Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Tuesday Top 5: Best Costume Ideas Ever

My friend Meg is crafty and clever and creative and she is being a carwash for Halloween. How could I not invite her to write up a guest post?

Top 5 Last-Minute Halloween Costume Ideas Guaranteed to Snag You a "Most Creative Costume" Award
(by Meg)

1. Smart Deer


Imagine you are a smart deer and you have a gift certificate to Home Depot. What would you buy? Probably an ORANGE SAFETY VEST.

To protect yourself during hunting season, make yourself a set of ears by cutting out two paper deer ears and taping them to a headband. If you want to be a man-deer, I saw about 300 sets of headband antlers hanging in the Dollar Store’s Christmas section last weekend. There was a tuft of white tinsel glued around the antlers, which is a huuuuge bonus because you can peel it off and use it as part of your tail. Otherwise, cut out a paper tail, and if you feel ambitious, two hooves you can tape to black shoes. Wear any brown leggings or pants and a shirt, and then put on your safety vest.

2. Electric Eel

I went on a caving trip with a tour group, and when we stopped for lunch, the tour guide introduced us to his favorite eel. The eel lived under a rock in the river next to our picnicking site, so I fed him a piece of ham. He hissed at me, and then ate the whole thing in 1 bite. This is when I learned eels were sassy and fun. To turn yourself into a sassy, fun eel for Halloween, you’ll need shiny black clothes and a blue glow-necklace. If you already own shiny black leggings or anything that is capable of producing an electric shock, you are not allowed to choose any of the other 4 costume ideas, because you are destined to be an electric eel.

After you’re in your shiniest, blackest, sleekest outfit, activate and then unsnap a blue glow necklace. Use clear packing tape to secure it down the length of your back. If you can’t find a necklace, use a line of blue glow sticks. This costume is best for parties in dark, carpeted rooms, where you'll glow best and you can rub your feet on the floor to shock people with static electricity. A snack of ham is encouraged, but not required.

3. Optical Illusion

Wear every single one of your black-and-white checked and striped pieces of clothing in confusing layers. Swaying back and forth and vaguely hooo-ing at people is a guaranteed optical treat.

4. Tanning Bed

Extend your arms straight ahead and watch how many people jump in for a tan! You'll need purple glow sticks, an instant therma-pack or 2, and a bottle of dark brown liquid foundation. Wear a neutral color, and then use clear packing tape to line your arms, chest, and stomach with as many purple glow sticks to achieve the true density of UV lighting in a tanning bed. If you're going to be outside, slip a thermal pack under your shirt for a warmer, more realistic tanning experience. After people are done, offer to spread a little color on their skin.

5. ½ Baby Boa Constrictor, ½ Blood Pressure Cuff

Baby boa constrictors and blood pressure cuffs squeeze people's arms with the exact same intensity and speed. Illustrating this fact with a Venn Diagram is nice, but turning it into your costume is a huge statement. Recommended for people who are comfortable squeezing other people's biceps throughout the night.

Find 1 long green sock, 1 white mitten, some googly eyes, a turkey baster and a nice sturdy piece of string or tubing. Make yourself a little bracelet with the string, and leave 5-6 inches hanging off the end. Cut the bulb of the turkey baster off of its basting stick, and attach it to the end of the string like it's a beautiful charm. Slide your white mitten on over your hand and wrist and it's a blood pressure cuff! Put the googly eyes on the non-palm side of your green sock, and put this on the other hand. Now ask people to close their eyes and guess what is squeezing their arm-- a baby boa or a blood pressure monitor? Tally the results!

p.s. Also check out last year's Halloween Costume Chronicles contest for some hilarious Halloween stories!

22 comments:

Kitty said...

Ha! I love these ideas. Last year, I wore a light blue sweater covered in white cotton balls and carried a squirt gun. When people asked me what I was, I said "English weather. - Partly sunny, partly cloudy with a chance of rain" and squirted them right in their puzzled little faces! (That's what the weather report says here everyday. They don't even try to guess anymore. It's kind of a running joke with us Americans.)

Amy said...

Hilarious! Very creative. My friend was a sperm for halloween once. Another was a hot air balloon but these are are evn more creative than those!

Anonymous said...

Wow, Meg, these ideas ROCK. My husband claims he'll be going as "an absentee landlord" this year, which is hilarious but doesn't take much in the way of costume creativity.

