Saturday, November 3, 2012

FBSG: The Quest for Costumes

Before Halloween is a far too distant memory I should tell you that the hunt for our costumes was one of the prime activities over Fall Break. The boys knew what they wanted to be pretty early on, like maybe back in May. Despite what you're thinking -- procrastination -- I was scrambling right up to the end to put them together. 

I did not procrastinate this year. 



For Mason's rendition of Tin Tin and Snowy I looked in every store, and every online venue I could think of for a blue sweater. No where to be found. I was thorough and unsuccessful. In the end we just used a thermal shirt that was in the closet. We also had a hard time finding a plain white dog stuffed animal. The one he carried was a kitten.  He recycled his Indiana Jones satchel and wore some women's knee socks to complete his ensemble. The day after Halloween, guess what popped up at H&M?!??! The dang blue sweater.

When Cooper announced he wanted to be Mickey Mouse I was taken by surprise. He's never been to a Disney theme park and most of his friends were picking persona like minecraft characters, zombies, and Harry Potter. He was a cute Mickey and it took little to no preparation. I glued felt strips on the back of knit gloves (sold for 97 cents in a two pack) and tacked a couple big white buttons on a pair of shorts. We borrowed the ears and completed his look with a pair of thick black tights from the little girls' department. Such an inexpensive costume. 


Steve and I were challenged this year. We could not agree on anything (we wanted to dress as a couple) and when we finally decided on something we couldn't find the right items to complete the look. Frustrating. Then in a random trip to the costume store over Fall Break we had a breakthrough.

Morticia and Gomez Addams. 



Of all things, Steve wore the suit he wore on our wedding day and I wore a skimpy little black dress from Forever 21. I have no business shopping at Forever 21. We both wore eyeliner, without it Steve looked a little too much like the 1%. I also asked my stylist to go a little darker with my hair for the occasion. I am, if nothing else, committed. 

Steve's commitment was more of the press-on mustache variety. 

I believe my dress might have frightened our sweet babysitter. When we asked her to take a picture she managed to crop out all the skimpiness of it and Steve and I look like we're on our way to a funeral. 
Is this weird?

As a volunteer in the classroom I have occasion to dream up two costumes. This year the challenge was to become something a little more clothed. I opted for an all black modge podge of clothes, purple and black striped tights, pointy black shoes, and a large praying mantis in my hair. Also, I had three plastic snakes weaved in there. I didn't take a picture of this number because on this day I also had to carry 40 fruit cups, a tablecloth, pin the face on the pumpkin game, prizes for pin the face on the pumpkin game, 24 bags of sliced apples, 24 cups of caramel dip, 30 spoons, 30 paper plates, a heavy metal cauldron, the camera and an extra lens, and my purse into the school. I kinda broke a sweat. 

Also, this is the get-up I wore while discussing stain choices with the hardwood floor guy. He was concerned, I could tell. 

In related news, I acquired three costumes today. One was actually 67 cents!

Halloween 2007
Halloween 2008
Halloween 2009
Halloween 2010
Halloween 2011

5 comments:

Glenda said...

Have you ever considered being a costume mistress for a theatre group? You would be amazing.

Claudia said...

Those costumes were so so so excellent!! You and Steve look fantastic. Love the boys too.

emma nelson said...

You put so much talent into your creations. WOW!. The boys are so lucky to have a parent who CARES. You should have seen the kids who came to our door!

Adamo said...

Steve actually looks like my hero, Ron Swanson. "I think what you thought I said was 'Give me a lot of bacon and eggs.' but what I said was, 'Give me all the bacon and eggs that you have.'"

laurel said...

You look so great. Tell Coop that Maylin went as Minnie Mouse! You did a great job on the costumes!