Cardboard + Halloween + Time = ?

September 18, 2010 12:41 PM

Halloween Costume Ideas. What would you make for a costume if you had unlimited amounts of cardboard and time?

These are the ones that I have found so far

Cardboard Helmet
Easy Ones
Transformers Part 2


Other Ask Metafilter Costume Thread Ideas

Couples
Costume Ideas (DIY Cheap)
2 Girls Joint Costume
Costume for 4 (2m 2f)
With Goatee
Group Ideas
And Many more
And I can't find the one I was looking for but politically incorrect costumes (included twin tower, and baby as plane)

posted by MechEng to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (17 answers total)

Danbo.
posted by Memo at 12:56 PM on September 18, 2010

Mailbox
Telephone booth
(both impending anachronisms)
posted by emhutchinson at 1:12 PM on September 18, 2010

3-D version of Nude Descending a Staircase. You would have to add insane to unlimited time and cardboard.
posted by wandering_not_lost at 1:14 PM on September 18, 2010 [3 favorites]

3-D version of Nude Descending a Staircase.

Awesome idea! Here's an example (slightly nsfw).
posted by hydrophonic at 1:51 PM on September 18, 2010

This Atomic Robo is one of my favorite cardboard costumes so far. The creator has several various tutorials. His output is pretty amazing and there are frequent progress shots in his gallery for inspiration.

Just because something is cardboard doesn't mean it need be blocky. Good luck and have fun! As someone who prototypes a lot of costume stuff in cardboard, don't be afraid to dash off several quick 'n dirty mockups. Cardboard is nice and cheap and a lot more versatile than some people think!

(Of course, if you're not confident about your skill level and/or you are a huge video game geek, this costume of Yahtzee is pretty damn inspired.)
posted by Wossname at 2:14 PM on September 18, 2010 [1 favorite]

Ghostly Pirate Ship! Use small figurines to represent the crew, and bits of cheesecloth, toilet paper and/or fake cobwebs for the rigging. Prefer something more steampunk themed? Consider the Nautalis instead. For dramatic effect, you could situate the ship around your waist and "tower over" the craft ad Poseidon, the Kraken, or You-Cthnow-Htlulu.
posted by Smart Dalek at 2:20 PM on September 18, 2010

If you hang out with deisgn nerd, you should try to make Easy Edges
posted by advicepig at 2:26 PM on September 18, 2010

This guy showed up at my workplace one year. It was a very impressive costume, moreso in person!
posted by Fui Non Sum at 2:33 PM on September 18, 2010

I went as the Empire State building one year, with a box for the main part of the building, and a cardboard version of the top of the building for a hat. And on the hat, I had stuffed gorilla with a teeny barbie in his hands, and a couple of planes hung on bent coat hangers coming from the top of the hat. I won best costume at the office that year.
posted by LN at 2:58 PM on September 18, 2010

I think I'd find a couple of friends who'd be willing to dress up as vikings and make a long boat. Since it will probably be a pain to walk around in without bumping into everyone, it'd probably be a good idea to put it on straps so you could lower the boat and step out of it. Get back in the boat in time for contests, any attacks or battles you have planned but this way you're free to wander around comfortably.
posted by stray thoughts at 4:10 PM on September 18, 2010

My dream has always been to have the time and cardboard to make a beer vending machine costume. That one might be a bit daunting, but This one could be more doable. I imagine you'd do a cutout and trying to fill the window with light, clear plastic, and a couple shelves made of cardboard or even something lighter. Make sure the display cans are empty (mmm, drinking during construction). Bonus points for rigging up a beer cooler (to keep cans cold) and being a functioning machine.
posted by Ghidorah at 4:43 PM on September 18, 2010 [1 favorite]

First thought that hit me was staircase. Then spiral staircase. You can be in the center. Then at the top, you can put some cotton stuffing and whatever accessories would fit where do-gooders would go in the afterlife: Stairway to Heaven
posted by Seboshin at 4:58 PM on September 18, 2010

-Battlemech
-Samurai armor
posted by Pirate-Bartender-Zombie-Monkey at 6:10 PM on September 18, 2010

Functional rubiks cube.
posted by freshwater at 9:05 PM on September 18, 2010

I went as the Empire State building one year, with a box for the main part of the building, and a cardboard version of the top of the building for a hat. And on the hat, I had stuffed gorilla with a teeny barbie in his hands, and a couple of planes hung on bent coat hangers coming from the top of the hat. I won best costume at the office that year.

Do this, but with a BABY dressed up as a gorilla. Get a baby.

That or a Transformer. That transforms into a car if you get on all fours.
posted by spec80 at 4:16 AM on September 19, 2010

I have always liked this guy's costume.
posted by pombe at 11:50 AM on September 19, 2010

Several years ago my wife made two Crayola crayon costumes out of fleece: a sort of tube with shoulder straps, with a very detailed black "label" applied -- most cute & awesome.

Then last year she took a cardboard box and made it into a bix bog of Crayola crayons so that three of the kids would be a themed group. It was VERY cool.

You might consider making you own box of crayons, or some other beloved consumer package.
posted by wenestvedt at 10:17 AM on September 20, 2010