BY LIANA KATZ

In print | March 27, 2008

It’s that time of year again: the flowers are blooming, the birds are singing and Sager, everybody’s favorite genderfuck party, is barreling towards over-scheduled Swatties anxious to get their freak on. The theme of this spring’s spectacle, “Sex Through the Ages,” should be an inspiration for all to abandon the usual dress code of Salvation Army negligees, scant underwear and pasties.

Instead, why not hit the books and hunt for some historically inspired costume ideas? Polyester and latex can be nice, but there is something to be said for the old-world sex appeal of corsets and garter belts. Whether you go for the old or the new, remember to reserve a small space for your ID and room key because there is nothing worse than standing outside your dorm virtually naked at 2 a.m.

To get you in the mood, here are some sexy examples of debauched and gender-bending historical figures that probably would have attended Sager if given the chance.

Caligula, Roman emperor 37-41 BCE

Named after the boots worn by Roman soldiers, Caligula is portrayed by historians as being wildly decadent and perhaps legitimately insane. In 40 BCE, he purportedly began dressing as a variety of figures from the Roman pantheon, including the goddess of love, Venus. With his palace as his personal whorehouse, Caligula is rumored to have slept with countless women, as well as his three sisters. And, when his palace became too confining, Caligula possessed two ornate “pleasure boats” on which to indulge his desires.

Mary Read, pirate 1690-1721

Dressed as a boy by her mother to receive financial support, Read spent the early years of her life as a sailor and a soldier in the British military. Upon the death of her husband, Read donned his clothes and ultimately found herself captured by the pirate Jack Rackham. She served on Rackham’s pirate ship as a man until she was sentenced to death for “acts of piracy” along with the rest of the crew. Read died in prison, perhaps in childbirth, in Jamaica.

The Marquis de Sade, libertine and philosopher 1740-1814

The inspiration behind the word “sadism,” the Marquis de Sade dedicated the majority of his life to committing luridly violent affairs with male and female prostitutes and members of the French nobility. During the late 18th century French Republic, Sade wrote a host of explicitly pornographic novels that blended graphic sex with pseudo-philosophical social commentary. Since their publication, these works have been scrutinized, criticized and praised by psychoanalysts and feminists alike.

Greta Garbo, actress 1905-1990

Born in Sweden, Garbo became a Hollywood success after starring in silent films with racy titles and subject matter to match. In 1933, she played the role of the cross-dressing Swedish Queen Christina. Much like the Queen Christina portrayed in the film, Garbo was strong-willed, enjoyed cross-dressing and pursued relationships with both men and women. Her longest relationship was with the Cuban-American poet, Mercedes de Acosta. Although Garbo was very reclusive for much of her later life, her inscrutable beauty is still famous today.

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