I've been torn lately over one of the most significant decisions of my fall semester - what am I going to be for Halloween?
It's significant because I have a lot of unneccessary emotional anxiety invested in being very witty and funny here. In the past couple years, I've been: Raggedy Anne, a maid in China, the Mona Lisa, a cannibal M&M, The Sunmaid Raisin lady, and Frida Kahlo. I'll have to say the raisin lady was the best idea yet. I really have to get back to that level of wit and recognizabillity.
I can't, however, think of anything witty. Here are the ideas I've had so far:
Marie Antoinette - maybe with a big bloody gash on my neck. I had some trouble finding a suitable old big dress to soup up, though
Medusa - If I did this, I'd have to do it really well... as in, make my own snakes and wire them so they could stand up
Little Orphan Annie - I'd love making the dress and being Annie, but my hair's just too long to do anything except wear a wig.
Mary Poppins - This is probably the most practical, but is it novel enough? I just can't decide.
What are you going to be? Any brilliant ideas for me?
Posted by Farmgirl (Member # 5567) on :
I've still always wanted to be Carrie Nation but they won't left me bring a hatchet to work, thus spoiling the whole effect.
Farmgirl
Posted by Annie (Member # 295) on :
Ha ha ha! That's brilliant, that.
Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
I'm going to be a cranky old man.
Posted by TheTick (Member # 2883) on :
NOTHING. At all.
I'm sure Jen will dress Thomas up, but not me, sir. Not me.
Posted by beverly (Member # 6246) on :
I have three easy options:
A black cat: I love this one. All I need is to dress up in all black, put on my ears, some well-placed make-up, pin on a cool, gravity-defying tail I made for myself, and then the final touch! The best part are these gloves I put together. Black gloves with a touch of black fur at the wrists. I bought some black pointy nails and attached them with black electric tape. They make the BEST claws!
A unicorn: This is kinda the opposite of the black cat. I dress in all white, wear white socks over my hands, white shoes. I have a pompom for a tail, white make-up, and the finishing touch: I have one of those spiral shells attached to a white headband (poking up through it). I haven't figured out a good way to get my hair to look white--I need a white wig.
A wench: Easy! I have wench outfit stuff. I also made a wreath-like crown thing (dunno what that is called) out of fall-esque fake plants and a bit of shiny gold ribbon.
I have done all these before, but I like all of them. IMO, there aren't enough excuses in this world to get dressed up in costumes!!
Oh, and with my black hair, I make a cool Indian or Egyptian too.
[ September 23, 2004, 11:12 AM: Message edited by: beverly ]
Posted by Farmgirl (Member # 5567) on :
Tick -- you're wearing NOTHING on Halloween????
Farmgirl
Posted by Olivetta (Member # 6456) on :
I may finish my No Face costume, or I may drag out my Arwen dress and an eyepatch and go as AAAaaarrrrwen. Posted by beverly (Member # 6246) on :
Aaaarrrrrrwen. Heh.
Posted by Synesthesia (Member # 4774) on :
No face? ^^
I want to dress as Kyo of Dir en grey... But I might not be able to pull that off...
Posted by TheTick (Member # 2883) on :
Farmgirl: Only once the kid's asleep.
You know what I mean. Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
Posted by Sara Sasse (Member # 6804) on :
I'm toying with dressing up as the Chagall mural in Chicago (body stocking, some recognizably painted figures, little bits of broken china strategically appliqued on non-weight-bearing surfaces).
Posted by Olivetta (Member # 6456) on :
No Face is the spirit that shows up while the page below is loading:
You can't see it in the picture but her hair is bright blue-red. (As in, red on the cooler side of the color spectrum.) I think I'll manic-panic it up and wear it around for a few weeks afterward while it washes out.
Posted by beverly (Member # 6246) on :
Sara: I tried that one year and I got a really UGLY gray. I don't think I will try that again. I need to find me a really awesome white wig. Posted by Annie (Member # 295) on :
You gotta have blue hair Posted by Annie (Member # 295) on :
I'm also toying with the idea of being Lara Croft
Posted by beverly (Member # 6246) on :
Lara Croft.... oh baby. That would be kinda fun. I'd have to wear some extremely exaggerated "falsies" though....
