What would be a smart/witty/punny/classy costume that I can dance in?
October 30, 2008 1:29 PM Subscribe
Halloween costume filter: For once, I'd love to have a really great costume - something smart and witty and not overdone. But it needs to be something that I can dance in all night long. Help!
A "really great costume" would be one that gets a great reaction for being intelligent/witty (or funny), a little creative and hopefully a little out of the ordinary.
I love a lot of these suggestions for Unique & Unusual costumes. But, a lot of them are a little impractical for me: I am going to a party where there will be swing dancing all night long. So I need to be able to move quickly without pieces flying off, and my costume needs to be compact so that my partner can actually get his arm around me.
I'm already considering dressing in all black, lining myself with glow sticks and going as a stick figure. And characters like Holly Golightly, Rosie the Riveter, or Carmen Sandiego. (Though, her red trench coat is hard to come by.) That last one is my favorite because a lot of the party-goers are my age and would get a kick out of that, I think. Being able to do something topical regarding recent news/events would be great, too.
But overall I'm feeling stuck for something that I can put together by tomorrow night. I've read thru a lot of the costume threads already, but so many of the creative costumes are impractical for me. So, I'd love to hear if you have any fun ideas that will allow me to move!
Oh, and, FWIW - I'm a mid-20s female with dark curly hair and pale skin. I'm happy to make use of any of that.
Thanks in advance, and Happy Halloween. :)
A "really great costume" would be one that gets a great reaction for being intelligent/witty (or funny), a little creative and hopefully a little out of the ordinary.
I love a lot of these suggestions for Unique & Unusual costumes. But, a lot of them are a little impractical for me: I am going to a party where there will be swing dancing all night long. So I need to be able to move quickly without pieces flying off, and my costume needs to be compact so that my partner can actually get his arm around me.
I'm already considering dressing in all black, lining myself with glow sticks and going as a stick figure. And characters like Holly Golightly, Rosie the Riveter, or Carmen Sandiego. (Though, her red trench coat is hard to come by.) That last one is my favorite because a lot of the party-goers are my age and would get a kick out of that, I think. Being able to do something topical regarding recent news/events would be great, too.
But overall I'm feeling stuck for something that I can put together by tomorrow night. I've read thru a lot of the costume threads already, but so many of the creative costumes are impractical for me. So, I'd love to hear if you have any fun ideas that will allow me to move!
Oh, and, FWIW - I'm a mid-20s female with dark curly hair and pale skin. I'm happy to make use of any of that.
Thanks in advance, and Happy Halloween. :)
I'm a mid-20s female with dark curly hair and pale skin.
A perfect idea, then -- which many people at the party may also get -- would be the personification of Death from Neil Gaiman's Sandman comic book series. She too has pale skin and dark hair, and her hair style switches up between curly and Joan Jett. As for what she wears, sometimes it's formal, but most often it's just black pants, a black tank top and a leather jacket, and a pendant in the shape of an ankh symbol. Basically, if you dress in black, wear the ankh, and then just use a lot of eyeliner and draw a curlicue in the corner of one eye, you're set.
And she's a GREAT character, if you've never read the series. Kind of like the really cool girl in high school who took all the art classes.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 1:59 PM on October 30, 2008
A perfect idea, then -- which many people at the party may also get -- would be the personification of Death from Neil Gaiman's Sandman comic book series. She too has pale skin and dark hair, and her hair style switches up between curly and Joan Jett. As for what she wears, sometimes it's formal, but most often it's just black pants, a black tank top and a leather jacket, and a pendant in the shape of an ankh symbol. Basically, if you dress in black, wear the ankh, and then just use a lot of eyeliner and draw a curlicue in the corner of one eye, you're set.
And she's a GREAT character, if you've never read the series. Kind of like the really cool girl in high school who took all the art classes.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 1:59 PM on October 30, 2008
Best answer: You forgot to mention that your really great costume that you can dance in all night long has to be able to be put together in the next day. That's a bit more difficult.
What about going to the Halloween store and getting one of the uber-cheeseball costumes? Costumes so cheap and bad that they are so bad they . . . great?
If you got one of the plasticky ones (e.g. power ranger outfit from Target) you could cut vents in it and it would be well-attached.
posted by arnicae at 2:01 PM on October 30, 2008
What about going to the Halloween store and getting one of the uber-cheeseball costumes? Costumes so cheap and bad that they are so bad they . . . great?
If you got one of the plasticky ones (e.g. power ranger outfit from Target) you could cut vents in it and it would be well-attached.
posted by arnicae at 2:01 PM on October 30, 2008
There exists somewhere a photo of me dressed as a Playboy Bunny for Halloween. Definitely a compact costume.
(ps. Have a pair of sweatpants in the car... for afterwards, I darn near froze my tail off...)
posted by Green Eyed Monster at 2:02 PM on October 30, 2008
(ps. Have a pair of sweatpants in the car... for afterwards, I darn near froze my tail off...)
posted by Green Eyed Monster at 2:02 PM on October 30, 2008
Best answer: Maybe oregon trail? same group as carmen sandiego, possibly easier to find a bonnet and sundress, etc. Could always do a dead/injured/zombie version if you wanted to make it more interesting.
posted by ejaned8 at 2:26 PM on October 30, 2008 [2 favorites]
posted by ejaned8 at 2:26 PM on October 30, 2008 [2 favorites]
Here's one I thought up a while back, but never used: Black shirt, black pants. Sew a strip of white fabric on both so it runs all the way down the costume. Sew a toy kitty or dog to shirt. Attach one of those fake foam rocks and an empty beer can to pants. Go as.....THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.
posted by Bernt Pancreas at 3:04 PM on October 30, 2008
posted by Bernt Pancreas at 3:04 PM on October 30, 2008
You could dress entirely in brown, carry gummy worms in your pockets and go as loam.
posted by mr.grum at 4:07 PM on October 30, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by mr.grum at 4:07 PM on October 30, 2008 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I think this was mentioned on one of the past similar AskMe threads, but ... pink clothes (at least the top), lots of blusher, spray on pink hair color, and a feather boa = tickled pink. I just did it this year and it went over really well - pretty easy to put together, too, and definitely danceable.
posted by clerestory at 7:29 PM on October 30, 2008
posted by clerestory at 7:29 PM on October 30, 2008
This thread is closed to new comments.
Another idea you might try is being "the floor of a movie theater." Dress in black, have a string of battery powered lights up one side of you, and glue/sew/pin random food wrappers, pieces of chewed gum, popcorn or anything else you think might be funny onto yourself. I saw someone dressed like that at a party years ago and it still stands out in my mind as a gem.
Have a fun night!
posted by RingerChopChop at 1:50 PM on October 30, 2008