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Searching Google is frustrating because there are a million ideas from a million uncreative people who want to sell me an M&Ms costume. So I turn to Hatrack, where people are creative and interesting.
Here's what I'm looking for: an interesting couples costume for my gentleman friend and I. The other thing is we don't have any money. We could maybe afford thrift store options, but that's about it.
We were going to be Lucy and Ricky but haven't been able to find a good suit for him. Also, the wig I wanted to wear is 50 bucks and I don't think anyone will know who I am if I just go with my dark hair.
So - any ideas? I am a little ashamed of myself for not having any yet because I pride myself on fantastic Halloween costumes. In past years I've been the Sunmaid Raisin lady, Ozma of Oz, a Jellyfish, the Wicked Witch of the East, and Carmen Sandiego. I gotta keep the tradition of clever costumes alive!
Posts: 8504 | Registered: Aug 1999
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Kudos on the Carmen Sandiego costume, I still flashback to the show whenever I watch Warehouse 13. Ms. Fredericks was "The Chief."
My best idea so far has been to attend a house party with a bag full of lemons and a name tag that says 'Life' on it. I really just want to see how long it takes of me handing out lemons before people actually go to the kitchen and start making lemonade.
Now this one is much more involved, but in light of the Gumby robbery I thought it would hilarious if a few people took the time and money to make this happen. Gumby and Pokey with big burlap sacks of money and the Blockheads dressed as police.
You could thrift store together a Kaylee from Firefly costume, just overalls dirt and a floral shirt.
Posts: 2302 | Registered: Aug 2008
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quote:Originally posted by Annie: We were going to be Lucy and Ricky but haven't been able to find a good suit for him. Also, the wig I wanted to wear is 50 bucks and I don't think anyone will know who I am if I just go with my dark hair.
Perhaps a cheap can of red spray on coloring would be enough if did your best approximation of the Lucy hairstyle?
Not sure what to do about the suit if thrift stores have come up dry.
quote:Originally posted by AchillesHeel: You could thrift store together a Kaylee from Firefly costume, just overalls dirt and a floral shirt.
And since she was looking for matching costumes, a Simon shouldn't be that hard to put together if they can find a decent vest somewhere.
Posts: 2437 | Registered: Apr 2005
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Go as homeless people. It's not hard to find the "homeless look" at thrift stores and then accessorize with bags of stuff and some dirt and tinfoil hats to keep aliens (or the government) from controlling your brain.
Posts: 12591 | Registered: Jan 2000
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Would he really need a full suit? A white jacket would be ideal I suppose, but I bet you could make due with dark slacks, white shirt, and a skinny tie. Maybe a hat.
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You'd be amazed by some of the eccentric gems they have at DI. Get a bit lucky, and with a little imagination you can create some awesome stuff.
This year we bought two sweatshirts, red, and black respectively, and a star fleet pin. Baby B is going as Picard this year. Now if only Mrs. BB would let me shave his head.
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One can wear a Darth Vader costume, sans the helmet, with fangs and white makeup. The other can wear the helmet over a referee's uniform.
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quote:Originally posted by The Rabbit: Go as homeless people. It's not hard to find the "homeless look" at thrift stores and then accessorize with bags of stuff and some dirt and tinfoil hats to keep aliens (or the government) from controlling your brain.
(Post Removed by Janitor Blade. Disparaging another poster.)
Because doing something that might be insulting to strangers who will never know it happened, is so much more insensitive and moronic than insulting people to their face.
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Huh. My reaction to the Rabbit's suggestion was not insensitivity but political statement.
I have had good costume luck with literary figures. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are fairly easy. A little red nail polish on your hands is a nice touch.
Posts: 11187 | Registered: Sep 2005
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Thanks for the great ideas everyone! Firefly is awfully tempting. The trick would be to be recognizable.
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kmbboots: The suggestion itched a bit, but not enough for me to remark on. Anyways, what would the political statement have been?
