Thursday, October 14, 2010

All Time Favorite Halloween Costumes

Halloween is definitely one of my favorite days of the year. Not only do you get to be creative and be someone other than yourself for a little while, but it comes with candy and parties without your typical holiday stress.

My mom always made my costume when I was a kid, which typically would involve a sewing machine or large cardboard box. I wasn't allowed to go trick-or-treating like the other kids because she feared that I would get hurt, so we'd jump in the station wagon and visit local family members. All my chocolate bars would be traded for white chocolate because I didn't react well to caffeine, but most of the family knew that and would give me non-chocolate candy or cans of olives which was one of my favorite foods. (And yes, despite our unconventional traditions I still loved Halloween).

The first costume that I can remember wearing was a nurse costume which was a white dress with white stockings and a nurse hat. I carried a first aid kit with my trick-or-treat bag.



My nun costume was recycled from the Pilgrim outfit I had to wear on Thanksgiving. My mom sewed a habit and I wore a large crucifix.


Despite my fear of bees, I got the idea for a bee costume from my mom's wardrobe. She had a yellow and black striped sweater that I wore with black leggings and wings made of tulle. She covered a cone shaped piece of craft foam with a black sock for a stinger and made my antennas with a headband, pipe cleaners, and painted yellow foam balls.


In fourth grade I was a die in a dot covered cardboard box. I wore polka dots underneath and accessorized with dice earrings.


I was almost 20 the first (and only) time I went real trick-or-treating. My college suitemates pitied me for missing out on one of the coolest childhood activities and took me to Hyde Park into some nice looking neighborhoods. They let me ring the doorbell but explained that typically its a race to who gets to ring the doorbell first. I was a baby doll because I didn't want to look too old, and I was on a college budget. We didn't get too much hassle for our age, but when we did we just explained that it was my first time and in some cases that got me extra candy!


One fun adult costume was when a friend and I were Joe Six-Pack and Joe the Plumber. I made us jewelry out of soda can pop-tops and ironed on some graphic t-shirts.



My absolute favorite adult costume was when my husband and I went as Peter Griffin and the Yellow Chicken from family guy. I did a whole write up on that last year.

This year, though, is up in the air. There is talk amongst fellow bridal party veterans that we recycle an old bridesmaid dress into a costume. I'm thinking my husband and I could do a Peter Pan or Captain hook and Tinker Bell theme, or perhaps Patty O'Green and another cartoon character from the 1980s using this dress:



If that idea falls through we were thinking about being David Bowie personas such as Ziggy Stardust and Thin White Duke.



4 comments:

knittingdragonflies said...

I love this post, not sure which one is my favorite, (the nun is a top contender)!
*giggles*
Vicki

storybeader said...

it's great to see you have all your childhood costumes! That's a treasure - hold onto those! {:-D

The Homespun Loft said...

Hi- following you from the Etsy Bloggers- Please return the favor and follow back. Love the Nun!

Betty said...

I love all your childhood handmade costumes, I think I would have enjoyed being the nurse. Keep up the creative dressing up.