I need help putting together a decent costume for Halloween.
September 22, 2011 6:47 PM Subscribe
I need a good, slightly nerdy costume for Halloween, and I want something actually decent that won't be overly expensive. I could use some help with the actual logistics, though. Advice?
I know it's a little early for posts like this, but I wanted to get a head-start in case whatever I decide on takes a few weeks to put together.
It's been.. roughly half a lifetime since I dressed up for Halloween. My new company has a yearly Halloween party, so I need to costume myself. I don't want to do anything half-assed (e.g. those $30 costumes you can buy at Ricky's), but I also don't want to break the bank on this. Also, neither my girlfriend nor I are at all capable with a sewing machine, and we don't really have access to one either way.
I'm a nerd at heart, so some ideas I had were from movies or video games: anyone from Battlestar, Firefly, Assassin's Creed, etc. Is it at all possible to get a decent geeky costume for under $200 USD? Do you have any ideas/recommendations on actually putting together a costume?
I know it's a little early for posts like this, but I wanted to get a head-start in case whatever I decide on takes a few weeks to put together.
It's been.. roughly half a lifetime since I dressed up for Halloween. My new company has a yearly Halloween party, so I need to costume myself. I don't want to do anything half-assed (e.g. those $30 costumes you can buy at Ricky's), but I also don't want to break the bank on this. Also, neither my girlfriend nor I are at all capable with a sewing machine, and we don't really have access to one either way.
I'm a nerd at heart, so some ideas I had were from movies or video games: anyone from Battlestar, Firefly, Assassin's Creed, etc. Is it at all possible to get a decent geeky costume for under $200 USD? Do you have any ideas/recommendations on actually putting together a costume?
I think a random crew member from BSG would be one of the easiest and cheapest costumes. Basically it would consist of two different colored tanktops, cargo pants and army boots. (I think I am going be doing that this year actually).
I suggest looking in thrift stores/good will for your Halloween needs on the cheap.
posted by littlesq at 7:03 PM on September 22, 2011
I suggest looking in thrift stores/good will for your Halloween needs on the cheap.
posted by littlesq at 7:03 PM on September 22, 2011
A group of friends and I were the Firefly cast a few years ago. To be Mal, you'd need tight pants, boots, and a button down shirt. Jayne would require the Jayne hat, and maybe an impressive nerf gun, with boots and cargo-y pants. Wash just needs cargo pants, a Hawaiian shirt, and a few plastic dinosaurs.
posted by ChuraChura at 7:23 PM on September 22, 2011
posted by ChuraChura at 7:23 PM on September 22, 2011
Shepherd Book would require black clothes, a Bible-ish book, and most importantly, the hair. And Badger'd just need a bowler hat, an undershirt, and suspenders :-)
posted by ChuraChura at 7:26 PM on September 22, 2011
posted by ChuraChura at 7:26 PM on September 22, 2011
Gordon Freeman. lab coat, maybe a faceplate, glasses, Lamda symbol, crowbar
Scott Pilgrim. jeans and a Plumtree shirt
posted by Lovecraft In Brooklyn at 7:27 PM on September 22, 2011
Scott Pilgrim. jeans and a Plumtree shirt
posted by Lovecraft In Brooklyn at 7:27 PM on September 22, 2011
LEGO man and woman costumes are pretty nerdy and looks like it would be cheap to make if you use cardboad, check out this example: http://amodularlife.wordpress.com/2010/10/31/halloween-lego-man-costumes/
posted by udon at 7:36 PM on September 22, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by udon at 7:36 PM on September 22, 2011 [1 favorite]
I'm going as Doctor Who this year. Tweed coat, burgundy bowtie and suspenders, pinkish button-down and some fancy jeans. Oh and a fez (fezzes are cool!) and probably a mop. Amazon will basically put this costume together for you if you search for a fez. Goodwill for a tweed. I presume you have a pink button-down.
or
All the same except blue bowtie, suspenders, and shirt... and a cowboy hat.
posted by carsonb at 8:39 PM on September 22, 2011 [3 favorites]
or
All the same except blue bowtie, suspenders, and shirt... and a cowboy hat.
posted by carsonb at 8:39 PM on September 22, 2011 [3 favorites]
One year, my now ex-boyfriend made an entire suit out of bubble wrap - pants, lapels on the suit jacket, the works! - he used clear packing tape on the seams. it was AWESOME.