Posts: 7593 | Registered: Sep 2006
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I didn't really follow through on the thought, but given that the Rabbit is not insensitive to the less well off, I assumed motivation along the lines of drawing attention to the homeless rather than mocking them. But, again, it was an unexamined assumption not a fully realized concept.
Posts: 11187 | Registered: Sep 2005
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I wanted to do Scott Pilgrim characters, but the wife said no. For work, I'm thinking as going as zombie-Steve Jobs. Black turtleneck, glasses, and zombie makeup. Maybe get the word "iZombie" silk screened on the turtleneck.
Speaking of zombies, that's pretty easy (and rather in style). Some ratty clothes and $20 in makeup, and you should be set for both of you.
Posts: 1204 | Registered: Mar 2003
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quote:Originally posted by kmbboots: I didn't really follow through on the thought, but given that the Rabbit is not insensitive to the less well off, I assumed motivation along the lines of drawing attention to the homeless rather than mocking them. But, again, it was an unexamined assumption not a fully realized concept.
I was imagining something along the lines of Alice and Elmont from Doonesbury.
Posts: 12591 | Registered: Jan 2000
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quote:Originally posted by Aros: I wanted to do Scott Pilgrim characters, but the wife said no.
I've already had the very strong urge to cut my hair like Ramona Flowers. This could be a very dangerous idea.
Posts: 8504 | Registered: Aug 1999
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You could get the best of both world by being a zombie version of a famous couple. Zombie Lucy and Ricky could be fun. Imagine Lucy's famous "ewwww" sound (you know, the one she makes when she realizes she is in trouble*) adapted for a zombie.
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This is how I'd look with Ramona hair: pink and green.
My boyfriend thinks it's a little excessive to cut your hair just for Halloween. I'm afraid he does not understand the purpose of dressing up on Halloween. It's to outdo yourself.
Posts: 8504 | Registered: Aug 1999
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I tried to be Ramona Flowers last year but my boss gave me a very firm NO when I asked if I could wear roller-blades.
I think I ended up going as Bunnicula.
Some of my coworkers did an excellent Scooby team costume. Their Velma was my favorite, though Shappy was great too. They said they found most of their costume pieces in their closets.
Posts: 1733 | Registered: Apr 2005
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Green shirt labelled soylent. Cheap cat costumes, make one dead, one alive (like big xs over eyes) and your Schroedingers cat (requires 2 people). Amy Pond and Rory might not be too hard, depending on which outfit you went with.
Posts: 2223 | Registered: Mar 2008
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You go as two black swans, you as Lynn Swan and him as Natalie Portman from Black Swan. Though you couldn't go to Church functions that way I suppose...
quote:Originally posted by AchillesHeel: Kudos on the Carmen Sandiego costume, I still flashback to the show whenever I watch Warehouse 13. Ms. Fredericks was "The Chief."
CCH Pounder was not The Chief. That was Lynne Thigpen.
What Hobbes is referring to in case you don't watch 30 Rock.
Posts: 1658 | Registered: Sep 2003
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I found THE BEST shirt to be Kylee at the thrift store today. Only thing is, they didn't have anything even close to overalls or coveralls. Guess it's not the season? Bought the shirt anyway. I would wear it in real life, and you never know when you're going to need to pull together a Firefly costume in the future, right?
So I think I'm going to go for Ramona. I think the gentleman friend would enjoy going as Scott Pilgrim, although he doesn't look the part. But any excuse to carry around an electric guitar all night will probably be OK with him.
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Bass, just make sure its a bass guitar. Even if you have to solicit your local Scott Pilgrim community for a loaner.
Posts: 2302 | Registered: Aug 2008
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Annie: I have a Fender Jazz bass which would be perfect if your SO wants to borrow it for the evening. I believe I have a strap he could use as well, since those things can be tedious without one.
Also what would you look like with Ramona's blue hair?
Posts: 14316 | Registered: Jul 2005
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quote:Originally posted by Annie: This is how I'd look with Ramona hair: pink and green.
