My 80's memories stop at shaving my hair, Cyndi Lauper style in 1985.
July 4, 2010 5:27 PM Subscribe
Costume-filter: 1989 theme. Family of four. Suggestions, please?
We are: a 42 year old woman with shoulder-length red wavy hair, average build (Australian size 14); a 46 year old man, average build, slight beer belly, with a salt-and-pepper buzzcut and a sexy trimmed goatee; very tall 12 year old girl with long dark blonde hair; and an 8 year old boy with short brown hair and glasses.
It's an outdoors party on a farm in August. It will be damned cold.
We're happy to dress up as a group or individually. I'm not bad with a sewing machine or a needle. I'm a craft nut so I have plenty of fabric and beads and felt and stuff.
My son has expressed interest in going as Michael Jackson, but I think that red zipper-encrusted leather jacket is beyond my creative skills (although I could try to buy a plain red jacket and attach zips to it, I've just realised). My daughter likes the Choose Life thing, but I'm not sure that's appropriate for so late in the decade.
Any suggestions? I'm pretty much stumped.
We are: a 42 year old woman with shoulder-length red wavy hair, average build (Australian size 14); a 46 year old man, average build, slight beer belly, with a salt-and-pepper buzzcut and a sexy trimmed goatee; very tall 12 year old girl with long dark blonde hair; and an 8 year old boy with short brown hair and glasses.
It's an outdoors party on a farm in August. It will be damned cold.
We're happy to dress up as a group or individually. I'm not bad with a sewing machine or a needle. I'm a craft nut so I have plenty of fabric and beads and felt and stuff.
My son has expressed interest in going as Michael Jackson, but I think that red zipper-encrusted leather jacket is beyond my creative skills (although I could try to buy a plain red jacket and attach zips to it, I've just realised). My daughter likes the Choose Life thing, but I'm not sure that's appropriate for so late in the decade.
Any suggestions? I'm pretty much stumped.
Public Enemy.
posted by box at 5:36 PM on July 4, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by box at 5:36 PM on July 4, 2010 [1 favorite]
Go see awkwardfamilyphotos.com and it will not be long before you have a notion.
posted by Countess Elena at 5:38 PM on July 4, 2010
posted by Countess Elena at 5:38 PM on July 4, 2010
New Kids on the Block
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 5:45 PM on July 4, 2010
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 5:45 PM on July 4, 2010
Best answer: The Berlin Wall fell in 1989. Some cardboard boxes, gray paint, spray-painted graffiti and you could all go as pieces of the wall. It would be a good way to have one theme even though you're all different sizes.
posted by PlusDistance at 5:47 PM on July 4, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by PlusDistance at 5:47 PM on July 4, 2010 [1 favorite]
Best answer: The second Ghostbusters film came out in 1989. You and your spouse could be the ghostbusters and your children be the ghosts, or vice versa.
posted by des at 5:53 PM on July 4, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by des at 5:53 PM on July 4, 2010 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Your kids aren't going to get the joke unless you can unearth old video (and none of the non-Australian mefites will either), but if you want real 1989 chops, go as Con the Fruiterer, Col'n Carpenter, Kylie Mole and Uncle Arthur from the Comedy Company.
posted by Fiasco da Gama at 6:01 PM on July 4, 2010
posted by Fiasco da Gama at 6:01 PM on July 4, 2010
Another movie that came out in '89: Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure! The possiblities are endless. (example - the kids play Bill & Ted and the parents two historical figures from the movie - I recommend Joan of Arc & Billy the Kid).
posted by mannequito at 6:12 PM on July 4, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by mannequito at 6:12 PM on July 4, 2010 [2 favorites]
The Simpsons, obviously. And, you are Lisa.
posted by mearls at 6:31 PM on July 4, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by mearls at 6:31 PM on July 4, 2010 [1 favorite]
Australia you say? 1989 saw the world welcome Yahoo Serious as "Young Einstein". Four of them at the party will freak everyone the hell out.
posted by inturnaround at 9:31 PM on July 4, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by inturnaround at 9:31 PM on July 4, 2010 [1 favorite]
Best answer: A bunch of awesome and costume plentiful movies came out in '89: Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, Ghostbusters II , Batman, The Karate Kid 3, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Back to the Future 2.
But the one that jumps out at me as being awesome costume fodder is Erik the Viking - sure you'll have to tell people why you're dressed as Vikings, but at least you'll be warm, and I bet 90% of people you tell will reply with "I LOVED THAT MOVIE!"
posted by elroyel1327 at 12:23 AM on July 5, 2010 [1 favorite]
But the one that jumps out at me as being awesome costume fodder is Erik the Viking - sure you'll have to tell people why you're dressed as Vikings, but at least you'll be warm, and I bet 90% of people you tell will reply with "I LOVED THAT MOVIE!"
posted by elroyel1327 at 12:23 AM on July 5, 2010 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Once I read "shoulder-length red hair," my first thought was the family in "Married With... Children," which debuted in '87!!
posted by polyester.lumberjack at 12:28 AM on July 5, 2010
posted by polyester.lumberjack at 12:28 AM on July 5, 2010
Response by poster: Great suggestions, thanks heaps. My daughter loves the Berlin Wall idea and my son will be an awesome Ghostbuster.
My man and I were leaning towards Con the Fruiterer and his wife Marika (although appearing in the same place at the same time is kinda wrong). But I reckon he'll love the Young Einstein and Erik the Viking ideas too, so more best answers may be awarded yet.
You guys rock. (And thanx to Countess Elena for that link. I laughed so hard my belly ached.)
posted by malibustacey9999 at 12:35 AM on July 5, 2010
My man and I were leaning towards Con the Fruiterer and his wife Marika (although appearing in the same place at the same time is kinda wrong). But I reckon he'll love the Young Einstein and Erik the Viking ideas too, so more best answers may be awarded yet.
You guys rock. (And thanx to Countess Elena for that link. I laughed so hard my belly ached.)
posted by malibustacey9999 at 12:35 AM on July 5, 2010
I think you need a sitcom. However, the only '89 sitcoms I can think of are The Cosby Show and The Upper Hand, which you probably didn't even get over there.
How about The Golden Girls?
posted by mippy at 3:23 AM on July 5, 2010
How about The Golden Girls?
posted by mippy at 3:23 AM on July 5, 2010
Watch old episodes of America's Funniest Home Videos. Note the monstrously bad hairdos of the audience.
posted by oonh at 7:54 AM on July 5, 2010
posted by oonh at 7:54 AM on July 5, 2010
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posted by tracicle at 5:31 PM on July 4, 2010 [1 favorite]