Darla: Retro Ways said...

These are so funny and cute, plus simple to make.

Amazing.

You totally proved all those people wrong that always say they cant think of anything or they arent creative enough!

♥ Darla

Anonymous said...

Okay, so I actually own shiny black leggings and a stun gun, which, according to the rules, means I am obligated to be an eel. But I am asking pretty, pretty please to be permitted to be an optical illusion instead, based on the fact that I love my friends and can't bear to imagine the potential repercussions of drunken dancing with stun gun in hand. Also, no matter how fun and sassy you say they are, I just think they're kinda creepy and gross. So please? Don't make me do it.

Meg said...

Jess, Halloween assignment:

First, grab some ham, find an eel to feed, and just watch it transform from creepy to fun. Then, please re-assess what you just said about eels not being sassy.

If you're still not convinced, the only other option is to convince one of your friends to be the eel. Only once you've met these two requirements are you morally allowed to be an optical illusion.

chelsea said...

These are amazing. I especially like the optical illusion. I have a friend who is going as a Wheel of Fortune contestant, which I thought was pretty genius.

Stephanie said...

Meg, you never fail to amaze me!! What great ideas. I really like the smart deer idea. Gotta hit up the dollar store on the way home now :)

Izzy said...

I thought my husband was great as Zack Morrissey but these suggestions take the cake. Plus, I learned that eels are sassy. I always knew they were fun, but I never knew that they were sassy. Also, I was unaware of their taste for cold cuts. This is why I follow your blog. You learn something new almost every day.

Katie said...

I have a tight slinky black dress and tights so I knew I was destined to be an eel. I was planning on just wearing this amazing black covered-in-sequins dress with a crazy halter/maze-like shoulder/neckline because it's awesome and I have nowhere else to wear it. I didn't have a name for the costume, just "the girl in the crazy cool dress": an electric eel is SOO much better! I stopped at the dollar store today to get glowsticks, so now I'm almost all ready. I can't wait for Saturday night!!

Michelle said...

Hi - just wanted to say I stumbled upon your blog and I love it! It is HYSTERICAL. I literally just fell off my seat with the electric eel idea. DUR and DUR. A few other favs: Jeggings. Chochas galore. and Tuesday Top 5's. Yum-ness! Thanks for sharing.

A Fan.
Michelle
thehappymeals.blogspot.com

Nickie Frye said...

LOL @ the eel story! Are you serious? That's going to give me nightmares! :-O

Rosie Unknown said...

Those are some pretty awesome ideas! I chose a classic this year, and will basically be taking the eel costume, minus glow sticks, add in cat ears.

emily said...

haha, i love all of these ideas!! the tanning be one is too funny... :)

Megan said...

Oh maaaan I wish I wasn't going as Little Edie Beale because I WANT TO BE A TANNING BED SO BAD!!

Um, best costume idea ever though? Glamour Shot. For some reason I know you will appreciate this.

Mishabelle said...

Oh wow, what great ideas! My best friend is actually going to be a deer, and her boyfriend is being a hunter... they've yet to decide who is hunting who yet! I was going to be Pocahontas but I'm unsatisfied with the dress I sewed (well, tried to) so I think that electric eel sounds fun. Might have to pick up some gag lighters and pens that shock you to give out! Heheh. I asked my boyfriend what he was going to be and he replied "Brokeback Mountain. Not the cowboy, the actual mountain." Ohhhkay... well, it was either that or GG Allin... and he is NOT being GG. Happy halloweeeeen everyone!

Siru said...

Great ideas outside the box!

juliet xxx

WendyB said...

The word(s) "man-deer" should be used more often.

Rosie Unknown said...

I know i already commented on this post, but I wanted to let you know that i linked to it today.

Michelle Schraudner said...

LOL I love the smart deer idea!

Anonymous said...

Wow! amazing ideas. The Best costume I've seen so far was at a 'Dress-as-something-beginning-with-the-same-letter-as-your-name'...party

Roisin 'the rubix cube' and Izzy 'Ipod' ...wow.

http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs258.snc1/10531_293268120393_662275393_9437813_2533464_n.jpg

Anonymous said...

"This is when I learned eels were sassy and fun."

That line made me laugh so hard that I collapsed in a heap.

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