Two Great Costumes That Costume Great Together
September 7, 2010 4:53 PM Subscribe
It's my friend's lot to be born on a date that forces her birthday parties to really be Halloween parties.
I was thinking, since people are going to be in costume anyway, that it would be fun if she told half of her guests that the theme was x and the other half that the theme was y, with the idea being that x + y would be funny or amusing. She agreed and we have been trying, without much luck, to come up with those two themes. Does anyone have any ideas? Thanks!
I was thinking, since people are going to be in costume anyway, that it would be fun if she told half of her guests that the theme was x and the other half that the theme was y, with the idea being that x + y would be funny or amusing. She agreed and we have been trying, without much luck, to come up with those two themes. Does anyone have any ideas? Thanks!
Clowns and black tie.
posted by tilde at 5:06 PM on September 7, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by tilde at 5:06 PM on September 7, 2010 [2 favorites]
Vicars and Tarts, which was famously featured in Bridget Jones' Diary.
posted by cmgonzalez at 5:08 PM on September 7, 2010 [4 favorites]
posted by cmgonzalez at 5:08 PM on September 7, 2010 [4 favorites]
There's always Vicars and Tarts of Bridget Jones fame (i.e., half dress like clergy and half like streetwalkers).
posted by parkerjackson at 5:09 PM on September 7, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by parkerjackson at 5:09 PM on September 7, 2010 [2 favorites]
FYI, I'm psychic.
posted by parkerjackson at 5:09 PM on September 7, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by parkerjackson at 5:09 PM on September 7, 2010 [1 favorite]
In compensation for duplication, how about nerds and jocks?
posted by parkerjackson at 5:10 PM on September 7, 2010 [3 favorites]
posted by parkerjackson at 5:10 PM on September 7, 2010 [3 favorites]
If you watch either show, what about a True Blood/Jersey Shore party? As in, Sookie vs. Snooki. Half sexy vampires, half orange meatheads. You can't go wrong.
posted by oinopaponton at 5:21 PM on September 7, 2010 [7 favorites]
posted by oinopaponton at 5:21 PM on September 7, 2010 [7 favorites]
As a surprise for the guests? Sounds like a) impossible to pull of, given that people talk to each other before the party and b) otherwise, a good way to get someone to turn around and go home confused and embarrassed as they're about to get out of the car dressed as a clown and they see someone else getting out of the car in a tux.
posted by ctmf at 6:09 PM on September 7, 2010
posted by ctmf at 6:09 PM on September 7, 2010
ctmf, I think crosstalk is a problem, but as long as OP picks two categories that are equally embarrassing/effortful, I can't see why anyone would get terribly upset.
OP, as a back up plan, if people get discover the plan prior to the party, just tell them the combo theme and say you were assigning teams (i.e., for most college folks I know, a tarts and vicars party would be all tarts unless someone intervened).
posted by parkerjackson at 6:22 PM on September 7, 2010 [1 favorite]
OP, as a back up plan, if people get discover the plan prior to the party, just tell them the combo theme and say you were assigning teams (i.e., for most college folks I know, a tarts and vicars party would be all tarts unless someone intervened).
posted by parkerjackson at 6:22 PM on September 7, 2010 [1 favorite]
Association Football (aka 'Soccer') vs. American Football.
posted by spinifex23 at 6:31 PM on September 7, 2010
posted by spinifex23 at 6:31 PM on September 7, 2010
my youngest daughter has the same problem (born Nov 1 in her case) and I've always thought she should go with "dead" and "clergy" I dunno because she's born on all hallow's day (clergy) and everyone celebrating all hallow's eve (dead/spirits) and the day after her birthday is the day of the dead... But maybe I'm being too literal. ^_^
posted by patheral at 6:36 PM on September 7, 2010
posted by patheral at 6:36 PM on September 7, 2010
Tell half the people that the theme is space/future, and the other half caveman/prehistory! With the right setting it would pretty much look like a Star Trek episode.
posted by drinkyclown at 6:37 PM on September 7, 2010 [3 favorites]
posted by drinkyclown at 6:37 PM on September 7, 2010 [3 favorites]
Response by poster: Thanks for the suggestions so far everybody. These are great ideas.
ctmf, the idea is not to embarrass anyone, but to allow the birthday girl some joy while putting up with yet another Halloween party... more to provide an effect that would otherwise be considered a happy coincidence.
posted by ifandonlyif at 6:39 PM on September 7, 2010
ctmf, the idea is not to embarrass anyone, but to allow the birthday girl some joy while putting up with yet another Halloween party... more to provide an effect that would otherwise be considered a happy coincidence.
