Dress my muffled ears
October 8, 2015 3:32 AM Subscribe
I'm looking for ideas for fancy dress costumes that incorporate a set of ear defender earmuffs, which I need to wear in order to deal with amplified music and crowded environments. The earmuffs look like very large headphones. I'd like gender neutral/masculine costumes if possible, but really all ideas are welcome.
Sometimes I like to go to things where I am dressed up as something I'm not. But I'm just completely incapable of tolerating loud music without large earmuffs on. I didn't even go to loud places ever until I discovered them; they are a wonderful technology, but they do tend to kind of get in the way of costumes. However! What if I were to incorporate the earmuffs into the costume? Then I could look fabulous without wanting to run out into the street with my hands over my ears.
Specifics:
My gender presentation is NB/genderqueer, clothing on the masculine side, so I'd like it if the costumes fit with that. I have short, bleached hair; at the moment it's coloured greenyblue, but I'd be prepared to change the colour for a costume if the costume were good enough to warrant it.
In general I'm more into dressing either as a specific character or as an inanimate object than as a 'type' of person (so, not so much 'A DJ' or 'A hunter') (Also the idea of dressing as a hunter gives me the creeps a bit because I live in a country where gun ownership is not usual).
Bonus: I might be going to a 90s/Buffy party for Halloween so any ideas that would fit in with that get extra points. And what do points mean? Prizes! (not really).
Sometimes I like to go to things where I am dressed up as something I'm not. But I'm just completely incapable of tolerating loud music without large earmuffs on. I didn't even go to loud places ever until I discovered them; they are a wonderful technology, but they do tend to kind of get in the way of costumes. However! What if I were to incorporate the earmuffs into the costume? Then I could look fabulous without wanting to run out into the street with my hands over my ears.
Specifics:
My gender presentation is NB/genderqueer, clothing on the masculine side, so I'd like it if the costumes fit with that. I have short, bleached hair; at the moment it's coloured greenyblue, but I'd be prepared to change the colour for a costume if the costume were good enough to warrant it.
In general I'm more into dressing either as a specific character or as an inanimate object than as a 'type' of person (so, not so much 'A DJ' or 'A hunter') (Also the idea of dressing as a hunter gives me the creeps a bit because I live in a country where gun ownership is not usual).
Bonus: I might be going to a 90s/Buffy party for Halloween so any ideas that would fit in with that get extra points. And what do points mean? Prizes! (not really).
Doesn't Xander from Buffy get a job as a construction worker? They wear earphones. That ticks both boxes.
posted by Jubey at 3:42 AM on October 8, 2015
posted by Jubey at 3:42 AM on October 8, 2015
You could go as Mark Mussler from the Village People. It doesn't fit the 90s theme, but it he was the construction worker, so you could just wear ear protection under your hardhat.
There were a fair number of Buffy demons who had horns, including the one Giles turned into. If you created the horns around the ear protection, it would both be a way to keep the horns on your head and a way to protect your ears.
posted by jacquilynne at 5:53 AM on October 8, 2015 [1 favorite]
There were a fair number of Buffy demons who had horns, including the one Giles turned into. If you created the horns around the ear protection, it would both be a way to keep the horns on your head and a way to protect your ears.
posted by jacquilynne at 5:53 AM on October 8, 2015 [1 favorite]
You could be Quicksilver from the most recent X-men movie. He wears headphones (and a Walkman) during the famous scene at Magneto's prison. And since it's the 70s, the headphones are kinda big. Picture.
posted by bluefly at 6:09 AM on October 8, 2015
posted by bluefly at 6:09 AM on October 8, 2015
He's a pretty obscure Star Wars character, and you'd need to shave your head or get a bald wig, but the first thing I thought of was Lobot.
posted by Rock Steady at 6:18 AM on October 8, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by Rock Steady at 6:18 AM on October 8, 2015 [2 favorites]
Any Harry Potter student character from the scenes where they are wearing earmuffs to pot the mandrakes!
posted by oblique red at 9:01 AM on October 8, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by oblique red at 9:01 AM on October 8, 2015 [1 favorite]
I looked up 90's costume (because I'm pretty sure I am wearing some of my 90's clothes still) and one was the teletubbies. Those costumes look so cozy and they have these hoods and giant ears. Your earmuffs might fit under nicely.
And before I saw "90's" I was think 80's roller skating girl. tube socks, old discman on your waist, etc.
Than I thought maybe over the top Roller derby girl. Drawn on tattoos, black eye, helmet, knee pads, etc. Maybe name tag with your fake roller derby name. With all the padding, helmet, the earmuffs will just blend a bit. Pads from many sports will do so they can be borrowed.
posted by ReluctantViking at 8:50 PM on October 8, 2015
And before I saw "90's" I was think 80's roller skating girl. tube socks, old discman on your waist, etc.
Than I thought maybe over the top Roller derby girl. Drawn on tattoos, black eye, helmet, knee pads, etc. Maybe name tag with your fake roller derby name. With all the padding, helmet, the earmuffs will just blend a bit. Pads from many sports will do so they can be borrowed.
posted by ReluctantViking at 8:50 PM on October 8, 2015
(Sorry for answering a different question, but have you tried musicians earplugs for noise control? They work very well for me and they're less bulky than earmuff shaped defenders.)
posted by richb at 12:37 AM on October 9, 2015
posted by richb at 12:37 AM on October 9, 2015
Response by poster: I did not post an update at the time, but I really think it's called for: I had a sudden revelation about a week after asking this question and went as Welcome to Night Vale's Cecil! I was pretty happy with the results, and here are some pictures:
http://shellcollector.tumblr.com/post/132323664456/i-totally-had-a-no-selfies-for-nebulous-reasons
The earmuffs were SO CALLED FOR (90s riot grrl music is distressingly loud); for the record, I always wear musicians' earplugs underneath as well, which is why they don't solve the problem. I find the combo very effective.
posted by Acheman at 4:40 AM on January 28, 2016
http://shellcollector.tumblr.com/post/132323664456/i-totally-had-a-no-selfies-for-nebulous-reasons
The earmuffs were SO CALLED FOR (90s riot grrl music is distressingly loud); for the record, I always wear musicians' earplugs underneath as well, which is why they don't solve the problem. I find the combo very effective.
posted by Acheman at 4:40 AM on January 28, 2016
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posted by Acheman at 3:33 AM on October 8, 2015