British Birthday Do
January 25, 2011 10:52 AM Subscribe
I was invited to a British-themed costume party this Friday and I have no clue who/what to be! The only rule is to dress as a British person/thing, but I have a few restrictions of my own. Both individual and couple's ideas are welcome.
I'm an average-sized, mid-twenties female. My budget is pretty small (no more than $20 or so) so any costume that could be easily acquired at a thrift store would be a plus. I have work/school every day except Friday, the day of the party, so I'm also on a severe time constraint. The biggest wrench is that I have an appointment on Friday to get my shoulder-length brown hair cut, probably pretty short (above my ears). I guess this also opens me up to male costumes, although I'd prefer a female or non-gendered object unless it's something really amazing. I also have access to a few wigs: a chin-length blonde, a very long platinum blonde with bangs, a red bob, a blonde afro, and a Marie Antoinette style wig. I have a varied wardrobe with a few vintag-ey dresses, too. Extra-super bonus points for easy couple's costumes. My boyfriend is having a hard time with this as well. He is tall, short brown hair, and has a beard (he's willing to shave).
Other than cost/time/access, there are no constraints. I'm open to people (both modern and historic), things, ideas, wordplay, whatever. Have at it, folks! And thanks in advance for the help.
I'm an average-sized, mid-twenties female. My budget is pretty small (no more than $20 or so) so any costume that could be easily acquired at a thrift store would be a plus. I have work/school every day except Friday, the day of the party, so I'm also on a severe time constraint. The biggest wrench is that I have an appointment on Friday to get my shoulder-length brown hair cut, probably pretty short (above my ears). I guess this also opens me up to male costumes, although I'd prefer a female or non-gendered object unless it's something really amazing. I also have access to a few wigs: a chin-length blonde, a very long platinum blonde with bangs, a red bob, a blonde afro, and a Marie Antoinette style wig. I have a varied wardrobe with a few vintag-ey dresses, too. Extra-super bonus points for easy couple's costumes. My boyfriend is having a hard time with this as well. He is tall, short brown hair, and has a beard (he's willing to shave).
Other than cost/time/access, there are no constraints. I'm open to people (both modern and historic), things, ideas, wordplay, whatever. Have at it, folks! And thanks in advance for the help.
My parents went to a party dressed as Julia Child and her husband Paul. My father, who is actually British, went as Julia.
For a Julia Child costume, you need a blouse and a skirt, a short haircut, dowdy pumps, and an apron. Plus a rubber chicken if you can get it.
posted by KathrynT at 11:01 AM on January 25, 2011 [2 favorites]
For a Julia Child costume, you need a blouse and a skirt, a short haircut, dowdy pumps, and an apron. Plus a rubber chicken if you can get it.
posted by KathrynT at 11:01 AM on January 25, 2011 [2 favorites]
Hmm, be Princess Anne and her husband? Looking veddy veddy proper or horsey should work. She wears a lot of hats, which helps as well.
posted by bearwife at 11:03 AM on January 25, 2011
posted by bearwife at 11:03 AM on January 25, 2011
Julia Child was American.
Could you do Emma Peel?
posted by Admiral Haddock at 11:03 AM on January 25, 2011 [2 favorites]
Could you do Emma Peel?
posted by Admiral Haddock at 11:03 AM on January 25, 2011 [2 favorites]
My first thought was to use one of the blonde wigs and go as Sid and Nancy, but then I remembered that Nancy was American. But the costumes would be pretty easy (more of a hair/makeup deal than clothes).
posted by phunniemee at 11:04 AM on January 25, 2011
posted by phunniemee at 11:04 AM on January 25, 2011
Best answer: Do you think you might be able to pull off one of the new Doctor Whos with companion? (link is an image search to get you started)
For Doctors you've got Christopher Eccleston (black leather jacket, short hair), David Tennant (pinstripey brown jacket, glasses) and Matt Smith (tweed, red bowtie) to choose from.
Best companions for you would be either Rose Tyler (longish blond hair, dresses a bit like a chav) or Amy Pond (bit more twee, red hair). If you're being technical, Rose goes with Eccleston or Tenant, but not Smith, while Amy goes only with Smith, but I expect you can be forgiven for taking liberties there.
