty and wait to be rescued,” Goldman said via CNN. “I think there has been a shift in how young girls see themselves. Now, they want to be out there having fun.”

Feminist father John Marcotte brought the issue to light last year in the BBC Trending video above. His daughters were seeking superhero costumes for the holiday and could only find “cute” options. This discovery led to the #MoreThanCute hashtag which took over Twitter and Instagram.

ENTITY thinks this trend is empowering and inspiring for young women. While we still appreciate girly options and support feminine style, superheroes encourage young girls to be strong and independent.

With female superheroes also trending on the big screen, damsels in distress are tucked away in older Disney films. We’ll likely see more Wonder Women and Supergirls – and maybe the more controversial Harley Quinn of “Suicide Squad” – trick-or-treating this year. You go, girls!

Edited by Ellena Kilgallon
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