back to article Why do women get plastered at fancy dress parties?

US researchers have admitted they cannot explain why women are more likely than men to get legless at sexually-themed fancy dress parties - a shock finding which is the only known exception to the rule that chaps will invariably sink more alcohol at social gatherings than the ladies. Yes indeed, in the great tradition of …

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  1. The Other Steve

    Bound not to be first but...

    Dr Clapp ? Investigating drunken chicks at sexually themed parties ? For real ?

  2. Steve Evans
    Thumb Up

    I'd love to see the expenses claim...

    4 Bottles of Vodka

    2 slabs of beer

    8 Vicar costumes.

    All from the university research grant!

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Happy

    two easy answers

    1) Women drink more as they are quite self concious of their "sexually themed" outfits.

    or

    2) Given the theme, there is more blokes plying these ladys with drink in a vain attempt to 'get lucky'.

  4. Matt Bradley
    Coat

    Lets get this straight

    So the doctor and his plan to conduct more "field work" into party with a "Highly sexualised theme"?

    Sounds like a man who knows what to do do with research grant...

  5. Tom Deakin

    Shrewd jaunt

    "necessary to carry out further field work" indeed.

    Mine's a pint.

  6. Dimitrov

    I want a job like that

    So... basically they get paid to go to sexually-themed parties and do... ahem, research on drunk women? I'd like to do that sort of research too, where do I sign up?

  7. Tim Lake
    Go

    So who is coming to my 'fantasy ball'

    Ladies get in free and there will be ample booze :)

  8. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Up

    Hey! Great Idea!

    We have geeks that want to get drunk and attend parties. That's good.

    They have the social grace of a dyspeptic buzzard -sorry El Reg. That's bad.

    They want to tipple a bit. That's good.

    They can't afford it. That's bad.

    They want to go to sex parties. That's good.

    Sex parties are expensive. That's bad.

    Why not get the department to fund attendance by geeks at sex parties?

    Aren't geeks smart?

  9. Anonymous Coward
    Heart

    Where do I sign up?

    I would like to carry out some alcohol-fuelled, sexually-charged "research" by finding ladies with sexually-themed fancy-dress costumes and plying them with alcohol. Where do I sign up?

  10. Gerald Davison
    Coat

    Vicars and Tarts anyone?

    Hmmm, time to start an online directory of Vicars and Tarts parties I think.

  11. Anonymous Coward
    Coat

    getting paid for going to parties ??

    "By going out into the field and doing observations and surveys"

    so they went sex-themed parties to get drunken ladies to do alcohol-test?

    wow - somebody please tell me where i can find such a great job

    :D

  12. bogsheet
    Happy

    right then!

    well if ever there was a reason for going to the extra effort of arranging a fancy dress party, this is it!

    this will replace my apathy with enthusiasm for such events :oD

  13. John Latham
    Paris Hilton

    Dr Clapp?

    ...nominative determinacy at its best.

  14. Tim Spence
    Dead Vulture

    Dr Clapp - what a name

    Dr Clapp added that "his findings were more accurate than previous studies because his team attended the parties rather than basing their findings on attendees' hazy memories".

    So how much of the results were made up by pissed up researchers joining in the fun?

  15. Michael Compton
    Coat

    If...

    I was doing this sort of study that involved going to sexually themed party's with lots of booze then i'd would want to do more field work as well... In the interest of science of course

  16. RainForestGuppy
    Alert

    Interesting name!!

    I wouldn't want to go to sexual-themed fancy dress party and meet Dr Clapp?

  17. Anonymous Coward
    Boffin

    Further field work...

    To quote:

    "Given that some theme parties can be highly sexualised, future investigation of the mechanisms that may explain this effect is warranted."

    and

    "it would be necessary to carry out further field work".

    Oh yeah, you bet it would. Months, no, years of hard research. You shouldn't forget to study the post-party consequences, of course, e.g. "does the increased alcohol consumption of women at sexually-themed fance dress parties increase the chances of middle-aged PhDs to mate?"

    Ig-noble Prizes beckon.

  18. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    This is an easy one...

    It's because women take advantage of the freedom they feel when pretending to be someone other than themselves.

    Men behave like this all the time...

  19. Anonymous Coward
    Coat

    That Reminds Me of This Old Story

    http://satirewire.com/news/march02/women.shtml

  20. Anonymous Coward
    Paris Hilton

    recall drinking behaviour

    "Most studies use survey methods that require people to recall their drinking behaviour - days, weeks or months prior - and such recall is not always accurate ..."

    Then it means we should not even pay attention to those studies ...

    How could anyone remember his alcohol comsumption weeks after, when some are even not able to recall it post shitface period !

    PH icon. Even she could apply for Dr Clapp's job !

    PS: hats off for Clapp to explain why he and his team are constantly pissed and chatting up girlies at work.

  21. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    @This is an easy one...

    Darn you and your rational explenations Anon.

    Sadly this doesn't seem to stretch to cosplayers.

  22. Michael H.F. Wilkinson Silver badge
    Thumb Up

    Attending parties as part of research?

    It's a good job if you can get it.

  23. Les Matthew

    @The Other Steve

    "Dr Clapp ? Investigating drunken chicks at sexually themed parties ? For real ?"

    Clapp Traps? ;)

  24. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Down

    Self-selection

    Researcher 'infiltrates' toga party for a couple of hours. Then prepares to gather experimental data. He sets don the keg he's been chugging from and eructates:

    "'Ere darlin', blow this for us" [leer]

    Only the drunkest will volunteer. Most half-sober chicks will decline. Hence the high breath alcohol score.