(Someone, somewhere is probably infuriated by those capsule descriptions. Sorry.) I suggest them because they're fun, well known, very British, and they wear pretty normal present day outfits. Easy to accessorize with a prop and a few bits of dialogue to drop. Dummy up a sonic screwdriver for the boyfriend, etc. etc.
posted by Naberius at 11:06 AM on January 25, 2011 [6 favorites]
For Doctors you've got Christopher Eccleston (black leather jacket, short hair), David Tennant (pinstripey brown jacket, glasses) and Matt Smith (tweed, red bowtie) to choose from.
Best companions for you would be either Rose Tyler (longish blond hair, dresses a bit like a chav) or Amy Pond (bit more twee, red hair). If you're being technical, Rose goes with Eccleston or Tenant, but not Smith, while Amy goes only with Smith, but I expect you can be forgiven for taking liberties there.
(Someone, somewhere is probably infuriated by those capsule descriptions. Sorry.) I suggest them because they're fun, well known, very British, and they wear pretty normal present day outfits. Easy to accessorize with a prop and a few bits of dialogue to drop. Dummy up a sonic screwdriver for the boyfriend, etc. etc.
posted by Naberius at 11:06 AM on January 25, 2011 [6 favorites]
Best answer: This may be way too wildly geeky or impractical given the time and budget constraints, but my gut reaction is that you and the bf go as Trillian and Arthur Dent from the party scene of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. The most recent movie version places them at a costume party in London; she is dressed up as Charles Darwin complete with fake beard and carrying a stuffed beagle (...get it?). I can't remember what costume he is in, unfortunately.
So you're two people at a party dressed up as characters from an English author who are themselves dressed up as English characters at a party. Recursion overload.
posted by backseatpilot at 11:06 AM on January 25, 2011 [8 favorites]
So you're two people at a party dressed up as characters from an English author who are themselves dressed up as English characters at a party. Recursion overload.
posted by backseatpilot at 11:06 AM on January 25, 2011 [8 favorites]
Not sure how Marie Antoinette is British, but the idea of going as royalty certainly works.
Or - consider Brits from the early 20th century - Charlie Chaplin for your boyfriend maybe, and you as a flapper?
posted by darsh at 11:08 AM on January 25, 2011
Or - consider Brits from the early 20th century - Charlie Chaplin for your boyfriend maybe, and you as a flapper?
posted by darsh at 11:08 AM on January 25, 2011
Henry VIII had a beard, and several wives to choose from for your costume.
posted by motsque at 11:09 AM on January 25, 2011
posted by motsque at 11:09 AM on January 25, 2011
Best answer: OR spray your new short hair-do silver to go as M and James Bond!
posted by motsque at 11:10 AM on January 25, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by motsque at 11:10 AM on January 25, 2011 [1 favorite]
Lutoslawski, unless I'm missing something - Marie Antoinette was an Austrian Queen of France, Freddy Mercury was from Zanzibar and India (okay, they were British colonies... but still) and Catherine the Great was a German Empress of Russia.
posted by XMLicious at 11:12 AM on January 25, 2011 [9 favorites]
posted by XMLicious at 11:12 AM on January 25, 2011 [9 favorites]
If you look to English literature there are a ton of possibilities. You could go as any of Jane Austen's characters or even Shakespeare.
If you want to rock the short hair, Rosalind from As You Like It dressed up like a boy.
posted by TooFewShoes at 11:13 AM on January 25, 2011 [1 favorite]
If you want to rock the short hair, Rosalind from As You Like It dressed up like a boy.
posted by TooFewShoes at 11:13 AM on January 25, 2011 [1 favorite]
Are you Monty Python fans/are other partygoers? I imagine terrible 70s men's clothing would be pretty easy to find at a thrift store, or there's a million different references you could go with.
If you're crafty, perhaps a pair of telephone boxes?
If you're younger, you could maybe be Cassie and Sid (or other characters, if you'd like) from Skins. I suggest those characters because you have a long blonde wig and vintage-y dresses, which are perfect for Cassie, and Sid always wears glasses, a black beanie covering most of his hair, and usually a dumb t-shirt.
posted by MadamM at 11:14 AM on January 25, 2011
If you're crafty, perhaps a pair of telephone boxes?