Go in matching outfits. Your GF could make a fancy dress, and maybe a bubble wrap shawl? You wear regular but tight clothing underneath.
Have fun!
posted by jbenben at 9:56 PM on September 22, 2011
Go in matching outfits. Your GF could make a fancy dress, and maybe a bubble wrap shawl? You wear regular but tight clothing underneath.
Have fun!
posted by jbenben at 9:56 PM on September 22, 2011
I'm going as Doctor Who this year. Tweed coat, burgundy bowtie and suspenders, pinkish button-down and some fancy jeans. Oh and a fez (fezzes are cool!) and probably a mop. Amazon will basically put this costume together for you if you search for a fez. Goodwill for a tweed. I presume you have a pink button-down.
or
All the same except blue bowtie, suspenders, and shirt... and a cowboy hat.
or... whoever the other 9 of them dressed. Nine is probably the cheapest, Leather jacket, mostly.
posted by Lovecraft In Brooklyn at 9:57 PM on September 22, 2011
I've dressed up as Birdgirl a few times, and it's super easy. If your girlfriend doesn't have a skirt suit and white shirt, she's bound to know someone she can borrow them from. I bought yellow tights and made the belt/leg things/headpiece out of an old hat, poster paint and enviro-bags. Then all you need is a standard pair of white angel wings (I had them already) or you can make her wings out of cardboard. Nerdy, and obscure enough that if someone recognises it, it's like an awesome shared joke. Harvey Birdman is just as easy to do, and they make a great geeky couple costume.
Or, if you REALLY want a cheap, easy costume, you could just go as Jim Halpert (3-hole paper) or Troy Barnes (sexy dracula).
posted by lovedbymarylane at 12:09 AM on September 23, 2011 [1 favorite]
Or, if you REALLY want a cheap, easy costume, you could just go as Jim Halpert (3-hole paper) or Troy Barnes (sexy dracula).
posted by lovedbymarylane at 12:09 AM on September 23, 2011 [1 favorite]
Scott Pilgrim. jeans and a Plumtree shirt
or the Smashing Pumpkins heart shirt.
or the Smashing Pumpkins Zero shirt.
or the Rock Band Bass shirt. (feasibly, you can make this one yourself using a red shirt and a Rock Band Bass logo pattern)
or the Punisher shirt. (This design is more similar to Todd Ingram's shirt)
posted by HermanoBluth at 1:14 AM on September 23, 2011
or the Smashing Pumpkins heart shirt.
or the Smashing Pumpkins Zero shirt.
or the Rock Band Bass shirt. (feasibly, you can make this one yourself using a red shirt and a Rock Band Bass logo pattern)
or the Punisher shirt. (This design is more similar to Todd Ingram's shirt)
posted by HermanoBluth at 1:14 AM on September 23, 2011
Get lots of old clothes you don't need any more. Set fire to them (a bit). Put them on. Pour flour over yourself. BOOM! You're the dad from the Road.
posted by garlicsmack at 1:23 AM on September 23, 2011
posted by garlicsmack at 1:23 AM on September 23, 2011
Normal clothes. White apron. Fake blood on white apron. Plastic knife or syringe. You're Dexter Morgan.
posted by Lovecraft In Brooklyn at 1:25 AM on September 23, 2011
posted by Lovecraft In Brooklyn at 1:25 AM on September 23, 2011
Seconding the Eleventh Doctor recommendation upthread-- I put together an Eleven costume for Dragoncon and it was super easy once I found the tweed jacket at the thrift store (although that did take a few trips-- finding the right sort of tweed in a ladies' jacket that fit was a little tricky).
