I did a costume like that once. I still have it. It’s based on a horrible pun.
Before I describe the costume, be aware that one of the ways of getting across the Houston Ship Channel is via the Lynchburg Ferry. I live in Houston. Back when people typically listened to the radio on the way to work for the traffic reports, the wait times for that ferry would be given several times per hour. This gave me an Idea.
On eBay, I found a seller with a poofy, slightly overdone wedding gown in my size. I ordered that, and then hit local sources to obtain a pair of gauzy wings, a wand with a star on the end, a tiara, and a wig in my size. Then I used my large-format printer to create a fabric transfer of an enlarged image of the label of a bottle of Jack Daniels, which I applied to a white cotton apron. Noting what’s proudly stated on that label about where JD hails from, I assembled all of that together to become … The Lynchburg Fairy.
I still have all the bits. It still fits. (Better now than it used to.)
@werehatrack Between this, the “hyper local costume” comment, and @PooltoyWolf’s costume below, I am wondering.
Does Mattress Mack ever still dress in a mattress costume?
@Kyeh@yakkoTDI The variant I prefer has that as the top line, bold. Below it, smaller and lighter, “I’m a homicidal maniac. They look just like everyone else.” This is, of course, a classic Wednesdayism. (No one suspected how much I wanted to be Wednesday.)
There’s also one that says “I’m cosplaying me.” Which is particularly hilarious when you know that Jamie Hyneman attended DragonCon a little over a decade back, not as a guest, but by purchasing a membership and just showing up and getting his badge from registration. With no hoopla going on around him, everyone just assumed it was someone cosplaying him really well. It was surreal to watch. People would look at him, check the guest list, shake their heads and go on with what they were doing. The real Jamie would be far too important to just be wandering around the con with a couple of small bags of stuff from the dealer room.
@yakkoTDI on year my roommate and I doused ourselves in fake blood and tattered up our clothes. Our costume was “guys who got jumped on their way to buy costumes”
My costumes are usually planned months before. I like to thrift and scavenge for my costume pieces but still prefer enough time for shipping when I need those things I have to order online.
I sometimes, in the last two weeks before Halloween, remember to check Goodwill and other thrift stores I pass by for a usable homburg hat. If I ever find one then I’ll have completed a costume. If not then I skip another year. I won’t pay the price for a ‘retail’ one.
@Kyeh It is not complete. I need a cheap homburg hat. One has not turned up during my infrequent searches over the last 5-6 years. I have the rest of the ‘costume’ (really mostly just older and surplus clothing). I even check on marketplace from time to time.
@Kyeh Thats the fact. Homburgs are not particularly popular any more; the ones I’ve seen cost too much for a one day per year use. Even the couple of times I’ve seen costume ones they cost more than I’m willing to spend. Even Spirit Halloween with a 50% coupon is low end real hat pricing. Meh.
Everything else I got as cheap surplus over many years.
@Kyeh Thanks but don’t worry about it. Current shipping rates would probably also exceed my costume budget And we bought big candy bars from Costco to hand out so Halloween is already extra expensive this year.
@Kyeh Heh, and now work has decided to do a costume contest for those of us who could not get Halloween off, with a nice amazon gift card as a prize. I’m debating a ushanka as an alternative to a homburg but still depends on price and availability…
@Kyeh I don’t do selfies and avoid the business end of cameras with great success.
My wife reminded me that we have an old costume cloak with a hood. Not what I was looking for but if I can’t find a hat it will do. Making alternate plans if that’s the case.
Every once in a while I will have an idea and go all out. Two times this has been a Lego minifig… the first time generic Lego man, and the second Lego Elvis (fat, white jumpsuit with red cape Vegas Elvis).
I do find that it’s a whole lot of fun to be completely in costume. Being Lego Elvis was like being a celebrity. But those costumes were both a lot of work and quite inconvenient to move around in.
Most of the time, though, Halloween night after work I’ll throw on an orange prisoner looking jumpsuit that I keep around and maybe a mask if I have one laying around.
I normally go Storm Trooper, but working on a Mando build for this year And I can sit down now! A few more pieces to put in place but I"m getting close. Just wish I could see.