If you're younger, you could maybe be Cassie and Sid (or other characters, if you'd like) from Skins. I suggest those characters because you have a long blonde wig and vintage-y dresses, which are perfect for Cassie, and Sid always wears glasses, a black beanie covering most of his hair, and usually a dumb t-shirt.
posted by MadamM at 11:14 AM on January 25, 2011
If it weren't for that $20 budget, you could use the Marie Antoinette wig and go as the Duchess of Devonshire and your boyfriend as the Duke. Bang! Perfect. Done.
But $20 won't get you much these days for a costume.
So I am thinking you might want to do something more modern and be Bridget Jones, while your boyfriend could be her boyfriend. As I recall, when Bridget first met her potential boyfriend, she discounted him because he had on an ugly sweater. That should be easy enough for your boyfriend to do. Surely you know someone with an ugly sweater? Or you could put a felt reindeer on a plain sweater.
And you could carry a diary and say things like, "Resolution #1: Uggg - will obviously lose 20 lbs. #2: Always put last night's panties in the laundry basket. Equally important: will find nice sensible boyfriend and stop forming romantic attachments to any of the following: alcoholics, workaholics, sexaholics, commitment-phobics, peeping toms, megalomaniacs, emotional fuckwits, or perverts. Will especially stop fantasizing about a particular person who embodies all these things."
posted by misha at 11:19 AM on January 25, 2011 [2 favorites]
But $20 won't get you much these days for a costume.
So I am thinking you might want to do something more modern and be Bridget Jones, while your boyfriend could be her boyfriend. As I recall, when Bridget first met her potential boyfriend, she discounted him because he had on an ugly sweater. That should be easy enough for your boyfriend to do. Surely you know someone with an ugly sweater? Or you could put a felt reindeer on a plain sweater.
And you could carry a diary and say things like, "Resolution #1: Uggg - will obviously lose 20 lbs. #2: Always put last night's panties in the laundry basket. Equally important: will find nice sensible boyfriend and stop forming romantic attachments to any of the following: alcoholics, workaholics, sexaholics, commitment-phobics, peeping toms, megalomaniacs, emotional fuckwits, or perverts. Will especially stop fantasizing about a particular person who embodies all these things."
posted by misha at 11:19 AM on January 25, 2011 [2 favorites]
Wear the wig, some big glasses, an old dress, a feather duster, overly stuffed brassiere and go as Mrs. Doubtfire.
Or even better, Go as Tobias Funke as Mrs. Doubtfire, aka Mrs. Featherbottom.
posted by yeti at 11:25 AM on January 25, 2011
Or even better, Go as Tobias Funke as Mrs. Doubtfire, aka Mrs. Featherbottom.
posted by yeti at 11:25 AM on January 25, 2011
How about Harry and Hermione? Or Hagrid if he doesn't feel like shaving.
posted by wwartorff at 11:31 AM on January 25, 2011
posted by wwartorff at 11:31 AM on January 25, 2011
Oh. Sorry. Haircut. Large hat to differentiate yourself from the masses?
posted by tel3path at 11:31 AM on January 25, 2011
posted by tel3path at 11:31 AM on January 25, 2011
Lutoslawski, unless I'm missing something - Marie Antoinette was an Austrian Queen of France, Freddy Mercury was from Zanzibar and India (okay, they were British colonies... but still) and Catherine the Great was a German Empress of Russia.
Oh shiiiii
Everyone ignore me, please.
posted by Lutoslawski at 11:37 AM on January 25, 2011 [1 favorite]
Oh shiiiii
Everyone ignore me, please.
posted by Lutoslawski at 11:37 AM on January 25, 2011 [1 favorite]
My first thought was Kate and wills, if you're brunette and he's willing to have a shave that would be pretty easy to throw together-if you could find a costume ring with a big blue stone for the 'identifier'! But if you're having your hair cut short - posh and becks?
posted by Mnky197 at 11:40 AM on January 25, 2011
posted by Mnky197 at 11:40 AM on January 25, 2011
Get some iron on printer paper and print a picture of Pinky from Pinky and the Brain on it. He's the one on the left. Iron on the pictures on t-shirts. Wear the t-shirts under normal, yet loose, clothes.
