# "What are you supposed to be?"



## Madame Turlock (Nov 2, 2007)

Perhaps you could say "I'M YOUR WORST NIGHTMARE YOU IDIOT!....
MWAHHHHHHH!"


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## Herman Secret (Oct 1, 2007)

This reminds me of a joke 

A guy goes to a fancy dress party, dressed normally but is carrying a girl on his back.

The host asks him "so what have you come as?"

The man replies "I'm a mutant teenage ninja turtle"

The host looks most perplexed.. then asks "so whats with the girl on your back" to which the man replies "Oh... Thats Michelle!"


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## UnOrthodOx (Apr 24, 2007)

Johnny Thunder said:


> Has anyone done a different/unique/oddball costume in the past, only to be faced with perplexed TOTers, party goers or co-workers?


Every year. 'Course, I'm mostly making it up as I go along anyway.



> Did you get frustrated by the general public's lack of imagination, horror knowledge or just plain stupidity?


Nah. I do get frustrated when the storebought cliche thing wins the "contest" at work every year. One of these years I'll have to show up to that thing....but then I'ld have to be at work on Halloween...


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## Gym Whourlfeld (Jan 22, 2003)

I made a sheet metal car body to go over me (legs hanging down) complete with working headlights, sound system playing the music from the movie, bouncing wheels on elastic springs, the correct license plate numbers (from the movie) a darkly tinted windshield so I could scare some with my make up face close to the window with a flashlight on myself.
I won nothing with all this effort because nobody but me , I guess, had seen the movie "Christine" yet!
I got comments like:"Oh, you work in a body shop?" (No sheet metal shop-furnaces)
 "Are you supposed to be a 57 Chevy?" Other cars had tailfins too!
Like Plymouths!
As far as the winners who shouldn't be winning it is a gripe of mine when a bar has a costume contest and their best customer wins because he will be giving them back all the money as he drinks and buys for everyone, and they knew it was him because his naked face was sticking out of his costume, no make up!
going to the bar in your costume? Get ready to be frustrated.


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## nightbeasties (May 22, 2008)

Herman Secret said:


> "so whats with the girl on your back" to which the man replies "Oh... Thats Michelle!"


Buh-dundun. Cue the snare drum.... lol



Johnny Thunder said:


> I have had it a few times in the past, and was wondering if anyone else dealt with it, what that costume was, and how you replied to the unenlightened masses?


It depends... sometimes I wasn't really dressed up much, because the plan was to go out dancing and I hate getting too hot on the dance floor. I can't blame anyone who didn't know I was a Victorian Pooka but if someone had guessed, I would have given them a cookie. Still when I said what I was people for the most got it. In that crowd people know what pookas are, yay. 

And there was a little devilish costume, I wore a shirt says, "Sin like you mean it" and I was wearing horns, red and black stripe stockings... I thought it was obvious, but I guess it wasn't obvious enough. People said, "Are you dressed up?" ha. Kinda funny when you think about it.

Last year I was a dark fairy though... I mean complete with black glittery wings, pretty dress, etc, and people asked what I was supposed to be... I thought it could not have been more obvious. I didn't get pics.  Woe. Same with when I was an Angel of Death, with hair styled and in a gown to match this angel but with less spectacular wings.... no one got it. :shrug:


I found pics of the pooka and the devilish outfits, and attached them. (heh, nevermind I get nervous about posting my pics online so I took em down.)


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## VA-Demented (May 20, 2008)

I tend to get more depressed each year with the level of imagination of the TOTers. I have several costumes that I have reused to various effects. The last time couple of times I have brought out my demons, I hear "Hey Darth Maul!". Last year when I did an earth wizard, everyone when "Hey Gandolf!". It's sad that you need an educational packet on your back to describe who you are... gone are the RPG days where you had to use imagination to envision the scene before you! 

Usually I try to vary each year, but it keeps getting harder to spark the imagination of today's youth. I tend to lean more towards the creep factor than in your face gore.

It seems if an idea isn't spoon-fed from a movie or store bought, it is a struggle for most people to figure out what it is anymore. A personal gripe of mine is when did Halloween turn into a tramp parade? My wife pretty much refuses to participate because everyone around here tends to go for the "sexy" outfits (including middle school students) and there is very little creativity left.


