At some point in my life I became really bad at Halloween. I used to enjoy dressing up. The whole process was a blast. Narrowing down who or what I was going to be. Gathering up all the materials. Having a little test run of the costume. Good times.
Now, I'm just really bad at it. I can never think of who or what I want to be. I can never find what I need once I do decide and I always end up throwing it on for the first time right before I leave the house.
I'll say it all began when I decided to try and start dressing up like movie characters. One year in what I thought was a brilliant idea I decided to dress up as Hunter S. Thompson. I'm pretty sure I nailed it. I had the hat, the glasses, a crazy Hawaiian shirt, and I even took apart a pen and made it look like a cigarette holder. Convinced I could come close to doing as well as Jonny Depp I even talked like him. Right up until about the 8th time I had to explain who I was. No one seemed to get it. It was as if no one had ever seen the movie. I'll say I lost a little faith in people that night. The only saving grace of the night being that I got to see a slutty nurse punch a drunken vampire in the face. That'll brighten any day.
The year after that fiasco I decided I needed to step it up. Go with someone more iconic. But I didn't want to take that easy route and go with an Indiana Jones or someone I could buy a kit for at a Halloween store. Black slacks, black suit jacket, black shoes, white dress shirt, bolo tie (don't judge me for having one, it was for work) and a black wig I cut and pulled back. I was Vincent Vega. Or at least I thought I was. I was sure I had a winner on my hands. I had even watched the movie the night before because I was sure I'd need to have some quotes and the famous dance moves down. The first thing I get. "Are you Antonio Banderas from Desperado?" Are you kidding me? It's like the person went out of their way to not know who I was. It's not like I was even carrying around a guitar case. I will say that the Vincent Vega went over much better than the Hunter S. Thompson but not so much that I wasn't starting to get disenchanted.
The next year I hit an all time low. I'm almost ashamed to tell you about it dear reader. The day of, I woke up, threw on some ratty jeans, the same wig I used the year before, some sunglasses, and a Ramones T-shirt. I was a Ramone. I couldn't even tell you which one. I completely phoned it in. And as my friend brought to my attention immediately, the Ramones probably didn't wear their own t-shirts.
Since that year I have put no effort at all into Halloween. I was even the killer from Scream about 10 years after the film was even relevant. Just pathetic I know. I halfheartedly went as Silent Bob one year. People knew who it was but it was a hollow victory because having to use mascara to give myself a goatee and beard just made me realize how sad my facial hair situation is.
I can't promise that this year will be any better. It's a week until Halloween and I have no idea who or what I'm going to be. What got me thinking about this whole thing was one of the coolest ideas for a Halloween costume I've heard in a long time. A girl said she was thinking of going as Mrs. White from Clue. Brilliant! But she is probably right in assuming that she would spend the night explaining who she is. Not to mention most people would be baffled at the lack of skin showing. I pity the person who tries to make an 80's movie character slutty. This isn't a nurse or devil we are talking about. Besides, Mrs. White was sexy enough as it is.
Maybe dressing up for Halloween isn't about being recognized or having a great costume. Maybe it's about dressing up in something you really like and knowing that the people around you know what it is and how creative you were. Regardless of what kind of stupid questions you get knowing that you came up with a sweet costume is enough. Then again it's nice to get recognized and complimented by random strangers. Who doesn't like that? Either way I have a Rolling Stones t-shirt and a wig. I'll do it.
Now, I'm just really bad at it. I can never think of who or what I want to be. I can never find what I need once I do decide and I always end up throwing it on for the first time right before I leave the house.
I'll say it all began when I decided to try and start dressing up like movie characters. One year in what I thought was a brilliant idea I decided to dress up as Hunter S. Thompson. I'm pretty sure I nailed it. I had the hat, the glasses, a crazy Hawaiian shirt, and I even took apart a pen and made it look like a cigarette holder. Convinced I could come close to doing as well as Jonny Depp I even talked like him. Right up until about the 8th time I had to explain who I was. No one seemed to get it. It was as if no one had ever seen the movie. I'll say I lost a little faith in people that night. The only saving grace of the night being that I got to see a slutty nurse punch a drunken vampire in the face. That'll brighten any day.
The year after that fiasco I decided I needed to step it up. Go with someone more iconic. But I didn't want to take that easy route and go with an Indiana Jones or someone I could buy a kit for at a Halloween store. Black slacks, black suit jacket, black shoes, white dress shirt, bolo tie (don't judge me for having one, it was for work) and a black wig I cut and pulled back. I was Vincent Vega. Or at least I thought I was. I was sure I had a winner on my hands. I had even watched the movie the night before because I was sure I'd need to have some quotes and the famous dance moves down. The first thing I get. "Are you Antonio Banderas from Desperado?" Are you kidding me? It's like the person went out of their way to not know who I was. It's not like I was even carrying around a guitar case. I will say that the Vincent Vega went over much better than the Hunter S. Thompson but not so much that I wasn't starting to get disenchanted.
The next year I hit an all time low. I'm almost ashamed to tell you about it dear reader. The day of, I woke up, threw on some ratty jeans, the same wig I used the year before, some sunglasses, and a Ramones T-shirt. I was a Ramone. I couldn't even tell you which one. I completely phoned it in. And as my friend brought to my attention immediately, the Ramones probably didn't wear their own t-shirts.
Since that year I have put no effort at all into Halloween. I was even the killer from Scream about 10 years after the film was even relevant. Just pathetic I know. I halfheartedly went as Silent Bob one year. People knew who it was but it was a hollow victory because having to use mascara to give myself a goatee and beard just made me realize how sad my facial hair situation is.
I can't promise that this year will be any better. It's a week until Halloween and I have no idea who or what I'm going to be. What got me thinking about this whole thing was one of the coolest ideas for a Halloween costume I've heard in a long time. A girl said she was thinking of going as Mrs. White from Clue. Brilliant! But she is probably right in assuming that she would spend the night explaining who she is. Not to mention most people would be baffled at the lack of skin showing. I pity the person who tries to make an 80's movie character slutty. This isn't a nurse or devil we are talking about. Besides, Mrs. White was sexy enough as it is.
Maybe dressing up for Halloween isn't about being recognized or having a great costume. Maybe it's about dressing up in something you really like and knowing that the people around you know what it is and how creative you were. Regardless of what kind of stupid questions you get knowing that you came up with a sweet costume is enough. Then again it's nice to get recognized and complimented by random strangers. Who doesn't like that? Either way I have a Rolling Stones t-shirt and a wig. I'll do it.