Posted by Lalo (Member # 3772) on :
I'm wearing a Dick Cheney mask and toting a devil pitchfork. Then after two minutes of trying to breathe in that thing, I'm taking it off and putting it on the pitchfork so I have Cheney's head on a stick.
"A Halloween costume that doesn't alarm the Secret Service is a boring Halloween costume," I always say!
Posted by Sara Sasse (Member # 6804) on :
Good luck! We have a costume supply shop here in Madison, but the absolute best was Dallas and Co in Champaign. If you can't find something you like in your neck of the woods, I bet we could do a Hatrack Quest-y thing and track something down for you.
I wanted to have gray hair, was getting impatient for it to show up, and tried out the baby powder. *grin Messy but satisfying. I imagine it looks a lot different on dark hair, though, and you're probably going more for a pure white & glossy sort of thing.
Posted by Sara Sasse (Member # 6804) on :
Oh, wow! Seller "thecostumeshop" with a gazillion items, over 4800 reviews (avg 99.8% approval).
[ September 23, 2004, 11:54 AM: Message edited by: Sara Sasse ]
Posted by Annie (Member # 295) on :
One time we dressed up my friend Abby (she has the coolest hair of life) like the Bride of Frankenstein. We put a huge platic cup with the bottom cut out on her head and bobby pinned her hair to it. We used hairspray and baby powder for the stripe and it turned out pretty well.
Posted by beverly (Member # 6246) on :
Yeah, a wig would be perfect. I will look at that link. If I can find a good one, that may just tip me towards doing the unicorn thing again.
Posted by PSI Teleport (Member # 5545) on :
quote: Lara Croft.... oh baby. That would be kinda fun. I'd have to wear some extremely exaggerated "falsies" though....
I have considered this one, but even with the falsies I'd have to settle for going as "Lara Croft, after the horrible tomb-raiding incident that left her boobless".
Posted by hansenj (Member # 4034) on :
Yes, my roommates and I are definitely dressing up as Teen Girl Squad for Halloween this year. Too bad I don't get to be The Ugly One...
Posted by Annie (Member # 295) on :
I've done Lara Croft before, and could probably be pretty convincing if I had a waist.
Posted by beverly (Member # 6246) on :
Thanks, Sara! That one actually looks a bit too "human". This one , though, might work really well! Posted by Annie (Member # 295) on :
Homestarrunner's Halloween parties are pretty darn clever in the sostume department. I almost convinced Abby to be Gorbachev this year.
Posted by beverly (Member # 6246) on :
I've got the waist-hip ratio for it, to be sure. I'm sure I could find something outrageous enough to mimic her breast-size. Posted by beverly (Member # 6246) on :
Dang, I tried to bid on the wig. There is only one like it right now, and my first bid was instantly outbid.
I bet I could find one locally though....
Posted by ElJay (Member # 6358) on :
I have two favorite costumes.... At mardi gras I saw a very pale guy wearing white shorts, t-shirt, and tennis shoes with a white plastic garbage bag over it all, like a poncho, and bits of crumpled paper, tissue, etc. glued to him and hanging from strings... when he walked by, there was a sign on his back that said "(White Trash.)" I thought it was hilarious.
My favorite I ever did was dyed a sheer bodystocking deep red, dyed my hair red, got a red cape & tail and sequined horns and pitchfork, and wore a bright blue dress. No one got it, though, without hints. Once they figured it out they all loved it. Posted by Sara Sasse (Member # 6804) on :
I will so stop perserverating on the wig for you, beverly, but eBay is definitely worth checking out. Here's a really cute one, currently at $4.99, no reserve, about 1 day left, only 14 feedback but 100% positive. S&H ~$4.50 US.
Very delicate.
Posted by Belle (Member # 2314) on :
I'm making pirate costumes for all four kids. They want me to dress as a pirate too for our church fall festival, but I've never seen a pirate, male or female, as hefty as me.
None of the female pirate costumes are made for women of my, er....shape. Shall we say.
Natalie, however, is going to make a gorgeous pirate in this costume:
Devil with a blue dress, blue dress, blue dress, devil with a blue dress on!
Posted by Annie (Member # 295) on :
I think I need to go with my best asset - my hair. That's what made my Sunmaid Raisin Lady so good (I got the idea because as a child I always thought the lady on the box looked like my mom).
So what famous women can we think of that have long, dark hair? (Except Sacajawea - I shall not be her.) I can do indian, hispanic, etc...