When someone asks how are you British, both you and your boyfriend shout in unison in a falsetto British accent, "PINKYS UP!" and flash your loose overclothes, revealing the mouse beneath.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 11:55 AM on January 25, 2011
When someone asks how are you British, both you and your boyfriend shout in unison in a falsetto British accent, "PINKYS UP!" and flash your loose overclothes, revealing the mouse beneath.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 11:55 AM on January 25, 2011
Best answer: Sticking with the Doctor Who theme, you and your boyfriend could just wear your regular clothes and say that you're "the 12th Doctor and his companion" since there hasn't been a 12th Doctor yet, so he could look like anyone!
posted by LaurenIpsum at 11:55 AM on January 25, 2011
posted by LaurenIpsum at 11:55 AM on January 25, 2011
Both of you should wear suits and ties and go as David Cameron and Nick Clegg. Of course, to be accurate, whoever goes as Nick Clegg should also wear a leash and collar and perhaps a gimp mask.
posted by sarastro at 12:16 PM on January 25, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by sarastro at 12:16 PM on January 25, 2011 [2 favorites]
If you could get a couple of Guy Fawkes masks, you could be V/Evey in V for Vendetta. Sure, the $20 wouldn't let you go full out in the costume, but in black hoodies/dark clothing with the masks you could pretend you're from the movie version and that as Evey, you're "growing your hair back".
Or maybe someone from Shaun of the Dead? It'd be in modern clothes, fake blood is cheap and you can (mostly) choose your zombie decapitation weapon of choice.
posted by zix at 12:23 PM on January 25, 2011
Or maybe someone from Shaun of the Dead? It'd be in modern clothes, fake blood is cheap and you can (mostly) choose your zombie decapitation weapon of choice.
posted by zix at 12:23 PM on January 25, 2011
Can you get access to a play sword? You could make an easy Boadicea costume out of that and whatever you decide to cobble together as a warrior costume. An image search suggests that everyone has their own idea of what Boadicea would have worn. Maybe blue makeup squiggles on your body or face for woad.
posted by fingersandtoes at 12:31 PM on January 25, 2011
posted by fingersandtoes at 12:31 PM on January 25, 2011
Austin Powers and anything that moves & is female. Or if the male portion of your party owns a great suit, why not any of the James Bonds (+ anything that moves & is female).
posted by Ys at 12:41 PM on January 25, 2011
posted by Ys at 12:41 PM on January 25, 2011
Mary Poppins. Boyfriend could go as the chimney-sweep from the movie.
posted by logicpunk at 12:54 PM on January 25, 2011
posted by logicpunk at 12:54 PM on January 25, 2011
Fish and chips.
posted by TheGoodBlood at 1:31 PM on January 25, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by TheGoodBlood at 1:31 PM on January 25, 2011 [1 favorite]
Are you Monty Python fans/are other partygoers? I imagine terrible 70s men's clothing would be pretty easy to find at a thrift store, or there's a million different references you could go with.
If you do this, you have to wear a handkerchief on your head.
Other ideas:
King Arthur and Guinevere - ham this up as much as possible, in the vein of Monty Python And The Holy Grail. Guinevere would be easy with one of those flowey Renn Faire style Gunne Saxx dresses from the 70's, if your local thrift stores have such things. Arthur really just needs cardboard armor. Burger King crowns would suffice.
You said you don't want to go as a male character, but you could easily pull off one of the many iterations of The Doctor. Your guy could go as a different one (yes, that is allowed).
Captain Jack Harkness is apparently an American (Or Is He???), but yeah. That. Maybe you could pass for Gwen Cooper? Hard to figure a Gwen "costume", though you could definitely practice your Welsh accent throughout the week. Bonus points if you have a gap between your front teeth. If you happen to have a friendly neighborhood sci fi makeup specialist, you could get them to make you over as a Weevil.
