Halloween in a Navy Blue Ballgown?

October 2, 2016 10:34 AM

I have this dress in a dark navy blue (I think they call it Marine, but it's darker in real life than in the photo.) I'd like to use it as the base for a Halloween costume! I'm 5'7ish, size 16, with red hair. Happy to wear a wig, crazy makeup, buy accessories, whatever! Any and all ideas appreciated!
posted by firei to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (21 answers total)

You'd likely have to work out sleeves (or a cape?), but Merida from the movie Brave?
posted by staraling at 10:43 AM on October 2, 2016

Staraling, that reminds me - I should mention, in the past few years I've done a generic Rapunzel, Merida from Brave, and Daenerys from Game of Thrones, so I'd like to go with something that isn't one of those three! :) Thanks for the idea, though! Ok, going away so I don't threadsit!
posted by firei at 10:46 AM on October 2, 2016

You could add on some (temporary, if you want to keep reusing the dress) designs/decorations to become Starry Night!
posted by damayanti at 10:49 AM on October 2, 2016

Have a look at the web site Take Back Halloween - that's got a whole bunch of kick-ass DIY ideas for Halloween costumes for women that aren't the kind of "Sexy ______ " thing. Their emphasis is on queens and goddesses and such, and is also very much on "no sewing".

I'll grant some of their ideas are people you'd have to constantly be explaining who they are, but some other ideas that jump out at me that you could use that for:

* Ishtar. Safety pins and a bunch of yards of the cold fringey stuff and you could adapt the gown.
* Rita Hayworth. They have her in a black dress, but I'm sure Rita Hayworth wore blue at some point in some film. You've even got the red hair.
* Queen Victoria. They feature the younger Queen Victoria, and you can easily throw a bigger skirt over what you've got to make it poofy, and then just add a sash and crown and jewelry and you're good.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 10:57 AM on October 2, 2016

Especially with your red hair, I'm thinking Rose from Titanic. Find a shawl, evening gloves, a big blue heart costume necklace, and if you're macabre, kelp, fish nets and other oceany detritus. (Bonus: you won't have to dry your hair.)
posted by kimberussell at 11:22 AM on October 2, 2016

Zombie prom goer?
posted by joycehealy at 11:23 AM on October 2, 2016

Is it the sort of dark navy blue that might lend itself to a Captain America or Agent Carter cosplay?
posted by Lyn Never at 11:31 AM on October 2, 2016

(Or Cookie Monster?)
posted by Lyn Never at 11:32 AM on October 2, 2016

Devil with a blue dress,
blue dress,
blue dress,
Devil with a blue dress on.
posted by theperfectcrime at 11:40 AM on October 2, 2016

Joan from Mad Men!
posted by tristeza at 12:07 PM on October 2, 2016

Ursula from The Little Mermaid is pretty cool--you'd need white hairspray, a necklace with a shell pendant, bright eyeshadow and tentacles (stuffed purple tights?). Her dress is strapless but I think your dress would work.

But I really like kimberussell's suggestion of Rose from Titanic, because of your red hair!
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 12:09 PM on October 2, 2016

I love for generic princess. Add a crown and pearl earings. Lots of eyeliner and bright lipstick. Demand people obey you. Toddlers would especially love this costume if you recieve trick or treaters.
posted by Kalmya at 1:09 PM on October 2, 2016

Something celestial in nature would be my vote - I don't think it would be too hard to make a skirt-like overlay with LED lights (or to just add stars with flatback rhinestones, glow-in-the-dark paint, etc.). You could also accentuate your hair with light up barettes, with or without fiber optic extensions, paint exposed skin blue (with optional constellations)... play it up as much as you want.
posted by daikaisho at 1:45 PM on October 2, 2016

Rowena Ravenclaw from Harry Potter. Black wig, some kind of bell sleeved jacket to make the gown look more medeival-esque, and the diadem, which is basically a tiara with a big blue oval sapphire on it, plus a wand probably and silver accessories, maybe a really big book (or a purse made out of a box that looks like a book, which you can often find at craft stores.)

I also like the idea of something celestial, and it'd be much less obscure. You could make a garland of stars out of shiny card and drape yourself like a Christmas tree, maybe paint your face like a classic sun and spike your hair like rays?
posted by Mizu at 1:58 PM on October 2, 2016

I've had extremely good lucky going as a beauty queen — you can do it up as sincerely or as ironically as you like hair/makeup-wise, but as long as you have a crown and a sash that says "Miss [Location]," you're set. (It's fun to pick a VERY specific area/neighborhood.)
posted by Charity Garfein at 2:02 PM on October 2, 2016

Movie star of your choice on the red carpet. As a prop, you need an escort in a tux.
posted by SemiSalt at 2:32 PM on October 2, 2016

If you put a few white labels onto it that say "Police Box", and made a little fascinator with a light on it for your head, you could be the TARDIS from Dr. Who.
posted by cleverevans at 2:49 PM on October 2, 2016

Seconding theperfectcrime's idea up above, and adding the song being referenced (which is now in my head but that's okay because it's awesome). The lyrics actually specify more details of the outfit:

Wearin' her wig hat and shades to match
She's got high-heel shoes and an alligator hat
Wearin' her pearls and her diamond rings
She's got bracelets on her fingers, now, and everything
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:27 PM on October 2, 2016

I know someone who took a blue dress, wrapped it in tiny white LED lights, added some stick-on stars/planets/comets/nebula-type-things, wore a tiara of stars, carried a bouquet of glitter-covered fake flowers, and wore a plain white sash. You had to guess that she was "Miss Universe."
posted by erst at 6:37 PM on October 2, 2016

Pretty dress! How about a Bride of Frankenstein homage? Tease your hair back huge, add the white streaks and heavy eye makeup. It's a classic look and recognizable, but with red hair and navy dress you can make it your own and say you're a bridesmaid of Frankenstein.
I also love the idea of a zombie bridesmaid or zombie beauty queen.
posted by areaperson at 6:40 PM on October 2, 2016

Holy crap these are way better ideas than I was coming up with! I'm leaning strongly towards a night sky/galaxy type of thing, but I also quite interested in Rowena Ravenclaw (which I did think of on my own after posting this!), devil with a blue dress on, and I love the "bridesmaid of Frankenstein"!

I'm going to allow myself a day or two to ponder before I make a decision - thank you all so much!
posted by firei at 7:38 PM on October 2, 2016