Posted by Sara Sasse (Member # 6804) on :
Those outfits are so cute, Belle. I think you'd make a great pirate, too.
Good grief, almost lunch. I have to do some work and justify my existence. But I'd rather look for pirate costumes. (*longing eye)
Posted by Belle (Member # 2314) on :
Oh, as for wigs - I needed one for Natalie one year when she was an old man in a drama club play. (they had the opposite deal from the early shakespearean days - too many females and too few female roles. Had a bunch of girls playing guys.)
I bought a light colored wig at the thrift store for 80 cents. Sprayed it inside and out with disinfectant, and left it in the hot sun to dry and hopefully kill anything unpleasant that might be lingering in there somewhere. Then I used a temporary spray paint for hair from the costume shop to spray it white.
It worked great! If you're uneasy with the idea of wearing a wig that had been previously worn, disinfectant or no, you could get one with really long hair, cut all the hair off the cap, then reattach it to a cap of your own.
Posted by PSI Teleport (Member # 5545) on :
ElJay, how did you dye the stocking? What was it made of? Did it come out lighter than the predicted dye color? My husband and I always have trouble around Halloween because we always end up trying to dye material that won't.
Posted by Olivetta (Member # 6456) on :
I did the Devil in a blue dress one year, with the horns and pitchfork. The tail was attached to a belt I wore under the dress. I had the tail kind of curved up, and my buddy Jim kept saying it was obscene and asking my to point it down.
Posted by beverly (Member # 6246) on :
Sara, that is a nice wig too! I put a bid on it. We'll see what happens.
Posted by Annie (Member # 295) on :
My best costume ever was when I was four and I went as Rainbow Brite. My mom made me a wig out of orange yarn and sewed this poofy dress and everything.
Posted by beverly (Member # 6246) on :
I am pretty sure you can buy red bodystockings. Probably on ebay. Posted by PSI Teleport (Member # 5545) on :
I assure you that I have no problem buying such things. But when you make a hat out of the material and get it just right, and then try to dye it and it won't, you get a tad annoyed.
Posted by delicate flower (Member # 6260) on :
Annie, how about Morticia or Wednesday Addams?
Posted by ElJay (Member # 6358) on :
It was sheer material, like nylons... I just wanted everything that wasn't covered by the dress to be red. I just used RIT dye, worked fine. What kind of material are you tryign to dye? There's a fabulous yarn/weaving shop around here that sells really high quality dye...
Posted by PSI Teleport (Member # 5545) on :
I've tried to dye everything. The worst thing was the felt...yikes. But it's not even really fabric so I should have known it wouldn't work.
And what do you use to change the color of/paint leather?
(It's for my dining room chairs, sick-os.)
Posted by Belle (Member # 2314) on :
Yeah, you can buy body suits on Ebay but as for dyeing material, it can be very tricky.
I custom dye fabric and sell it to designers who need something they can't find in stores. (glances over at four yards of chenille that needs to be finished and shipped out today)
Fiber reactive dyes are best for natural fabrics. Synthetic fabrics like polyester can't be dyed at home - they require such high temperatures to get the chemical dyes to fix they cannot be done by individuals.
When dyeing, use 100% natural fabrics like cotton or silk. Use procion fiber reactive dyes (do NOT use RIT. It's crap.)
When you read the instructions, don't worry about all the things they tell you you need - you don't actually need them all. Necessary ingredients are the dye and soda ash (sodium carbonate) Soda ash is easily obtained at WalMart - look in the pool chemical area. There's one brand of spa care products that sell it in a small container. That's all you need for a while as you don't use more than a few tablespoons per dye bath.
If you want to get your dyes locally, try quilt shops. The quilt shops may also carry Synthrapol - a great thing to have but not absolutely necessary. For someone like me, that dyes a lot, I love it, but for one or two dye jobs it's probably an unnecessary expense.
The instructions are simple:
First, scour the fabric. Wash it in hot water with a good detergent. Dry it in your dryer - you want to preshrink and remove any of the finishing chemicals that may be on the fabric from the factory.
Get a container large enough to lay out your fabric with a minimum of folding or wrinkling. You want as much surface area as possible exposed. I use big plastic rubbermaid containers. The dye will not stain your plastic, or your tub or sink but it will stay on your hands for a couple of days so use gloves.