Go as Prince William and Kate Middleton - no costume needed for you, just a big gaudy cocktail ring with a "sapphire" in and RP accents all around. (Actually I've never heard either of them talk, but I'm assuming she's not from Yorkshire or anything.)
BBC Newsreaders? Every time someone assumes you're a newscaster or newsanchor be sure to correct them.
Deep within me there is some sort of clever Gin And Tonic costume idea, but it hasn't made itself known yet...
posted by Sara C. at 1:33 PM on January 25, 2011
If you do this, you have to wear a handkerchief on your head.
Other ideas:
King Arthur and Guinevere - ham this up as much as possible, in the vein of Monty Python And The Holy Grail. Guinevere would be easy with one of those flowey Renn Faire style Gunne Saxx dresses from the 70's, if your local thrift stores have such things. Arthur really just needs cardboard armor. Burger King crowns would suffice.
You said you don't want to go as a male character, but you could easily pull off one of the many iterations of The Doctor. Your guy could go as a different one (yes, that is allowed).
Captain Jack Harkness is apparently an American (Or Is He???), but yeah. That. Maybe you could pass for Gwen Cooper? Hard to figure a Gwen "costume", though you could definitely practice your Welsh accent throughout the week. Bonus points if you have a gap between your front teeth. If you happen to have a friendly neighborhood sci fi makeup specialist, you could get them to make you over as a Weevil.
Go as Prince William and Kate Middleton - no costume needed for you, just a big gaudy cocktail ring with a "sapphire" in and RP accents all around. (Actually I've never heard either of them talk, but I'm assuming she's not from Yorkshire or anything.)
BBC Newsreaders? Every time someone assumes you're a newscaster or newsanchor be sure to correct them.
Deep within me there is some sort of clever Gin And Tonic costume idea, but it hasn't made itself known yet...
posted by Sara C. at 1:33 PM on January 25, 2011
David Attenborough and a wild animal? Blackadder and Baldric?
posted by emjaybee at 1:55 PM on January 25, 2011
posted by emjaybee at 1:55 PM on January 25, 2011
Trillian and Arthur Dent from The HitchHikers Guide to the Universe. Although Trillian has latterly been portrayed by American actresses, she had an English accent in the original radio series and the books and is supposedly taken to be of English origin even in the American-accented versions.
posted by Jakey at 2:00 PM on January 25, 2011
posted by Jakey at 2:00 PM on January 25, 2011
If you're way crafty, you could build a cardboard or foam costume of one of the Home Nations; possibly a his-and-hers Scotland and Wales with appropriate accents and attitudes? I'm thinking in the style of these California or Africa costumes.
posted by Homeboy Trouble at 2:21 PM on January 25, 2011
posted by Homeboy Trouble at 2:21 PM on January 25, 2011
If you can find a Men's suit and red tie that fit you, you could go as Mr. Bean! (Bonus points because most Americans will get it)
Alternatively, he could go as Mr. Bean, and you could go as Teddy.
And, seriously. If you're going to go as The Doctor and one of his companions, make it Tom Baker and Sarah Jane Smith. Easily the most recognizable.
Ozzie/Sharon Osbourne
John / Yoko
Riff Raff & Magenta (Rocky Horror was actually a British production!)
Fish & Chips ;-)
James Bond & A Stereotypically Attractive Lady
Sherlock & Watson
I lifted a lot of these from this discussion.
posted by schmod at 2:37 PM on January 25, 2011
Alternatively, he could go as Mr. Bean, and you could go as Teddy.
And, seriously. If you're going to go as The Doctor and one of his companions, make it Tom Baker and Sarah Jane Smith. Easily the most recognizable.
Ozzie/Sharon Osbourne
John / Yoko
Riff Raff & Magenta (Rocky Horror was actually a British production!)
Fish & Chips ;-)
James Bond & A Stereotypically Attractive Lady
Sherlock & Watson
I lifted a lot of these from this discussion.
posted by schmod at 2:37 PM on January 25, 2011
Blackadder and Bob? With your haircut and your boyf's beard, you're made for them.
