Open Thread: What Does Your Halloween History Say About Your Character?

Perceptible
wrote on October 27 2009 @ 09:33 am: [report]

I was never much into dressing up myself, but the costume I’ll always remember was a girl in high school who dressed up as a tampon. (A clean one.) She wore white tights and shoes, and a knee-length, slim, white, long sleeved dress, then tied a long, thick piece of yarn to her hair at the top of her head. It was awesome. And also gross.

treehugr
wrote on October 27 2009 @ 09:39 am: [report]

best costume was when i was 6: My mom made me a tooth fairy costume and i wore a white leotard and she made a blue and silver tutu- and then made a basket of styrofoam teeth complete with faces and matching tutus and a wand with another matching tooth on it. Adorable, original and entirely homemade!

joyy
wrote on October 27 2009 @ 09:44 am: [report]

I have full lips and from a profile view, have sometimes been told that I resemble Angelina Jolie.  I rocked way long hair in college, so one year I was Lara Croft, another year I just went as Angelina - black babydoll in tow, big sunglasses, very stuffed bra (had to do that both years). 

Can’t really remember any other costumes, and last year I was camping in the middle of nowhere utah so I didn’t bother, and I had a weird stomach bug the year before that.  *shrug*

Jessica Wakeman
wrote on October 27 2009 @ 09:46 am: [report]

I dressed as a Monopoly board in sixth grade! I wore a sandwich board which I had drawn the game on and carried around a “money bag” to collect my candy.

I was also went as Vincent Van Gogh in 8th grade with a fake plastic ear, a beret and an artist’s palette.

I think my mom would probably say “The Little Mermaid” / Ariel costume, which she sewed herself, was the best.

GreenAura
wrote on October 27 2009 @ 10:05 am: [report]

I was Rainbow Brite in the 1st grade and it was an awesome costume that my Grammy had made for me.  I have blonde hair and when I was a kid, I looked pretty similar to the cartoon so I looked awesome.  A couple years ago I went as Tinker-Hell, basically an all black version of Tinkerbell that I added fishnets and stripper heels to.  I had awesome black wings that had a 3 foot wingspan.  Although it was slightly awkward to manuever through hallways of the house party I went to, I still rocked it.  And yes, now that I am grown, I am a total cliche and I use Halloween as an excuse to look like a ho.  Holla!

wheels2434
wrote on October 27 2009 @ 10:09 am: [report]

My best costume, coincidentally, the year I was Dido while a friend of mine went as Aeneas… we traveled around with a portable cave for much of the weekend.

CheeeeEEEEse
wrote on October 27 2009 @ 10:09 am: [report]

Nothing really strikes me as “awesome”, as I’ve never really enjoyed the holiday, or candy in general (exception for Twizzlers). However, I do remember my brother going as a cat when he was 9 or so. My mom made the costume and he insisted on a 12 foot tail. He had to wear it like a scarf. LOL.

bumbler
wrote on October 27 2009 @ 10:09 am: [report]

My favorite Halloween costume was a big shark costume.  It was so expensive because it was all plushy that I had to promise my mom I would wear it two years in a row but to tell the truth if it still fit I would wear it still.  Just throw in a candygram and be the landshark every year.

mmkw
wrote on October 27 2009 @ 10:13 am: [report]

Last year I put my French degree to good use by dressing up as Marie Antionette. I bought this sexy arisocrat costume (@GreenAura: Holla back!) a lot like the ones We Are Heroes wore during their vogue routine. Then I took a long curly platinum blonde wig and pin most of it on top of my head, allowing a few curls to fall down and tied small, lavender ribbons in it. Finally I wore some knee high white tights, heels, a lot of makeup, and tied a red ribbon around my neck.
People loved it and they knew exactly who I was!