Put enough cold water in the container to cover the fabric, just enough. It's okay if some folds of the fabric are still exposed in the air. If it's a dark color, especially a dark blue, put some salt in the water. About a cup of salt for a yard of fabric. Use normal table salt.
Add the fabric after the salt is dissolved. Now mix the dye separately in a disposable cup of water. Pour the dye over the fabric. Manipulate the fabric so that all parts of it get exposed to the water, and the dye is evenly distributed in the water. Now, leave it for about 20-30 minutes (the longer you leave it the more color saturation, so less time for pastels, longer for deep colors) Every 2-3 minutes, come and stir and manipulate the fabric again to get an even coverage.
While this is going on, mix your 2-3 tablespoons of soda ash in a cup of warm water. Allow it to sit out, until it cools close to room temperature. After your fabric has been in the dye bath the amount of time you want, pour the soda ash over it. Again, mix the fabric around. Let it process for about 20 minutes, longer for deeper colors.
Rinse the fabric, then wash it and dry it by itself, so the excess dyes can be removed without getting on anything else. Voila!
If you have any questions, feel free to email me at todyefor_AT_alltel.net
Posted by Belle (Member # 2314) on :
Forgot to mention - you CAN dye nylon. Jacquard products makes an acid dye that works wonderfully on nylon, Dharma trading sells them. A 1/2 once container of cherry red is $4.49
Here's some pics of clothing I've dyed, all of it with the procion dyes.
As you can see, I favor pinks and purples for my girls, but there is a nearly endless array of colors possible.
[ September 23, 2004, 12:43 PM: Message edited by: Belle ]
Posted by PSI Teleport (Member # 5545) on :
What is nylon made of? It doesn't seem to be fabric or plastic.
Posted by Sara Sasse (Member # 6804) on :
Belle, that's amazing.
Posted by Belle (Member # 2314) on :
Nylon is a synthetic polymer fiber invented by DuPont.
Posted by Belle (Member # 2314) on :
Thanks Sara!
It's a friggin nightmare for me right now, as I've got all this chenille to do. It's my last job of chenille, I won't take any more. The stuff is a nightmare. First, it leaves pieces all over my washer and dryer, the lint output is incredible. Secondly, because it's a heavily napped fabric, it's very hard to get a dark color. This order is for fall colors, and a deep red and a midnight blue.
To get the midnight blue, I dyed it midnight blue, then overdyed it again with a mixture of cobalt and black. It still didn't come out dark enough.
I much prefer dyeing clothing, like in these pics. I've turned down all jobs that have been come my way lately, since I want to concentrate on sewing for the holidays, and after that, I'll be back in school so I don't know if I'll keep it up or not. I'm sure I'll still do it as a hobby, though. I have too much invested in dyes, I've got about 35 different colors now.
Oh by the way - that last pic, with the mottled purple is what happens when you let the fabric be scrunched up or folded in the water and don't manipulate or stir it. I did it on purpose - I wanted that type look, but if you want even coverage like the other pics, you must move the fabric around and get all the surfaces exposed evenly. The fairy dress is dip-dyed, the botton is more saturated than the top. Hard to tell in that pic though. I sold that dress on Ebay and got a decent amount of repeat business from the customer, too. She really liked it.
[ September 23, 2004, 12:54 PM: Message edited by: Belle ]
Posted by PSI Teleport (Member # 5545) on :
I've seen a chick that makes dye for wigs made of toyokalon or kanekalon but it's not really dye. I have a sneaking suspicion she made a solution with Sharpie marker in it. I wish I could figure out how to make that stuff because I don't really want to spend 20 bucks for a little bitty bottle, believe it or not.
Annie, a friend of mine went to a party as the Venus de Milo. She wore a starched white cloth bunched around her waist at the top of a white skirt. For the rest, well, she wore nothing but white body paint with marble streaks brushed in. She also wore black opera gloves to cover the part of her arms that are missing in the original.
You could try this but wear a white body stocking with the marble lines painted on if you don't feel comfortable going the nude route.
Posted by ElJay (Member # 6358) on :
That is a really cool idea. But I don't think I could hand out candy dressed that way.