Fan some paper to make a ruff apiece and wear shorts stuffed with something to make them look like britches. Plus you get to slap your thigh every time you tell people who you are.
posted by penguin pie at 2:59 PM on January 25, 2011
Fan some paper to make a ruff apiece and wear shorts stuffed with something to make them look like britches. Plus you get to slap your thigh every time you tell people who you are.
posted by penguin pie at 2:59 PM on January 25, 2011
In case you need to practice the thigh slap - at 4'57" !
posted by penguin pie at 3:10 PM on January 25, 2011
posted by penguin pie at 3:10 PM on January 25, 2011
Jeeves and Wooster!
Whoever between you two can play the piano and sing Nagasaki should be Wooster.
posted by droplet at 3:11 PM on January 25, 2011
Whoever between you two can play the piano and sing Nagasaki should be Wooster.
posted by droplet at 3:11 PM on January 25, 2011
Frye & Laurie?
Dame Judi Dench, Helen Mirren, or any one of a number of British actresses.
Helena Bonham Carter went to the Golden Globe Awards extravagantly dressed, with mismatched shoes. Would be fun to recreate. A good and easy male partner costume would be the fetching Colin Firth, who seems to always wear a crisp pale blue or white shirt, jeans, loafers and a navy blazer. They starred as the King & Queen in The King's Speech.
posted by theora55 at 3:23 PM on January 25, 2011
Dame Judi Dench, Helen Mirren, or any one of a number of British actresses.
Helena Bonham Carter went to the Golden Globe Awards extravagantly dressed, with mismatched shoes. Would be fun to recreate. A good and easy male partner costume would be the fetching Colin Firth, who seems to always wear a crisp pale blue or white shirt, jeans, loafers and a navy blazer. They starred as the King & Queen in The King's Speech.
posted by theora55 at 3:23 PM on January 25, 2011
Oh, and I feel that you must post pics of your costumes. I'm sure there's an Ask.Me law requiring this.
posted by theora55 at 3:23 PM on January 25, 2011
posted by theora55 at 3:23 PM on January 25, 2011
Seconding Admiral Haddock's Emma Peel suggestion (couldn't you postpone the haircut??) - and your boyfriend could go as John Steed - and voila.
posted by HandfulOfDust at 3:37 PM on January 25, 2011
posted by HandfulOfDust at 3:37 PM on January 25, 2011
Hmm. For minimum effort and maximum affectation of ridiculous accents, I would dress as a member of the landed gentry would for a tea party. Think: cardigans, ill-fitting floral dress, white/lace gloves, pearl-like necklace. A large and ungainly hat would be desirable but not essential. Invent a posh alter ego with a stately name -- "Lady caravan", "right honourable dame cupcake", whatever. Carry around cucumber sandwiches (cut into triangle with no crusts, naturally) and offer everyone tea (possible boozy alternative: pimms). If possible, serve drunkening beverages from a teapot.
I envision the gentleman counterpart to this costume being like something out of the bullingdon club, but you do need a tail coat for that. Be sure to complain about the oiks and destroy the public sector.
The Avengers suggestion would be fabulous, also.
posted by the cat's pyjamas at 4:02 PM on January 25, 2011
I envision the gentleman counterpart to this costume being like something out of the bullingdon club, but you do need a tail coat for that. Be sure to complain about the oiks and destroy the public sector.
The Avengers suggestion would be fabulous, also.
posted by the cat's pyjamas at 4:02 PM on January 25, 2011
To go with the telephone box idea, how about a Royal Post box?
posted by fiercekitten at 4:05 PM on January 25, 2011
posted by fiercekitten at 4:05 PM on January 25, 2011
I would dress as a member of the landed gentry would for a tea party. Think: cardigans, ill-fitting floral dress, white/lace gloves, pearl-like necklace. A large and ungainly hat would be desirable but not essential.
So in other words, Hyacinth Bucket?
If you want to sell that particular character, be sure to remind everyone all the time that your last name is pronounced boo-KAY. If your cell phone rings during the course of the evening, loudly answer it, "Boo-KAY Residence, The Lady Of The House Speaking!"
posted by Sara C. at 4:20 PM on January 25, 2011
So in other words, Hyacinth Bucket?