Joey Daytona
wrote on October 27 2009 @ 10:18 am: [report]

“Ghetto” robot, cardboard box w/ holes cut out for arms and head. “ROBOT” written on the front in magic marker… dryer ducting vent hose and/or bubble wrap and duct tape for arms and legs…
I played out the bad cop, naughty nun and Henry Rollins costuumes…

CheeeeEEEEse
wrote on October 27 2009 @ 10:19 am: [report]

@mmkw: I believe her head was severed completely, was it not? Just asking because I had another person saying they were doing the exactly the same thing.

lea322
wrote on October 27 2009 @ 10:25 am: [report]

I went as a girl scout last year. I just used stuff I already owned, so it was cute, not slutty. At one point during the party I was at, I said something dumb in front of the cute boy I was standing next to. To make up for it I offered him some of the cookies I was carrying around with me. And that’s how I met my boyfriend

MuchoMacho
wrote on October 27 2009 @ 10:28 am: [report]

last year i got a platinum wig, got makeup put on by the gf, stuffed a HUGE bra (biggest walmart had) and topped it with coke bottle cap nipples, little bitty shirt, a tiny red skirt, a pink thong, and pom poms.  my gf put on my football pads, short shorts, and carried around a nerf ball.  good times.

brades33
wrote on October 27 2009 @ 11:02 am: [report]

Popcorn box.  My dad made it for me.  He took a box and put white poster paper over it and drew stripes and wrote “popcorn” on all four sides and made arm holes.  Where the box sat on my neck, he rubber cememted a couple of bags of popcorn.  I got so much candy that year, but it was very hard to walk.

retro chic
wrote on October 27 2009 @ 11:25 am: [report]

Open Thread: What Does Your Halloween History Say About Your Character?

Absolutely nothing. Maybe one’s personality and capacity for creative ingenuity and self-expression for one day out of the year…

The thing I find most striking, speaking as one who as a youth fervently believed Halloween should be declared a legal holiday, is that Halloween has been degraded to a parade of licensed commercial-wear or cutesy or slutty crap that really belongs at a costume party. It’s not the kids’ fault. I really appreciate when people put a lot of thought and originality into a DIY costume. My mom made all of ours. There are plenty of opps for costume parties during the rest of the year.

I’m probably more in the line of the traditional, impeccably rendered ghoul, witch, vampire, alien, dead celeb, or any undead or otherworldly being. At one time, that stretching maybe into the completely over-the-top politically incorrect/controversial/irreverent costume ‘cause you can get away with more and not get too “killed” for it. Esp at the LA Art Director’s Guild Halloween parties where anything – and I mean anything – goes.

Given the ones I see here, I will not disclose! Except for the one I already leaked on the other Halloween Costume post: Pregnant Nun, the tamest of the bunch. 

Humble Bee
wrote on October 27 2009 @ 11:48 am: [report]

I’ve been everything in the book. My favorite was the clown costume my mom made in the 3d grade. As I get older I get less creative, I was pocahontas,Dracula,Cop,Nurse,Cleopatra,Minnie Mouse, Cave Woman, a kitty, this year i’m going the be Miss Universe, lol. I think I might chicken out last minute and just make one thats work appropriate. I kind of want to wear a pleather cat suit for some reason and carry a whip.

C.Munro
wrote on October 27 2009 @ 11:51 am: [report]

I guess my Halloween history says I like pop culture.  The last few years I’ve dressed up as Jughead, which has been one of my favorites.  I did Cigarette Smoking Man (from X-Files) one year.  In 2008 I dressed up as 1993, with a pony tail, goatee, Silvertabs, big hoop earrings, and a Stussy poncho, but nobody got that joke. 

Most tasteless would have to be the time I went to an ‘80s-themed Halloween party dressed as Dead John Lennon.

saramarie
wrote on October 27 2009 @ 12:14 pm: [report]

The past two years my husband and I did couple themes: Peg & Al Bundy and Beavis & Butthead. This year I’m planning on Jareth (David Bowie) from Labyrinth and TRYING to convince my husband to be Toby =)

I’ve seen 3 awesome costumes before, 2 of which were worn by my friend. Her mom dressed her up as static cling one year (and pinned random socks, etc. to her shirt) and another year went as a speedbump (yellow shirt with tire marks over it). Then in college a bunch of guys dressed as sperm - in the middle of a part in walked another guy dressed as an egg and the sperm all tackled him.