posted by ifandonlyif at 6:39 PM on September 7, 2010
What about something like a costume potluck, where people come dressed as different food groups/types? It would be a great ice-breaker, too, especially if you have a large group coming: "Oh, Fried Chicken! Have you met Waffles?" You could even have best/worst food combo contests. It might be possible to keep the overall theme a surprise, too.
posted by Room 641-A at 6:43 PM on September 7, 2010
posted by Room 641-A at 6:43 PM on September 7, 2010
Cowboys and aliens
Astronauts and gorillas (sort of "Planet of the Apes"-ish)
posted by divka at 7:20 PM on September 7, 2010
Astronauts and gorillas (sort of "Planet of the Apes"-ish)
posted by divka at 7:20 PM on September 7, 2010
How about half "80s teen movie" and half "horror movie," to yield villains and victims?
posted by redfoxtail at 7:29 PM on September 7, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by redfoxtail at 7:29 PM on September 7, 2010 [1 favorite]
Clowns and scary ghouls. See which ends up being creepiest.
posted by amtho at 7:49 PM on September 7, 2010
posted by amtho at 7:49 PM on September 7, 2010
You could celebrate the films of Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey: half the party comes as Dirty Dancing, the other half comes as Red Dawn.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 8:41 PM on September 7, 2010
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 8:41 PM on September 7, 2010
With the right setting it would pretty much look like a Star Trek episode.
Make sure you have some really cheesy studio decoration in that case (paper maché craters and pink skies, etc.)!
posted by Omnomnom at 1:33 AM on September 8, 2010
Make sure you have some really cheesy studio decoration in that case (paper maché craters and pink skies, etc.)!
posted by Omnomnom at 1:33 AM on September 8, 2010
Just divide it by gender - girls one thing, guys another. Like, professors and schoolgirls, or vicars and tarts, or hmmm yeah, zombies and vampires! or or or um how about rockstars and groupies? Hmm or ... I dunno. Playboys and bunnies? Pirates and wenches? Argh it's pretty early in the morning for me.... but the guy/girl division makes it easy, and it won't matter if the groups talk to each other.
posted by Locochona at 4:12 AM on September 8, 2010
posted by Locochona at 4:12 AM on September 8, 2010
Victoriana + Zombies = Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.
This is a good idea, except Pride and Prejudice is a Regency era novel, not Victorian. Granted, most of your guests won't know that either.
posted by purpletangerine at 6:59 AM on September 8, 2010 [1 favorite]
This is a good idea, except Pride and Prejudice is a Regency era novel, not Victorian. Granted, most of your guests won't know that either.
posted by purpletangerine at 6:59 AM on September 8, 2010 [1 favorite]
Heh, I knew someone was going to call me on that. Too lazy to look it up!
posted by restless_nomad at 9:45 AM on September 8, 2010
posted by restless_nomad at 9:45 AM on September 8, 2010
I am just throwing in to say THIS IS A WONDERFUL IDEA. As one of the November 1 crowd, I may steal it. :D
(also - men as women, women as men?)
posted by bibliogrrl at 10:06 AM on September 8, 2010
(also - men as women, women as men?)
posted by bibliogrrl at 10:06 AM on September 8, 2010
If you wanted to add in a 3rd costume, you could do rock, paper, and scissors...
posted by baxter_ilion at 10:22 AM on September 8, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by baxter_ilion at 10:22 AM on September 8, 2010 [1 favorite]
This is a bit different than what you're suggesting, but you could have each group bring costumes for the other group, then everyone dresses up at the party.
posted by specialnobodie at 1:16 PM on September 8, 2010
posted by specialnobodie at 1:16 PM on September 8, 2010
Best answer: Convicts and (Police | Clergy | Lawyers)
Good and Evil
Angels and Demons
Rednecks and Aliens
posted by I am the Walrus at 1:56 PM on September 8, 2010
Good and Evil
Angels and Demons
Rednecks and Aliens
posted by I am the Walrus at 1:56 PM on September 8, 2010
Response by poster: Thanks for all the great contributions everyone. I think right now I'm partial to Rednecks and Aliens, because they compliment each other in a way that's not immediate when you only know about one. We'll see what the birthday girl says.
posted by ifandonlyif at 5:47 PM on September 8, 2010
posted by ifandonlyif at 5:47 PM on September 8, 2010
If you wanted to add in a 3rd costume, you could do rock, paper, and scissors...
LIZARD SPOCK!
posted by tilde at 3:20 PM on September 9, 2010
LIZARD SPOCK!
posted by tilde at 3:20 PM on September 9, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by restless_nomad at 4:54 PM on September 7, 2010 [11 favorites]