My boyfriend thinks it's a little excessive to cut your hair just for Halloween. I'm afraid he does not understand the purpose of dressing up on Halloween. It's to outdo yourself.
Go pink! Definitely.
Posts: 1204 | Registered: Mar 2003
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quote:Originally posted by BlackBlade: Annie: I have a Fender Jazz bass which would be perfect if your SO wants to borrow it for the evening. I believe I have a strap he could use as well, since those things can be tedious without one.
Also what would you look like with Ramona's blue hair?
Thanks! And I don't know what I would look like with the blue hair - I didn't find a big enough, photoshoppable enough photo of it.
Posts: 8504 | Registered: Aug 1999
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Your link is broken T man, but that's a great idea!
Things keep getting better - my roommate's boyfriend is friends with lots of theater people and they had the idea to get someone to crash our party dressed as an Evil Ex and challenge my BF to a fight.
quote:Originally posted by AchillesHeel: Kudos on the Carmen Sandiego costume, I still flashback to the show whenever I watch Warehouse 13. Ms. Fredericks was "The Chief."
CCH Pounder was not The Chief. That was Lynne Thigpen.
What Hobbes is referring to in case you don't watch 30 Rock.
Thanks for the clarification, RRR. That is a … funny, but fundamentally un-doable costume. Posts: 8504 | Registered: Aug 1999
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If I were to try and dress someone up as simon I would put them in the silk vest and round black sunglasses he originally appears in My backspace key is mysteriously not working Also the period button
Posts: 11017 | Registered: Apr 2003
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OH OH I had the oddest bit of brilliance last night at work, so if the main problem with going as Sarah from Labyrinth is a lack identifiably you could use a prop. Now that could be difficult if you are thinking about something akin to the hairy dismemberment guys head to carry around, but if you simplify its quite obvious, just carry around a stone tile with a big red arrow written on in lipstick.
Posts: 2302 | Registered: Aug 2008
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Ok, maybe for another year, but this is seriously one of the coolest costume ideas I have EVER seen!
Posts: 7877 | Registered: Feb 2003
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Couples costumes make me queasy. Not to offend: I've said that to both my girlfriend (who likes them) and my best friend and his wife (who like them).
Posts: 5462 | Registered: Apr 2005
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I knew Mrs. Fredericks wasn't The Chief. God I loved that show.
What about going as characters from clue? All you really need are specifically color coded old timey clothes from a couple decades ago, and to carry around a wrench or a lead pipe and you're good.
Check out the Clue movie for dress tips.
Posts: 21898 | Registered: Nov 2004
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A few cheap costumes that turned out pretty well:
-Canadians (plaid flannel shirts, toques, snow boots, and maybe a mustache for your gentleman friend). My brother pulled this one off hilariously one year.
-The paper bag princess and Prince Ronald
-Not a couple's costume, but Stacy London from What Not to Wear, using a witch wig, pointy-toed heels, and a fashionable outfit (probably including a pencil skirt). Critique everyone's outfits and say "shut UP!" a lot.
Posts: 1903 | Registered: Sep 2003
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quote:Originally posted by El JT de Spang: Personally, I'm going to carry about an empty picture frame all night. When people ask, I'll hold it up and say that I'm a self-portrait.
Clever? Not particularly. Easy/cheap? Mos def.
I bet that the couple from American Gothic would be pretty easy to do. They weren't actually a couple, but who really knows that? Other couples from paintings?
Posts: 11187 | Registered: Sep 2005
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These are great. I think as a follow-up to this thread I'm going to demand photos of everyone's costumes this year.
Posts: 8504 | Registered: Aug 1999
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I think I spent more time on this year's costume than any of my others. There was a lot of sewing involved...and I'm not exactly a sewing expert.
Posts: 8741 | Registered: Apr 2001
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It's too late now, but I once saw a woman in a white spandex bodysuit with big furry white boots and a big furry white hat. She was a Q-tip.
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