High-Class Horror Costume

September 18, 2015 9:52 PM

I suck at costumes. I've been invited to a Halloween party from a person with whom I really want to be a closer friend, and she loooooves Halloween. I need help with a costume/makeup.

The theme is something like "Vogue Asylum," with the host being very excited about Lady Gaga in the new American Horror Story season. I'm 5'10", slightly overweight, brunette, female, and tend to be cast toward the "stable adult sidekick" role rather than the "manic pixie dreamgirl" role. The host has offered to help with special-effects makeup. She has said that she and her husband may go as Frankenstein's monster and Frankenstein's bride. Another guest has said that she and her boyfriend may go as Beetlejuice and Miss Argentina. That, plus photos from previous parties, lead me to believe that any sort of classic-ish horror, in glam mode, is where I need to go. Suggestions for characters and basic ways of achieving that (I don't sew, my makeup skills are minimal, but I do think I can ask the host for help) appreciated.

And I'm so sorry for starting the Halloween costume suggestion requests this early. My friend is just already shopping and inviting and enthusing. I feel like I'm dealing with Christmas in October, but I'm seriously stressing.

posted by jaguar to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (19 answers total)

I'd just ask her to help you with the costume itself since she's already offered to help you with your make-up. It sounds like she'd absolutely love to, and it'd give you both a chance to bond more. It's really a win-win all around!
posted by smorgasbord at 10:17 PM on September 18, 2015

Not horror, exactly, but maybe Isabella Rosellini's character in Blue Velvet? That would just be makeup and hair, with any slinky black dress. Or Sean Young in Blade Runner (though this outfit might feel more inhibiting/less fun than the other one). Sigourney Weaver in Alien (any, could glam it up with glitter)? Sigourney Weaver in Ghostbusters 3 (so-so film, fantastic dress - could make it more or less revealing, as long as the fabric's right)?
posted by cotton dress sock at 10:25 PM on September 18, 2015

Any character from the Hellraiser series. Kind of involved, but lots of great ideas there.
posted by rhizome at 10:28 PM on September 18, 2015

Can you rock Magenta from Rocky Horror? As I was reading your description of the party and of yourself, you just appeared before me in Magenta drag, fully kitted out and all kinds of awesome. It's also a reasonable easy costume, with a maid's uniform, glam makeup and maybe (depending on your hair) a wig.

Or go gender-bending, and pull an Eddie.
posted by kandinski at 10:30 PM on September 18, 2015

If you have a partner, my first instinct is Gomez and Morticia Addams - sexy, gothic, and classy.
posted by muddgirl at 10:35 PM on September 18, 2015

Something along the lines of Morticia Addams or Elvira - long black dress, long black wig (if you want to go all out), wash out your complexion, dramatic eye and lip. Just this side of actually a vampire.

Or a slight variation on the theme, if you have or can get a fancy-looking outfit you can trash - party-goer who (barely) survived a monster attack at a cocktail party. You can slash up the clothes, have your hair falling out of an updo, have some wounds/bandages, and if you really want to get into it, cower away from monsters at the party.
posted by EvaDestruction at 10:36 PM on September 18, 2015

that was the original Ghostbusters, G2 is the one that sucked a bit, G3 not yet out, sorry :/ Maria in Metropolis (shiny [rent] or dancing [thrift store + fixes])?
posted by cotton dress sock at 10:44 PM on September 18, 2015

There's always a glut of morticias on Halloween, and it's hard to pull off right. Wednesday Addams is actually a lot easier, and nobody expects much role playing from you. For that, you need a simple black Aline dress, a white collar, YouTube videos abound on sewing the right sort, (sorry on mobile atm, so linking a real bear), black tights, braids and a headless doll. Or YouTube Adult Wednesday Addams, it was a hysterical web series that ran into copyright issues, but the videos are around, and you could do that look pretty easily as well.
posted by SecretAgentSockpuppet at 11:36 PM on September 18, 2015

Debbie Harry in Videodrome (1-a, 1-b, 2); Catherine Deneuve in The Hunger)
posted by cotton dress sock at 1:34 AM on September 19, 2015

Slight cheat option: pick literally any glamour icon you like and can carry off and be the zombie version by the addition of the right makeup. Since you have help on the makeup front it could work very well.
posted by shelleycat at 2:37 AM on September 19, 2015

I would take myself down to the Salvation Army, were I in your shoes and look for a glam wardrobe. My character would be based on whatever high heels and such were available.

If you do not want to try to pass for a runway model-celebrity, you could try for zombie paparazzi, zombie make-up assistant or any of the other support staff that can be found around the high fashion world. Or you could be support staff from the Asylum, so you could dress up to be a nurse, orderly or psychiatrist. You wouldn't have to Zombie yourself up in that case, you would just have to keep saying things like, "We haven't been taking our meds, have we?".
posted by Jane the Brown at 5:31 AM on September 19, 2015

Y'all are awesome. These are all exactly the right vibe.
posted by jaguar at 8:04 AM on September 19, 2015

My favorite costume of all time: Tippi Hedron fron The Birds. It's good no matter how poorly executed it is.
posted by sexyrobot at 8:36 AM on September 19, 2015

Another vote for Magenta from Rocky Horror. Or perhaps Mrs Lovett from Sweeney Todd?
posted by a strong female character at 9:30 AM on September 19, 2015

You could also do like a generic "period" costume — I'm thinking 1950s pinup girl or 1920s flapper — and do the makeup to turn it into a goth/zombie/vampire version.
posted by a strong female character at 9:39 AM on September 19, 2015

My daughter in law did a great Corpse Bride costume one year, complete with painting the skeleton arm on a sleeve. She is shorter than you but built about the same and it worked great. My son was a mummy that year with lots of bandages, and both had great makeup. Another year they were zombie cowboy and Indian.
posted by mermayd at 3:03 PM on September 19, 2015

My favourite Halloween costume is post-adrenaline-shot Mia Wallace from Pulp Fiction - the makeup & nails are super glam, you just need a white shirt & black yoga pants & substitute the gold Chanel loafers for gold ballet flats. Add a comedy syringe glued to your top & some fake blood. There are even videos on YouTube about how to get the makeup right. Have a good party :)
posted by conkystconk at 3:12 PM on September 19, 2015

If you want to go a little easier and purchase some pieces to put together, I love these items from Grandinroad like the cute spider web tops and one of the spider facinators and then some fun makeup--just wear something black and simple underneath.
posted by agatha_magatha at 3:18 PM on September 19, 2015

One of my besties went as Jackie Kennedy, after the shooting...pink Chanel suit, pill box hat, gloves, pearls, and blood splatter. Insanely tasteless, but much commented on, and she pulled it off beautifully because she is very prim and proper. It's been over a decade, and I still remember that costume.
posted by SecretAgentSockpuppet at 5:26 PM on September 20, 2015