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## Bilbo (Mar 8, 2007)

I've had a couple moments like that... I like when they have to think about who I am. One year was Wilson from Home Improvement (had a fence suspended in front of me the whole night. Next I was Bill from SchoolHouse Rock (I'm just a Bill, yes I'm only a Bill). The worse guess was that I was a tampon.


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## UnOrthodOx (Apr 24, 2007)

VA-Demented said:


> I tend to get more depressed each year with the level of imagination of the TOTers. I have several costumes that I have reused to various effects. The last time couple of times I have brought out my demons, I hear "Hey Darth Maul!". Last year when I did an earth wizard, everyone when "Hey Gandolf!". It's sad that you need an educational packet on your back to describe who you are... gone are the RPG days where you had to use imagination to envision the scene before you!


Well, to be perfectly fair, I don't know what an "Earth Wizard" is supposed to look like, and when I search it, Google Image Search brings up a couple pictures of Gandolf in the first two pages...maybe that one was a little more obscure than you thought. 

But look on the bright side, they could have called you Dumbledore (or however you spell the Harry Potter one) like they did to my son when he wanted to be Gandolf


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## tallula_g (Sep 19, 2006)

One year I was Elizabeth Bathory-dress with elizabethan collar, cup of blood, etc. Everyone just thought I was a weird vampire.

One year I wore a jumpsuit, I ironed the name of an exterminator on the back, a name tag on the front and I made a ball cap with the exterminator name on it. Then I wore a mask that looked like a bug with antenna's. I was a human exterminating bug. Everyone thought I was an alien!


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## nightbeasties (May 22, 2008)

One year I was red riding hood.... I collect RRH memorabilia and I went all out. I had a floor length red velvet hooded cape, white peasant blouse, black skirt, stripey stockings, button up boots, and a waist cincher ( a really expensive, nice custom job), and basket of goodies.... and some people still thought I was a vampire. I've been RRH a few times since, in different versions.


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## Magickbean (Dec 6, 2007)

This happens to me _all the time!!_ It is quite frustrating sometimes. I dressed up as Akasha (Queen of the Damned) last year, and only 1 person got the reference and that was because she was not only a fellow Anne Rice fan, but dressed up as Gabrielle De Lioncourt! lol No one else understood *sigh*

This year, I'm really hoping my costume will be completely obvious... I'm dressing up as The Corpse Bride, but I'm sure there will be a few people who think I'm a Smurf or something *rolls eyes*


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## Phantom On A Budget (Jul 7, 2008)

I'm cringing at some of the great ideas here that have flown over people's heads. I have one to add, only I'm not surprised that no one got it: last year I decided to do a second costume keeping with the Phantom of the Opera theme, one that didn't require two hours of makeup. So I went as little Meg Giry, one of the ballet dancers. Her costume from the final scene in the musical is basically boy's knee length pants, waistcoat, shirt...she disguised herself as the boy to sneak to the Phantom's lair. I actually had that crap lying around so I went with it.

EVERYONE at the Hard Rock party thought I was some female version of Sam Adams. After five or so people came up and asked me, I just started saying I was his sister, Samantha. It was horrible, in a slightly funny way. On another note, this is particularly useful if you're looking for free beer.

I actually had brought a Phantom mask with me (like the final scene), but clearly I did not beat enough people over the head with it for them to notice.


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## bethene (Feb 12, 2007)

well, I was the queen of the spiders, or spider mother, which ever you prefer, didn't go glammed up, cuz spiders sure aren't, had gray cloak type thing, silvery gray hair, and was full of spiders, and webs, , on the cloak, hair, every where, grayish make up, and while it was obvious to me, every one thought I was a witch, very annoying, I mean, I had SO many spiders on me, and was all webby, I didn't have a pointed hat, and they still didn't get it.


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## Gym Whourlfeld (Jan 22, 2003)

Well frustrated posters to this topic, I feel that if you were all working for me in my Haunted house in October and you all showed up in these various costumes , that I would LOve It!
Same-old, same-old creatures and monsters are so redundant as to not be entertaining or scary, especially if the average patron can easily identify who/what they are.
I operate in the regions of making the customer use their minds and possibly also creative thinking because then they are much easier to entertain and scare!
When something is not all laid out for them they have to ponder and think and sometimes I find out they are still doing this years later! All from a tour of my place!
Dare to be Different!
Those of us with active minds love the challenge!