Posted by Annie (Member # 295) on :
Actually, a friend of mine was the Victory of Samothrace last year - same general idea, except she wore a black cover on her head Posted by dread pirate romany (Member # 6869) on :
I will be a vampire..black clothes and fang caps. Same costume for about a decade. Olivia will be a Pegasus Unicorn, Andrew an dragon, and Matthew will probably stay home and read.
Posted by Annie (Member # 295) on :
I have had an epiphany!
After long contemplation, I have decided that it's time to dye my hair red again. I shall go this year as Wendy.
[ September 23, 2004, 03:07 PM: Message edited by: Annie ]
Posted by ElJay (Member # 6358) on :
Oh! I am excited!
I just got delivered to me at work two packages containing large posterboards for a promotion. One is 8' x 5' and the other is about 7' x 3'. In both of them, the posters are wrapped entirely in bubblewrap. The kind with the big bubbles, about 1" diameter.
My first thought was just to take it all home and roll on it. I accidentally stepped on some while I was unwrapping things, and it sounded great. But then I though "Wait! Halloween is coming!"
So... my fall-back costume will be to either just wrap myself in it if I'm feeling lazy or actually make a dress out of it using clear tape for the seams if I'm feeling ambitious and when somebody asks me what I'm dressed as say "I'm fragile." Can anybody come up with something better? I've got yards of the stuff...
Edit: Annie, sounds great
[ September 23, 2004, 03:11 PM: Message edited by: ElJay ]
Posted by Annie (Member # 295) on :
I think you should wrap your torso in it, but leave your legs and head sticking out. Then, wear fishnet stockings and a lampshade on your head. You're the lamp from A Christmas Story!
Posted by beverly (Member # 6246) on :
I just remembered a fun memory that I want to share. When Porter and I were dating, we went to a Halloween dance (I was a black kitty ). Years before he had a doctor friend that made him some very convincing fake teeth. He had, I think, three different sets. One set of fangs, one buck teeth, and I can't remember the third. So, while we were dancing, he would subtlely "switch teeth" so that every time I would look at him he had a different set on. They looked *really* convincing. He had me in fits of giggles.
Unfortunately, they got broken, and even the old pieces are gone now. Posted by Annie (Member # 295) on :
Also, wear a sign around your neck saying "FRAGILE"
Posted by ElJay (Member # 6358) on :
I've never seen A Christmas Story...
Posted by Stray (Member # 4056) on :
quote: And what do you use to change the color of/paint leather?
My husband does some leatherwork now and then, and he swears by Fiebings Leather Dye.
Posted by Annie (Member # 295) on :
You've never seen it? Oh, man, that ruins the funny.
Here is the lamp. Now go rent it!
Posted by Annie (Member # 295) on :
Actually, it would be funny to make a giant lampshade and wear it as a dress. Oh, man. If that weren't so expensive, I'd do it!
Posted by ElJay (Member # 6358) on :
I have shoes and hose like that.... hmmm.....
It wouldn't be expensive. All you need is stiff wire and fabric. You could do it for under 20 bucks from a discount fabric store.
(There is a fabulous one here that I would love to take you to and see what you come up with. It's a huge warehouse stacked to the ceiling with bolts of everything imaginable, and it's all cheap.)
But I do want to use my bubblewrap....
Posted by Annie (Member # 295) on :
Another idea I just had-
Wear a giant box with a tail and a pair of ears sticking out. Schrodinger's Cat!
Posted by breyerchic04 (Member # 6423) on :
I'm either not dressing up, or going as a black kitty.
Hmm some of my favorites
80's girl (ooh blacwolve you need this dress, I'll find it and give it to you sometime) purple velvet knee length dress, fish nets, red curly wig, black slingbacks.
Flapper- my mom has this gorgeous 1920's cream beaded shirt, I wore it with a white satin skirt, my hair was in a bob at the time.
mascarade dress- same top, with purple skirt, feather mask, blacwolve had a silver skirt and top, feather mask, our friend charlie wore his tux and a simple black mask, we were on each side of him.
sock hop- black felt poodle skirt (literally made from a circle of felt with a circle for my waist in the center), white sweater set, socks, hair in pony tail
ice princess (i think I was ten then)- white gymnastics outfit, white tulle tutu stitched on, white wig, plastic glittery ice cicles all over, white wand with a plastic snow flake on the end.
Miss Piggy (early elementary school)- pink tutu, pig ears, my dog was dressed as fozzy bear (he couldn't do kermit).