@capnjb@Kidsandliz@Kyeh
Back in the day, 20 plus years ago, we used to get a fair number of trick or treaters who would come in. Over the last several years it’s only been a handful, and frequently those who just employee kids. I’ll probably bring something to give out but not quite sure yet what.
During my break, I manned the elevator in a black hoodie, black slacks, black gloves, and put a reusable grocery bag (black) over my head. Added some white gaffe to the bag to make a white square to resemble those Squid Game referees and startled everyone who came in.
Well, I usually wear renfair garb or modified renfair garb, so I don’t work on it at all.
@Cerridwyn still counts as overachieving
I did a costume like that once. I still have it. It’s based on a horrible pun.
Before I describe the costume, be aware that one of the ways of getting across the Houston Ship Channel is via the Lynchburg Ferry. I live in Houston. Back when people typically listened to the radio on the way to work for the traffic reports, the wait times for that ferry would be given several times per hour. This gave me an Idea.
On eBay, I found a seller with a poofy, slightly overdone wedding gown in my size. I ordered that, and then hit local sources to obtain a pair of gauzy wings, a wand with a star on the end, a tiara, and a wig in my size. Then I used my large-format printer to create a fabric transfer of an enlarged image of the label of a bottle of Jack Daniels, which I applied to a white cotton apron. Noting what’s proudly stated on that label about where JD hails from, I assembled all of that together to become … The Lynchburg Fairy.
I still have all the bits. It still fits. (Better now than it used to.)
@werehatrack Between this, the “hyper local costume” comment, and @PooltoyWolf’s costume below, I am wondering.
Does Mattress Mack ever still dress in a mattress costume?
Love a good hyper local costume reference!
I guess Mac qualifies.
@PooltoyWolf Did you choose his colors so he’d match that train?
@Kyeh Locomotive 4590 in particular, but yes, Mac is based on CSX!
@PooltoyWolf Nice!
I usually skip Halloween because I can never think of a costume to wear.
@yakkoTDI You could wear some variation of this:
@Kyeh @yakkoTDI The variant I prefer has that as the top line, bold. Below it, smaller and lighter, “I’m a homicidal maniac. They look just like everyone else.” This is, of course, a classic Wednesdayism. (No one suspected how much I wanted to be Wednesday.)
There’s also one that says “I’m cosplaying me.” Which is particularly hilarious when you know that Jamie Hyneman attended DragonCon a little over a decade back, not as a guest, but by purchasing a membership and just showing up and getting his badge from registration. With no hoopla going on around him, everyone just assumed it was someone cosplaying him really well. It was surreal to watch. People would look at him, check the guest list, shake their heads and go on with what they were doing. The real Jamie would be far too important to just be wandering around the con with a couple of small bags of stuff from the dealer room.
@Kyeh @yakkoTDI I have one like that save it says Generic Halloween Costume on it.
@yakkoTDI on year my roommate and I doused ourselves in fake blood and tattered up our clothes. Our costume was “guys who got jumped on their way to buy costumes”
Only two weeks? My niece and I start discussing costume ideas in June or July. It is a long standing tradition since she was itty-bitty!!!
This year, Bob’s Burgers!!! I’m excited
@tinamarie1974 Can’t wait to see them!
I have this dragon teeshirt from Woot:
I also just ordered one of these by our @jasneko (it hasn’t arrived yet):
If I want to be a little more dressy I have this:
@Kyeh
My costumes are usually planned months before. I like to thrift and scavenge for my costume pieces but still prefer enough time for shipping when I need those things I have to order online.
I sometimes, in the last two weeks before Halloween, remember to check Goodwill and other thrift stores I pass by for a usable homburg hat. If I ever find one then I’ll have completed a costume. If not then I skip another year. I won’t pay the price for a ‘retail’ one.
@duodec But you don’t keep the same one to reuse?
@Kyeh It is not complete. I need a cheap homburg hat. One has not turned up during my infrequent searches over the last 5-6 years. I have the rest of the ‘costume’ (really mostly just older and surplus clothing). I even check on marketplace from time to time.
@duodec Oh, I see - you’ve been looking to no avail!