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## whynotgrl666 (Oct 12, 2003)

every year someone asks and every year i say "dead" because i havent the patience to explain to people. im not good with humans.


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## BWarriner (Jul 29, 2008)

Haha, some years back I did the 1922 version of Nosferatu...(skull cap, white makeup, dark circles under eyes, pointed ears, long fingers, etc.) unfortunately, it was the same year that "Powder" came out. Needless to say, not many people got it right even with the creepy long fingers too.


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## freudstein (Aug 9, 2007)

My gosh!! How can anyone NOT recognize Nosferatu!!!??


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## Phantom On A Budget (Jul 7, 2008)

The fact that few people recognized Nosferatu really scares me. It reminds me of last year when I went to a pub costume party in full Phantom attire and someone had _absolutely_ no idea what I was. I don't think I even said anything to him - just stared for a minute, completely dumbfounded. 

This year I'll be doing Mustang Sally (like the song), so I'll be very interested to see if anyone gets it.


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## witchiepoo (Oct 4, 2006)

bethene said:


> well, I was the queen of the spiders, or spider mother, which ever you prefer, didn't go glammed up, cuz spiders sure aren't, had gray cloak type thing, silvery gray hair, and was full of spiders, and webs, , on the cloak, hair, every where, grayish make up, and while it was obvious to me, every one thought I was a witch, very annoying, I mean, I had SO many spiders on me, and was all webby, I didn't have a pointed hat, and they still didn't get it.


when i did my black widow costume I made a pill box had with a black veil & or course spiders everwhere (even as jewellery) had spiderweb dress & tights - still had to tell people 

my son went to my 40th last year as hunter j thopmson from 'fear & loathing in las vegas' as he had on a hawaii shirt & fishing hat everyone thought he was hawkeye from M*A*S*H! despite the fact that he stayed in character all night!









my friend was invited to a party in the local raf base once - she wore a wren's uniform - one ripped stocking one hanging down, make up & hair all over the place, blouse buttoned up wrong. nobody got that she was 'the officer's mess'!


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## Hazbabu (Sep 1, 2006)

I have a neighbor that always comes to our party with the most creative costumes that people don't get. 2 years ago they were "Deal or No Deal" and last year they were Snidley Whiplash and Nell. Gotta love that creativity. 








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## madmm.x (Aug 20, 2008)

One year I went as Alice from the 1st Resident Evil film, with my husband as a newly dead zombie. I'll admit my wig was awful, but no one had any clue who I was ("Buffy?" "Orphan Annie with a gun?")

Last year I was the Late Anne Boleyn, complete with throat wounds. Of the tens of thousands of people at the West Hollywood Carnivale, only THREE recognized who I was.

I guess it's the one downside to thinking outside the box...


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## The Real Joker (Sep 8, 2008)

*face it, most people have no common sense.
you spend hours (or weeks) creating the 
most original, outlandish, creative costume.
and nobody knows who or what you're 
supposed to be....saddens me even more
when some doofus shows up in a crappy
"store bought" costume and wins the 
grand prize. what the he!!?
so this year, i'm not entering any
contests, just want to have some fun 
with my girl. that's all. just some crazyness
on all hallow's eve! maybe even cause
some mayhem!! lol!!*


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## Magickbean (Dec 6, 2007)

The Real Joker said:


> *face it, most people have no common sense.
> you spend hours (or weeks) creating the
> most original, outlandish, creative costume.
> and nobody knows who or what you're
> ...


It's so true. I worked very hard last year making my costume from scratch, I even went to the opticians and got contact lenses just so that my eyes could be green like my character.. and yet, my brother won because he got an inflatable cowboy riding a donkey costume from eBay. Now, don't get me wrong, he looked hilarious, and I was very shocked.. especially as he was one of the people that kicked up the most fuss about wearing a costume. And I know I love to dress up and I enjoy making costumes and putting the extra effort in and being a bit different.. but... still.. you can't help but feel a little cheated lol


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