  25. Gordon

    Nice to know

    That research money isn't being ploughed into anything slightly frivilous.

  26. Vulpes Vulpes

    Carry out research?

    At a sexually themed fancy dress party? Concentrating on the levels of inebriation enjoyed by the female party goers? With MY reputation?

  27. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Sorry to p!ss on your fire, guys...

    Sadly, the scientific method needs objective observers, so these poor scientists will have had to turn up sober to a fancy dress party (never fun for the over 12s, seriously) and can't have encouraged anyone to drink more.

    It must have been absolute torture -- and they suffered through it for us!

    Be more grateful, you swines! This is one of the noblest things anyone has ever done for me.

    >sniff<

  28. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Blow here

    "Excuse me, sexually-themed-fancy-dressed inebriated young lady, purely in the interests of research, I wonder if you would like go somewhere private and blow into my little pipe?"

    Recipe for a slapping, I reckon.

  29. Jeremy
    Go

    Douglasy moment...

    There's a joke about finite improbability generators, respectable scientists and types of parties in this story somewhere just waiting to be released...

  30. Slaine
    Unhappy

    awe - the potential...

    ... but my lawyer says I'm not allowed to put anything in this thread.

  31. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    more research

    I suggest that we all apply for grants to .... validate or disprove these findings!

  32. breakfast Silver badge
    Happy

    @Vulpes Vulpes

    That is the best of all possible responses to this story.

  33. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I've been invited to fancy dress parties...

    I've been invited to fancy dress parties. And I've been invited to sexually themed parties.

    But I can honestly say, I've never heard of a fancy dress with a sexual theme party.

    Black tie mandatory, crotchless optional?

  34. Anonymous Coward
    Go

    It's nice to know that 500 years after Gallileo

    That scientists are still suffering for their conviction to break new ground in mankind's eternal quest for knowledge.

    Well, not really, unless these blotto barfly babes insist on discussing their relationships with mothers, ex-boyfriends, cats and co-workers in excrutiating detail...

  35. JC
    Paris Hilton

    Research Geeks Need To Get OUT More?

    It seems rather simple to me. They're taking averages here, meaning at the more tame parties you will have a mix of society with a few of the heavier drinkers (women drinkers I mean) that are a smaller minority and more of the conservatives who don't drink as much no matter what the occasion. At the sexually themed parties you tend to weed out the more conservative women who don't attend, with the remainder being the heavier drinkers.

    It's a bit like they would claim puzzlement if attendees at a Kiss concert were more likely to have their faces painted and wear black leather. They just need to get out more and taste the life they're trying to sample out of context.

  36. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Up

    Dr. Clapp is real

    Apparently Dr. Clapp is real:

    http://www.sdsuniverse.info/people_content.asp?id=28788

    http://chhs.sdsu.edu/pulse/summer05/article3.php

  37. Subtilior
    Boffin

    For shame...

    All the piss taking above is out of order: this kind of science has a far higher potential for improving human happiness that all that boring astronomy and physics nonsense. We just need to find ways of increasing the situations where sexually themed fancy dress is considered de rigeur... replacing casual Fridays with sexually themed fancy dress Fridays, for example.

  38. Paul

    Sampling methodology...

    Cannot be sure, but did they sample the same people over multiple parties -- both themed and non-themed? If they did not (and at an average of 19.7 people present per party, it seems likely that they did not), is it not possible that women of the more 'extrovertial / gamey' inclination are more likely to attend sexually-themed parties than the rest, and by the same token, more likely to be heavier alcohol consumers than average (even the average male)? I know more than one or two females who can put away more vodka than most blokes I know.

  39. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    The answer is obvious...

    as I am wearing sexually overt clothing, it is not me. Therefore I can act as I please, and drink as much as I like.

    Not really anonymous coward, just still pissed after New Year.

  40. Anonymous Coward
    Pirate

    I have just been invited...

    to a fancy dress party. Well should I go?

    Clearly the women will feel liberated and therefore sexually dominant, just like when the CanCan was introduced.

    No chance of getting any then.

  41. Chris Hall
    IT Angle

    did it ever enter the equation

    That most non-drinking prude women are going to shy away from a sexually themed fancy dress occasion?

  42. J
    Paris Hilton

    Re:Research Geeks Need To Get OUT More?

    Hm, I don't know if that explains it. Wouldn't the same effect be observed in men, even if not as strongly?

  43. John H Woods Silver badge

    From the department of the bleeding obvious ...

    ... isn't it?

  44. Anonymous Coward
    Paris Hilton

    @J

    Nope,

    Because men, in general, would more inclined to attend sexually themed parties than chicas. Do some research into swinger's clubs for instance. A very high sausage to muffin ratio there.

    Similar results are reflected here. Good news is that if you don't mind your sausage residence slightly used, you would be more likely to find a place to stay for a while.

    I have to agree with the previous comments... Researcher didn't understand the conditions of the study therefore cannot correctly interpret his findings.

    Paris, because she provides many a lost sausage with a good home.

  45. Anonymous Coward
    Happy

    This actually looks to be real....

    I was assuming that this was a spoof item - so I looked up SDSU and they really have a centre for drugs, alcohol, etc. And there really is a clapp doctor - sorry - Dr Clapp.

    That's the thing about the americans, you really cannot make it up.

  46. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Obviously, really

    That men at sexually themed parties would moderate their alcohol intake.

    What's the point in getting lucky if you're too drunk to perform?

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