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
I am going to have my mom make me a 3/4 length cloak, probably Green and Gold, all velvet.
And I am Bringing Sting....lol...
Jenni and I are going to Salem, MA for Halloween, this time for the whole day.
Last year we got there too late to really enjoy it.
Anyone want to join us there?
Kwea
Posted by Allegra (Member # 6773) on :
I wanted to be catwoman but I don't have the body for it. Posted by Brinestone (Member # 5755) on :
There are very, very few people who would look good in a catwoman outfit. Even Halle Berry had to work out really hard to be able to pull it off.
Posted by Jess N (Member # 6744) on :
I will most likely do as I have for several years now. My kids will get cool costumes and I will go as "the thirty-something" mom.
Actually, my church has thought about sponsoring a party where we all dress as characters from the Bible. There are some cool women from the Old Testament I could go as. Posted by Eruve Nandiriel (Member # 5677) on :
If I dress up at all, I will probably be Eowyn. Again. Posted by Sara Sasse (Member # 6804) on :
Hey, beverly, that last fluffy little wig is going for $8.58 currently, sale ends in 2 hrs. (FYI)
[ September 24, 2004, 07:48 PM: Message edited by: Sara Sasse ]
Posted by Sara Sasse (Member # 6804) on :
10 min, still <$9!
Posted by Little_Doctor (Member # 6635) on :
I'm thinking I'm going to me Freddy Kreuger. My cousin is a professional make-up stylist. I'm going to go all out this year.
Posted by Danzig avoiding landmarks (Member # 6792) on :
Working.
Posted by Goody Scrivener (Member # 6742) on :
quote:I'm thinking I'm going to me Freddy Kreuger. My cousin is a professional make-up stylist. I'm going to go all out this year.
heh, I AM Freddy Krueger!!!
Seriously (well somewhat)... my maiden name is Krueger, i grew up on Elm Street, and all through junior high and high school that's what kids called me. Then my senior year, my brother convinced Mom to let him have turtles... red eared sliders to be specific. The first one he found had two inch claws on its front left paw - obviously, that one HAD to be Freddy. He then got three more, Barney, Betty and Wilma. Those three died within two years but Freddy was finally released into the river after almost 10 years after Steve decided he didn't have time for a turtle anymore.
Posted by Teshi (Member # 5024) on :
Last year, I was a French Revolutionary, except with out the stripy pants (I forget the name). Being a revolutionary is so much fun!
One of my favourite costumes was a guy who dressed up as a frog with a sign saying "kiss me, I'm a prince" around his neck. It was brilliant.
Posted by Belle (Member # 2314) on :
I knew someone who dressed her four year old daughter as a stressed out Mommy.
Dressed her in old, stained clothes, used makeup to put dark circles under her eyes and strapped a baby doll to her leg.
Posted by PSI Teleport (Member # 5545) on :
Baby doll
Posted by beverly (Member # 6246) on :
Sara, I won the wig. Paid for it already. I will let you know how it works out for me.
Posted by Vadon (Member # 4561) on :
If it weren't for I'm probably not going to dress up I'd want to go as one of the following.
... Yeah, I have no life. Fun though, I can get an evil eye look like most of those characters have. (not edward, but the rest of them.)
Posted by Sara Sasse (Member # 6804) on :
yay, beverly! I bet you will look great. Posted by Primal Curve (Member # 3587) on :
I was thinking about going as Kim Jong-Il.
Posted by beverly (Member # 6246) on :
I will send pics. Posted by PSI Teleport (Member # 5545) on :
Nice, Glynn. We'll just have to chop you off at the knees.
Posted by Primal Curve (Member # 3587) on :
Here's an interesting idea for a costume. Have one person go as Peter Pan, and have another person go wearing the exact same clothes, only all in black with black body paint, follow PP around and call his or herself "Peter Pan's Shadow."
Posted by PSI Teleport (Member # 5545) on :
That only works for identical twins.
Posted by Primal Curve (Member # 3587) on :
Not really. A tall, thin person could be "Peter Pan's shadow on a long summer's eve."
Posted by Annie (Member # 295) on :
I've had a brilliant idea, and changed plans.
I'm now going as Ozma of Oz. I got some fabulous olive green satin for the dress, with a gold underskirt, all on super sale.