Pipi
wrote on October 27 2009 @ 12:20 pm: [report]

This year I am going as Alice in wonderland. Last year I was little miss muffet - dead. I was covered in blood and fake spiders. In the last few years I have been little red riddinghood, a reindeer, and pipi longstockings. In high school I was like Rainbowbrite/a raver, super girl,um a fred durst wanna be, and one of those girls from the 80s who wanted to be Madonna which may have been my best costume. In middle school I was an army person, a hippie/jenny from forest gump and a spider. In elementary school I was a dalmation, a cow girl, a mime, a witch, miss america and at some point I was a cat when I was little.

Pipi
wrote on October 27 2009 @ 12:22 pm: [report]

oh and one year I was a saloon girl. ha. why I remember all of them I have no clue!

Lisa Marie
wrote on October 27 2009 @ 12:24 pm: [report]

I’m going to be Dian Fossey.  For accessorizing, I’m going to force my boyfriend and three year old son into gorilla suits.

Honniegal
wrote on October 27 2009 @ 01:02 pm: [report]

My best costume was a few years post-Titanic and I went as a Titanic victim = blue-grey frozen looking with wet gelled hair with frost (Styrofoam shavings and sugar) and period clothing, all I had to do look stiff, shiver and chatter my teeth and people would freak out.

Another year I went as a giant foot, mainly because someone said “there are no original costumes” and I just made a big foam foot and what was it.

When I was a smoker, I was “Smokey the Bear” in overalls, a ranger hat, a furry bear mask, and a pack of clove cigs.

I am currently in a “too boring to dress up” phase.

bogart4017
wrote on October 27 2009 @ 01:02 pm: [report]

I almost never dress for Halloween. One year i went to a costume party in Battle Dress Uniform for the US Army including Comat Boots. You can’t read too much into that!

Iammina
wrote on October 27 2009 @ 01:24 pm: [report]

I love Halloween, which is also my birthday, and I love dressing up in something sexy and wicked. I guess that does say a lot about my personality. I love to strut my stuff. We have a friend who has a huge Halloween party every year and that is where I met my husband.

sweetfrancaise
wrote on October 27 2009 @ 01:26 pm: [report]

I’m not a fan of couple costumes.

However, my boyfriend is going as Orange Julius. I’ll be Dairy Queen.

It’s too original to be gross, right? It’s not like a plug and socket pair or anything…

Elyse
wrote on October 27 2009 @ 02:27 pm: [report]

Since this is my last year as a college student and I’ve never really done the “sexy” costume before, I’m tarting up a store-bought Daphne costume (can you believe they didn’t have Velma?!) My costume history has really been the sidekicks rather than stars in movies or comics. I was the March Hare, not Alice, the Tin Man, not Dorothy, etc. I guess I like rooting for the little guy.

Lightsey
wrote on October 27 2009 @ 02:55 pm: [report]

I only dressed up once for Halloween as a kid and I was Barbie. Freshman year in college my stunned friends demanded I dress-up and I’ve been dressing up ever since.  That first year I just threw together a cowgirl outfit, just jeans, boots, hat and pearl snap. After that I’ve been a bearded lady, Censored flasher, T-rex, and Barf from Spaceballs.

Jar by the Door
wrote on October 27 2009 @ 03:20 pm: [report]

I was Homestar Runner last year, of which I’m still very proud.

chelseadagger
wrote on October 27 2009 @ 04:31 pm: [report]

Conspiracy theorist. Best. Costume. Ever. My friend and I wore sandwich boards with “IT’S THE END OF ZE WORLD!!” written on them and aluminum foil hats. We also wrote a list of “conspiracies”: Elvis was living on the moon, Britney Spears is an alien from planet Zorgon (when she shaved her head it was to contact the mother ship), the Freemasons invented sushi, etc. We did freak a few people out because we got a little too into character, but it was worth it.

SouthOC
wrote on October 27 2009 @ 04:40 pm: [report]

@Cheese:  Come on… you’re kidding me.  You’ve got Halloween Costumes lined up until 2150.

No Swiss?  No Bleu?  No Cheddar?

Arsenic
wrote on October 27 2009 @ 06:57 pm: [report]

I’m going as a Black Ribboner from diskworld this year. No one will get it, but that’s ok ‘cause it will be AWESOME ANYWAY damnit!