If you want to sell that particular character, be sure to remind everyone all the time that your last name is pronounced boo-KAY. If your cell phone rings during the course of the evening, loudly answer it, "Boo-KAY Residence, The Lady Of The House Speaking!"
posted by Sara C. at 4:20 PM on January 25, 2011
I'm cringing as I type this, but there's always Mrs Slocombe... Her outfits are easily sourced at any charity shop, and you can beg, borrow or steal a toy cat from a handy child. Your longsuffering boyfriend could be Captain Peacock (he'd have to shave off most of his beard, but needs must).
posted by HandfulOfDust at 4:28 PM on January 25, 2011
posted by HandfulOfDust at 4:28 PM on January 25, 2011
You could wear the Marie Antoinette wig, muss it up a bit, wrap yourself in a sheet and go as the courtesan Grace Dalrymple Elliot. Granted, this is only advisable if you feel like spending the evening explaining who that is.
You could go as a transported convict- that works with the short hair. You just need a white t-shirt with arrows drawn on it with a permanent marker, some aluminium foil manacles and a good sob story about how you were caught stealing a loaf of bread to feed your eight starving children, who you will never see again.
posted by PercyByssheShelley at 4:44 PM on January 25, 2011
You could go as a transported convict- that works with the short hair. You just need a white t-shirt with arrows drawn on it with a permanent marker, some aluminium foil manacles and a good sob story about how you were caught stealing a loaf of bread to feed your eight starving children, who you will never see again.
posted by PercyByssheShelley at 4:44 PM on January 25, 2011
Margaret Thatcher - wear the blonde wig, hit people every now and again with your handbag and wax lyrical about Ronnie Reagan.
posted by idiomatika at 4:51 PM on January 25, 2011
posted by idiomatika at 4:51 PM on January 25, 2011
How about a box of the oft-ballyhooed "proper digestive biscuits"?
posted by DoctorFedora at 10:06 PM on January 25, 2011
posted by DoctorFedora at 10:06 PM on January 25, 2011
If you can ad lib and do an RP accent, go as BBC World Service newsreaders. Whenever anyone asks what you are, immediately begin describing the entire room (decor, partygoers, drinks) in excruciating detail and then blame the U.S.
Put on zombie makeup and ripped clothes, go as The Dead Hand Of Empire.
Carry a boombox playing "Yakkety Sax"; put small eyeglasses, a cap, and a cardigan on your husband and wear only a bikini and a handbag yourself; go as "The Benny Hill Show" and frequently strike him with your handbag.
posted by wenestvedt at 9:10 AM on January 26, 2011 [1 favorite]
Put on zombie makeup and ripped clothes, go as The Dead Hand Of Empire.
Carry a boombox playing "Yakkety Sax"; put small eyeglasses, a cap, and a cardigan on your husband and wear only a bikini and a handbag yourself; go as "The Benny Hill Show" and frequently strike him with your handbag.
posted by wenestvedt at 9:10 AM on January 26, 2011 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Wow. You guys are awesome. These are all fantastic ideas! I'm going to share the thread with other invitees in case anyone else is having trouble.
I am totally kicking myself for not thinking of Dr. Who before posting this thread. The BF and I are HUGE who fans and this is probably what we'll end up going with. He especially liked the idea of being the 12th Doctor/companion (we may do this if we're not able to cobble together good enough costumes in time).
My absolute favorite idea was the Arthur/Trillian in fancy dress from the Hitchhiker's Guide movie. If I had more time and money, this is totally the idea we would've gone with.
Anyway, thanks so much for the help. I'll try to remember to post photos!
posted by a.steele at 10:02 AM on January 26, 2011
I am totally kicking myself for not thinking of Dr. Who before posting this thread. The BF and I are HUGE who fans and this is probably what we'll end up going with. He especially liked the idea of being the 12th Doctor/companion (we may do this if we're not able to cobble together good enough costumes in time).
My absolute favorite idea was the Arthur/Trillian in fancy dress from the Hitchhiker's Guide movie. If I had more time and money, this is totally the idea we would've gone with.
Anyway, thanks so much for the help. I'll try to remember to post photos!
posted by a.steele at 10:02 AM on January 26, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Lutoslawski at 11:01 AM on January 25, 2011