What I need to find out now is how to do my makeup to look like those girls in silent movies.. I'm rather dense when it comes to makeup - most of my efforts come out looking like Captain Jack Sparrow. Any insights?
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
My step-mother has this book on period stage makeup. I recommend it for ideas on how to do that kind of thing.
Posted by Chris Bridges (Member # 1138) on :
Can anyone offer assistance on white makeup?
Was just talking to a friend who wants to go as Neil Gaiman's "Death" character. He's trying to work out the details of body-hair removal and how to apply white makeup that won't come off all over everything the rest of the evening. Any suggestions?
(And no, it's not me. If I tried Death would look pregnant, which is an interesting thought all by itself.)
[ October 12, 2004, 02:54 PM: Message edited by: Chris Bridges ]
Posted by Brinestone (Member # 5755) on :
Jonathon and I are going to go as Napoleon and Deb. DI, here I come!
Posted by zgator (Member # 3833) on :
Ryan will be dressed up as a dragon this year. I'm going to take him trick-or-treating dressed as a knight.
Of course, being only 1 year old, he can't have the candy. Whatever shall I do with it?
Posted by Tammy (Member # 4119) on :
I dislike Halloween!
Posted by TheTick (Member # 2883) on :
Me too, Tammy. Didn't even like it as a kid, though I tolerated it for the candy. It's even worse here, where it is not unheard of to have SNOW on Halloween.
Posted by Tammy (Member # 4119) on :
Well I didn't celebrate it as a kid. I still don't like it as an adult.
My husband has a ball. I'm a Halloween Scrouge.
Posted by Annie (Member # 295) on :
Hey Ruth - I got a 'Vote for Pedro" shirt at one of those t-shirt places in the mall for 15 bucks. They have those kind of fuzzy letters they iron on.
Posted by Christy (Member # 4397) on :
I SO wanted this dragon for Sophie and I was going to be a medieval sorceress with her on my shoulder. I don't have anywhere to take her, though, and considering I don't have a costume either, it was a bit expensive a venture.
Edit: There is also a "Got Milk" cow infant bunting that I was thinking of doing.
[ October 12, 2004, 05:56 PM: Message edited by: Christy ]
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
Chris – tell your friend to spread “clown white” makeup evenly over his face. Then fill a sock with baby powder and beat it (gently) all over the make-up. Brush off the extra powder with a shaving brush, then pat all over with a wet sponge. You can go swimming in this, and it won’t come off. (Use baby oil to remove.)
Oh, and put a LOT of lotion on first to fill up the pores so it’ll be easier to remove.
<---- taught at clowning, magic, & drama camp for several summers.
Posted by Tammy (Member # 4119) on :
That would be cute Christy. That is a verrrrry cute dragon outfit.
Posted by sarcasticmuppet (Member # 5035) on :
A recent resubmergence into MST3K is inspiring me to go as Pearl Forrester.
I don't have much of a budget, but all I'd need to find is a neon-green button-up shirt or blazer and some fingerless gloves.
I also think I should carry something...I thought about making a film reel out of cardboard and burning the edges. Any ideas?
[ October 12, 2004, 06:26 PM: Message edited by: sarcasticmuppet ]
Posted by Sara Sasse (Member # 6804) on :
Gracious, Christy, she'd be adorable.
Posted by Boon (Member # 4646) on :
Kilt + Sword + Blue Body Paint
Posted by beverly (Member # 6246) on :
Whoo-hoo! My unicorn costume is at last complete! I am soooooo psyched. It looks goooood. The horn is a large sea shell Porter has had for years.
Porter asked today when I think I would have occasion to wear it. That made me stop and think.
I think there needs to be more excuses to get dressed up in costumes!!!
Sara, just so you know, that one wig from ebay didn't work out. I got a different one. I just want you to know since I intend to post pictures and it is a rather different looking wig.
[ October 12, 2004, 08:52 PM: Message edited by: beverly ]
Posted by zgator (Member # 3833) on :
beverly, you're obviously going to have to have a Halloween party. That is your only hope.
Posted by beverly (Member # 6246) on :
Heh, I was just thinking of that today. I just have to get into "party planning mode" if that is ever going to happen.
Posted by Icarus (Member # 3162) on :
I think I will be Silent Bob.