@Kyeh Thats the fact. Homburgs are not particularly popular any more; the ones I’ve seen cost too much for a one day per year use. Even the couple of times I’ve seen costume ones they cost more than I’m willing to spend. Even Spirit Halloween with a 50% coupon is low end real hat pricing. Meh.
Everything else I got as cheap surplus over many years.
@duodec I’ll be on the lookout if I go to any thrift stores.
@Kyeh Thanks but don’t worry about it. Current shipping rates would probably also exceed my costume budget And we bought big candy bars from Costco to hand out so Halloween is already extra expensive this year.
@Kyeh Heh, and now work has decided to do a costume contest for those of us who could not get Halloween off, with a nice amazon gift card as a prize. I’m debating a ushanka as an alternative to a homburg but still depends on price and availability…
@duodec Well, now I’m really curious about this costume!
@Kyeh well I won’t be posting a picture, if I get it put together… sorry…
@duodec Aww, why not?
@Kyeh I don’t do selfies and avoid the business end of cameras with great success.
My wife reminded me that we have an old costume cloak with a hood. Not what I was looking for but if I can’t find a hat it will do. Making alternate plans if that’s the case.
@duodec I understand - but you could always have a shot from the back or with your face shielded! But I don’t do selfies either, so I get it.
@Kyeh starting work, gave up on the homburg again and just using a black costume hood and some of the grey tattered cloth from dollar tree.
@duodec Hmmmm … I can’t guess who you’re going to be!
I’m an underachiever, as I never dress for Halloween and never think about it. (Rural area, no TrTers here.)
Stolen from the interwebs:
Every once in a while I will have an idea and go all out. Two times this has been a Lego minifig… the first time generic Lego man, and the second Lego Elvis (fat, white jumpsuit with red cape Vegas Elvis).
I do find that it’s a whole lot of fun to be completely in costume. Being Lego Elvis was like being a celebrity. But those costumes were both a lot of work and quite inconvenient to move around in.
Most of the time, though, Halloween night after work I’ll throw on an orange prisoner looking jumpsuit that I keep around and maybe a mask if I have one laying around.
This is my costume.
https://shirt.woot.com/offers/dread-candy
I normally go Storm Trooper, but working on a Mando build for this year And I can sit down now! A few more pieces to put in place but I"m getting close. Just wish I could see.
@capnjb This is the way.
@duodec It actually turned out solid when I got everything all together.
@capnjb @duodec
It IS the way…
@capnjb @duodec @chienfou
Overachiever, for sure.
@capnjb being able to see is VERY overrated.
@jouest It’s actually better than my Trooper bucket… although probably suited better for welding or staring directly at the sun
I’ll just pull a set of Scrubs and my stethoscope out and wear those, going as an ER nurse.
Oh, wait… I’m working that night!
@chienfou Will you still hand out candy?
@chienfou @Kyeh At work though he might hand out tricks - you know, like shots to everyone who comes through the door.
@chienfou @Kidsandliz @Kyeh When I was in the hospital, I think they just called the candy morphine
@capnjb @Kidsandliz @Kyeh
Back in the day, 20 plus years ago, we used to get a fair number of trick or treaters who would come in. Over the last several years it’s only been a handful, and frequently those who just employee kids. I’ll probably bring something to give out but not quite sure yet what.
@capnjb @chienfou @Kidsandliz It would be gross, but funny if you gave out these:
(Available right now over on Woot)
@capnjb @Kidsandliz @Kyeh
Oh… That would have been cool. Don’t think they’ll make it here by Thursday though.
@capnjb @chienfou @Kidsandliz Actually, if you get it from Amazon and not Woot, they’ve got next day delivery:
https://www.amazon.com/Frankford-Halloween-Gummy-Candy-Parts/dp/B0B8PFKKNS/ref=asc_df_B0B8PFKKNS/?
During my break, I manned the elevator in a black hoodie, black slacks, black gloves, and put a reusable grocery bag (black) over my head. Added some white gaffe to the bag to make a white square to resemble those Squid Game referees and startled everyone who came in.
@pakopako this sounds like a costume for “suffocation victim”
Damn, this thread is still cooking!
@jouest Overachievers and all that. Do you not read what you write?
@capnjb I really try not to