Ginger
wrote on October 27 2009 @ 08:34 pm: [report]

Last years I nerded it up and went as Poison Ivy. This year I decided to blashpheme and made myself a Slutty Nun costume.
I try to be different every year.

Lexington
wrote on October 27 2009 @ 09:13 pm: [report]

Arsenic- I know what you’re talking about- awesome! How are you going to do that?

paradisco
wrote on October 27 2009 @ 09:54 pm: [report]

I made the swan dress Bjork wore to the Oscars.  I’m going to wear it again this year because it’s so damn awesome.  I have been Belle from Beauty and the Beast, a hippie, a nun, Betty from the Flinstones, once my family wore M&M outfits, and Dorthy from the Wizard of Oz.

spanishdoll
wrote on October 27 2009 @ 11:21 pm: [report]

I usually try to be clever, and I always stick to homemade!

My college costumes were flirty, but never too trashy. My best were the ones with my roommates—we were hit-women one year (garters, fedoras, vests, fishnets,etc) and last year we were an 80’s hair band.

I’ve decided to focus on being creative and humorous from now on. This year I’m going as the Swedish Chef, which should be der fun bork bork bork!

Morwen
wrote on October 28 2009 @ 12:47 pm: [report]

My best costume was as a lion tamer. I thought it wasn’t too slutty, with the trousers, the hat and the shirt, but the whip made it all a bit strong, so I went with a small fluffy lion… which became the night’s star.

Last year I was the mad hatter (we were an Alice in Wonderland group), and I got the waitress to serve my drinks in a toy tea set.
This year I want to be a dryad, but my friends keep saying I look like a bean plant. Oh, well.

christinalouise
wrote on October 28 2009 @ 03:06 pm: [report]

In the last few years, I’ve been struggling to come up with costumes that show my creativity and sense of humor, fit in with the other girls who will be at the party (usually in slutty fill-in-the-blank costumes), and don’t sacrifice my dignity.

This year, I’m going as Lady Gaga. (The Husband is a back-up dancer.)

I was WonderWoman two years ago(The Husband was Superman).

When I was in Christian college, I was Esmerelda (The Husband, who was known then as The Boyfriend, was the Hunchback of Notre Dame) and a farmer girl (The Boyfriend was a farmer).

But my favorite costume was the one I wore to my church Halloween party when I was 11. I was God. I wore my mom’s white graduation robe and sandals, and walked around telling everyone that the only way God could be perfect was if God was a woman.

likeOMGkbye
wrote on October 28 2009 @ 07:38 pm: [report]

Last year I was a “Girl Gone Wild”, I made my own t-shirt w/ an iron on logo all cut up skanky like, a school girl skirt and fishnets, and I had a black bandeau top with the word “censored” ironed on across my boobs so I could flash people. It was awesome.

My freshman year of college I was Shaniqua the stereotypical puerto rican. I had my hair cornrowed and everything. I got so many numbers that night.

This year is boring and nothing is going on and I AM NOT HAPPY ABOUT IT.

Lexington
wrote on October 28 2009 @ 08:49 pm: [report]

Also, saramarie- your Labyrinth costume sounds awesome

Two years ago I was a winter faerie- for anyone who has read the Dresden Files, I was kind of Maeve- I had elf ears and I painted my face white with blue swirls and sprayed my hair white and added blue and green braids to my hair and wore my sky blue uggs- it was awesome and intense.

I was lazy last year and stole my sister’s slutty supergirl costume (holla).

This year I’m stepping it up- I have 3 costumes! For my big annual family halloween party, I’m borrowing an 18th century style dress- think green silk, lace and hoop skirt which I’m beyond excited about, and then I’m hitting College Station on the 31st for which I need something less… bulky… so I’m trying to decide between the George Washington costume I saw here and Alice In Wonderland- I’ve got this great blue dress that will fit it perfectly.

Halloween is my favorite holiday, and I’m really living it up this year, so I’m ridiculously excited.

DancingGeek
wrote on October 29 2009 @ 03:59 pm: [report]

I was tinkerbell last year, going as catwoman this year.  Best costume, bellydancer because i have authentic costumes and they are so much nicer than the cheap crap at the halloween stores.