Posted by pooka (Member # 5003) on :
Maybe we should have a Jatraquero halloween party on Friday, since everyone is doing Trick or Treating Saturday.
We could have it at my place, which is near I-80. My husband likes it when I have to clean for something. Also, someone has to bring MST3K.
I actually kind of hate Halloween. I only like Easter, Thanksgiving, and Independence day. And now that I don't eat sugar, I'm debating whether to become one of those people who passes out pencils.
Posted by sarcasticmuppet (Member # 5035) on :
If we have an MST movie night, I'll *have* to dress up as Pearl Forrester. Sounds fun, but I might have ride issues.
And for the love of pete, don't hand out pencils. Egads!
[ October 13, 2004, 04:34 PM: Message edited by: sarcasticmuppet ]
Posted by pooka (Member # 5003) on :
How about string cheese?
Posted by sarcasticmuppet (Member # 5035) on :
I'm not even going to dignify that with a response. Posted by zgator (Member # 3833) on :
I used to work at Babbages in the Gainesville mall. The year of the Gainesville murders, nobody let their kids go trick-or-treating, so they had a big event at the mall where all the kids would go trick-or-treating at the stores.
We ran out of candy pretty quick since we way underestimated the number of kids. We ended up giving out shoelaces that were part of some video game's promotion.
Yeah, that's right. Shoelaces.
Posted by sarcasticmuppet (Member # 5035) on :
*dies*
though I understand doing what you can when you run out of the good stuff.
[ October 13, 2004, 04:51 PM: Message edited by: sarcasticmuppet ]
Posted by beverly (Member # 6246) on :
w00t! I'd be all over that, pooka. We could watch the MST3K Manos: The Hands of Fate (the only way to watch that horrendous film) and throw marshmallows at the screen.
Posted by AbeLinclon (Member # 6923) on :
last year I wore a frankenstein shirt and coat with a monkey head. It was really thrown together. This year I was thinking about making a costume but I don't have any good ideas... I'm 15 and have always loved Candy. I need something really original so I don't look like a babboon on drugs. I just need a good idea for my costume. I have the ability to get fabrics and my budet is $50. Whaddaya think. I have capes and some animal haeads, like a wolf and a lion but they're really dorky. Any good ideas for a fifty dollar budget?
Posted by KarlEd (Member # 571) on :
If you don't wanna give out candy, check out the website for Oriental Trading company. They have tons of stuff that kids would love to get. Kids coming to my house will get little 4-inch teddy bears dressed as bats, until they run out, then I have some Halloween airplanes and kaleidescopes as backup. (And I'll probably have candy too.)
[edit: I can't get the url to work so I'll post it here if you wanna see the bears:
[ October 19, 2004, 08:13 AM: Message edited by: KarlEd ]
Posted by zgator (Member # 3833) on :
Many years ago I went to a Halloween party with a girl that wanted to go as a flasher because she just happened to have a trenchcoat. That seemed much too dull, so we decided she needed some gimmick to make it more interesting.
We decided that a flasher clown was the way to go. She wore face makeup, big clown shoes, a rainbow wig and 2 ssquirting flowers in the appropriate places.
She also took a tuft of rainbow wig and put that in the appropriate place as well.
I thought I should add that she was wearing a bodysuit. It wasn't one of those kind of parties.
[ October 19, 2004, 08:45 AM: Message edited by: zgator ]
Posted by Sara Sasse (Member # 6804) on :
KarlEd, you can try running the url through TinyURL.com to shrink it, if you like. That usually works.
beverly, I'm sorry to hear about the wig not working out, but the news about your unicorn outfit is great. Posted by beverly (Member # 6246) on :
No worries. I did a "dress rehersal" of the costume and took some pictures. I will probably post them closer to (or after) Halloween.
![[Mad]](mad.gif)
![[Evil]](graemlins/evil.gif)
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
![[Eek!]](eek.gif)
![[ROFL]](graemlins/rofl.gif)
![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
![[Monkeys]](graemlins/monkeys.gif)
![[Confused]](confused.gif)
(it makes me look gray-white, but my hair is dirty blond, not your silky dark)![[Smile]](smile.gif)
![[Frown]](frown.gif)
I don't think I will try that again. I need to find me a really awesome white wig. ![[Cool]](cool.gif)
![[Wink]](wink.gif)
![[Laugh]](graemlins/laugh.gif)
Baby doll