Good couples costumes: zombie prom king and queen (thrifted tux and dress, crowns, lots of gore), Mulder and Scully (90's-looking suits, make badges in Photoshop), Bonnie and Clyde (vintage clothes, toy guns, fake sacks of cash)
You could do a historical costume with vintage clothes from your favorite era-- or be a character from Mad Men!
posted by nonasuch at 7:18 AM on September 23, 2011
Good couples costumes: zombie prom king and queen (thrifted tux and dress, crowns, lots of gore), Mulder and Scully (90's-looking suits, make badges in Photoshop), Bonnie and Clyde (vintage clothes, toy guns, fake sacks of cash)
You could do a historical costume with vintage clothes from your favorite era-- or be a character from Mad Men!
posted by nonasuch at 7:18 AM on September 23, 2011
General costume recommendations: Thrift shops are your friend if you are a standard size. Rummage around through them to find ideas. I used to (when I was a teenager) base my costume on what I could find cheap.
Do something off the wall. Last year I was a plague doctor, the entire costume cost me around 25 dollars, the most expensive part was the hat, and you could go with a hooded robe instead.
Are there any geeky characters you already look like? That makes it easier to pull off in the long run.
A lot of pulling off a great costume is staying in character. Say you're going as Dexter, as mentioned above. You need to act slightly off, like you don't get normal emotions, a bit broody, and taking everything in. A lousy costume can be greatly improved by acting.
As far as not sewing, hot glue guns are your friend if you don't sew, or are in a hurry, and want to make all, or part, of your costume.
Props will also add to a costume, again, Dexter, a scalpel, a couple of slides, a slidecase, all great props. Is your girlfriend going? Go as a couple of geeks, Leonard and Penny, Sheldon and Amy Farrah Fowler, are two recent good couple costumes.
posted by SuzySmith at 5:16 PM on September 23, 2011
Do something off the wall. Last year I was a plague doctor, the entire costume cost me around 25 dollars, the most expensive part was the hat, and you could go with a hooded robe instead.
Are there any geeky characters you already look like? That makes it easier to pull off in the long run.
A lot of pulling off a great costume is staying in character. Say you're going as Dexter, as mentioned above. You need to act slightly off, like you don't get normal emotions, a bit broody, and taking everything in. A lousy costume can be greatly improved by acting.
As far as not sewing, hot glue guns are your friend if you don't sew, or are in a hurry, and want to make all, or part, of your costume.
Props will also add to a costume, again, Dexter, a scalpel, a couple of slides, a slidecase, all great props. Is your girlfriend going? Go as a couple of geeks, Leonard and Penny, Sheldon and Amy Farrah Fowler, are two recent good couple costumes.
posted by SuzySmith at 5:16 PM on September 23, 2011
Knowing what you look like would help a lot, probably.
posted by two lights above the sea at 9:42 PM on September 23, 2011
posted by two lights above the sea at 9:42 PM on September 23, 2011
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idk i guess i really love both? so i may be biased as the sweetness of this costume...
cheap: need tight black pants you can cut up the bottoms of (for girls you can use tights, guys sweatpants or vice versa i guess it doesn't matter). a striped shirt (get a white tshirt and red fabric marker or find a striped one. awesome boots. seek goodwill or the woman's section. i guess man boots are sweet pirate shoes too. its about the time they should be hitting the racks. fabricy belt sorta thing. i cut up a red 5$ sheet from goodwill. PIRATE HAT. amazon or ebay this. its important. AWESOME SWORD. aka as a zombie pirate, a femur to stick in your belt. now google a fake blood recipe out of cornstarch, red food dye... and some other stuff. splatter on face, arms, clothing. (it washes out)
end result: AWESOMENESS
alternatively, find a fave. video/tv/movie/etc. character and make them zombie! (ZOMBIE JAMES BOND! ZOMBIE CLEOPATRA! ZOMBIE DR. WHO!)
posted by fuzzysoft at 7:00 PM on September 22, 2011