Yet Another Costume Question

September 19, 2007 5:52 AM

I need a costume idea, theme "Myths & Legends". Help me, please!

I've been invited to my sister's art school's ball on Saturday night. The theme is "Myths and Legends", and I need last minute inspiration.

I am female, in Australia, serious bonus points for cheaply achieved ideas (I am on a student budget myself).

One thought was just shoving a razor blade in an apple, carrying it all night, and explaining it as an urban legend, but that seems a bit naff. Anyone have anything better?

posted by arha to Society & Culture (27 answers total)

Someone from the Greek myths should be pretty easy. Wear a sheet-toga and carry a prop (ie a stuffed swan for "Leda and the Swan", a Ken doll for "Aphrodite and Pygmalion", a small box filled with goodies for "Pandora's Box," etc). Browse through some of the stories here:

Theoi Greek Mythology: Olympian Gods
Theoi Greek Mythology: Heroes and Heroines
posted by nkknkk at 5:59 AM on September 19, 2007

An amazonian warrior, virgin Mary, Eve (an apple with a bite out of it and a rubber snake round your neck?), Venus Goddess of love?
posted by twistedonion at 6:01 AM on September 19, 2007

Get a sword. Have a sort-of long flowing dress (blue would be better)? Good. You're now the Lady of the Lake.
posted by sephira at 6:05 AM on September 19, 2007

Get one of those fake plastic hook hands and then you tap...tap...tap on the window of a car.
posted by thelongcon at 6:46 AM on September 19, 2007

Loch Ness Monster...
posted by infinityjinx at 6:48 AM on September 19, 2007

Andre the Giant
posted by originalname37 at 6:52 AM on September 19, 2007

Wrap a toilet roll around yourself and go as 'The Mummy'.
posted by Phanx at 6:59 AM on September 19, 2007

Get a beret, wire-rim glasses, a big fake moustache, and a bat. Go as Jamie from the Mythbusters. Beat on the other people who show up as Jamie.
posted by procrastination at 7:02 AM on September 19, 2007

You could go as MeFi's own Myth Lynnthter.

You could go as the Female Orgasm. Or the Holocaust. This is an art school, after all.

Or you could stick a bunch of feathers on your arms and really wet hair and go as Icarus.

If you're going to go the apple route, make it a golden apple, with "For the Fairest" written on it, and go as Eris, goddess of discord who started the Trojan war.

If you have a swan dress, you could go as Leda.

You could go as the Great Pumpkin from the Charlie Brown mythos.
posted by hermitosis at 7:04 AM on September 19, 2007

Get some cardboard, use this as a guide, and go as a giant DVD copy of Tom Cruise's Greatest Work.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 7:06 AM on September 19, 2007

Go as a Legend in Your Own Mind: dress like Avril Lavigne or Ashlee Simpson, and accessorize with sunglasses and red lipstick.
posted by junkbox at 7:13 AM on September 19, 2007

Elvis. Say no more.
posted by ewkpates at 7:17 AM on September 19, 2007 [1 favorite]

Pandora (Pandora's Box) - Any fancy box you can walk around with will do. Wearing a flowing dress will help with the Greek myth aspect. Bonus if you fill it with something mysterious or "evil" (or just candy to hand out).

Daphne (of the Apollo and Daphne myth) - Tie/attach some leaved branches to your arms and legs.

Isis or Cleopatra - If you happen to have long black hair (or can get a wig), put on a sleeveless white/light-colored dress and assorted jewelry.

Joan of Arc - Just need a sword and dress though short hair and some plastic armor would help.
posted by junesix at 7:39 AM on September 19, 2007

Please promise that if you go as Pandora you will strap the box to the front of your pants like in the "Dick in a Box" video and dare people to open it.
posted by hermitosis at 7:44 AM on September 19, 2007

Attach a swan ass to a white dress. Lay an egg. Tada, youre bjork.
posted by damn dirty ape at 7:46 AM on September 19, 2007

If you have the apple, go as Aphrodite.
posted by stevis23 at 8:05 AM on September 19, 2007

I think the urban legend approach would be novel. Being there in modern garb will probably set out apart from the costumed, in a good way.
posted by blueshammer at 8:22 AM on September 19, 2007

Write "If you want to live call 911" on your chest upside down in lipstick and draw a big red hole where your kidneys are. Apply ketchup liberally.
posted by ND¢ at 8:33 AM on September 19, 2007

Err...don't go as Leda. It doesn't end well. I recommend Pandora if you want to go Greek.

You could also be the Egyptian cat-goddess Bast.
posted by taliaferro at 9:01 AM on September 19, 2007

Another idea from Greek myth is Daphne. I once did that with a remnant of cloth for a drape-y dress/tunic thing and some (fake) leaves wound around my arms and in my hair.
On the down side, I spent a lot of time explaining the whole turning-into-a-tree thing to people who weren't up on their mythology.
posted by bassjump at 9:24 AM on September 19, 2007

Do they show Mythbusters in Australia? If so, you could go as one of those guys.
posted by Ms. Saint at 9:25 AM on September 19, 2007

Oh! Were there invites/evites/whatevers to this party? If so, get one, blow it up and put it on a T-shirt via an iron on patch. Then show up with two of the biggest jugs of tequila you can find.

Whenever someone asks what myth or legend you're supposed to be, "Wooo!" at the top of your lungs and explain that you are dressed as this party and goddamn, but it's going to be legendary! Then make them take a shot.

Spend the entire night being really upbeat, fun, and helpful, and lo, the party shall become a legend talked about amongst the guests for years!
posted by robocop is bleeding at 9:33 AM on September 19, 2007 [1 favorite]

Chupacabra or the Mothman!
posted by DieHipsterDie at 10:00 AM on September 19, 2007

medusa is one of my favorite costumes ever! sheet toga, make your hair (assuming it's at least slightly long) into little braids with wire in them, and wear mirrored sunglasses (so as not to kill everyone)
posted by lgyre at 10:06 AM on September 19, 2007

I've done Medusa with the white sheet and some rubber snakes pinned to my head. Easy and cheap.
posted by jrossi4r at 11:20 AM on September 19, 2007

if you are in an inflammatory mood, dressing up as jesus or god is always sure to annoy someone.

what's the weather like down under? if you won't freeze to death, dressing like an egyptian goddess (isis) is always sexy and fun (and isn't the point of costume parties to be sexy and fun?). the indian goddess kali might also be fun--she's a bit destructive, likes fire.
posted by thinkingwoman at 12:50 PM on September 19, 2007

I like the urban myth theme, but for the life of me I can't work out how you could dress up as the email that bill gates will pay everyone to forward.
posted by happyturtle at 2:36 AM on September 20, 2007