# What are the Good & Bad points of your costume last year?



## TheCostumer (Oct 12, 2008)

Costume : The Swinging Granny










Sucesses: 

The costume is very realistic

The comments were very favorable all around including this forum

Everyone said that I make an excellent granny as well as a woman in this costume

Negatives:

The party I was supposed to go to got cancelled!

It takes a lot of time to get dressed.

I am terrible at putting on makeup though Granny does not need alot

The costume by my costume maker requies a 115" hoopskirt. Hard going up and down stairs and through small places. 

Would change if I went back.

No hooped petticoat. No hoopskrt style. Difficult to put on. Had to use suspenders to hold up the hooped petticoat though now my costume maker has a permannt set for me and I can just slip into.

Possible Costumes:

Martha Stewart as a Victorian vampire using the Granny dress. (Martha wig, vampire cape lined with red satin, Victorian purse, vampire pendulum , long black gloves and Victorian hat)

Tryout photo with out makeup:










The Joker

Egyptian Pharoah

Interview with The Vampire; Use my golden French Aristocrat outfit with the cape, pedulum and fangs.

The negative on is the makeup. I do not have a lot of patience or experience with this.

The Costumer


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## Scry (Oct 22, 2008)

Thanks for joining in The Costumer, your costumes look very professionally put together! I'd be very intrigued to see You as the Joker or a Pharaoh!


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## TheCostumer (Oct 12, 2008)

Scry said:


> Thanks for joining in The Costumer, your costumes look very professionally put together! I'd be very intrigued to see You as the Joker or a Pharaoh!


The Pharoah! yes!

Very little or no makeup!

TC


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## Junit (Sep 1, 2008)

Last year 

Costume: A very old ghost. I decided to be brave and sew an old school dress. Kind of along the lines of a Marie Antoinette costume, but not as elaborate. 
Picture of Costume: Sadly, never completed. 
Successes:I got the top half done!
Failures: It was lacking the skirt... perhaps this year. And I was too picky about wigs, I couldn't find a white wig I liked. 
How i'd change things if i were to go back: Get my lazy bum off the couch and sew the whole thing. 


This Year

Costume Ideas: The same or I can go back to my traditional witch or vampire 
Possible costume problems: None, I shall overcome laziness and busy work schedules.


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## MHooch (Jun 15, 2007)

Last Year:

Elvira, Mistress of the Dark








Successes: Great wig!! One of the nicest I've ever worn. Costume showed off the girls  which I hadn't done in a looooong time. Makeup looked good.
Failures: Shoes were a bit too big, and dagger kept falling out of my belt. Makeup took a long time to apply. 
Changes I would make: Fasten the dagger to the belt, get better fitting high heels, not much really, I was overall pretty psyched about the whole outfit.

This Year:

Vampire.

Possible problems: I want desperately to have contacts as part of my makeup, but never having worn them, am a little apprehensive about the whole thing. Money is going to be an issue, too, because want contacts (not cheap) and at least _one_ really cool Goth/Victorian costume piece (also not cheap). Oh well, looks like lots of overtime this summer for ol' Hooch!!!

Thanks for starting this thread, great idea!


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## Scry (Oct 22, 2008)

whoa hooch i LOVE your costume... even though im a bit young in theory for Elvira i'm a huge fan, i imported the haunted hills dvd as we only have her first movie here in britain, i was also bought the Movie Macabre dvd boxset for my birthday so i am a huge fan. you did the make up perfectly!!!

I know what you mean with contacts, im considering them this year too, they make a great costume an unbelievable and unforgettable costume imo. Im gonna go to an opticians to see if im suitable. As when i was 14 i bought black ones - kinda cheap - and basically the white of one eye went blood red and had to have drops to help it heal. so im very wary but kinda wanting them all the same.


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## Zombie Machairodont (Feb 2, 2009)

Last year

Costume:Undead Bast (version of the Egyptian cat-headed goddess)
Picture of Costume:
















Successes: 
>I put a lot of effort and experimentation into the mask and I am pretty happy with how it turned out. It was much more comfortable (and smaller) than the monstrosity in my avitar.
>I learned a lot about how not to treat certain fabrics when trying to self tailor (continued in failures) 
>I managed to freak out teens and adults while most kids were cautiously friendly, which is the optimal reaction in my opinion. Of course, I hammed it up and hissed a lot more when I was around adults.

Failures:
>my tailoring abilities and knowledge of fabric properties are lacking (I found out cheesecloth likes to clump to itself, but at least it wasn't catastrophic)
> most of the costume was a rush job, and I didn't have time to add the scrims over the orbits. I have used scrims in the past to hide my own eyes and (especially) hide the fact that I'm wearing glasses underneath. However, a friend said it looks like a nightmarish version of the wolf in granny's clothing with my little oblong glasses visable, which made me quite happy, even if it was unintentional. 

How Id change things if i were to go back:
>I wouldn't use cheesecloth again, rather I would find a nice flowing material that is easy to really rough up and age (which would involve some experimentation with potential materials).
>Set aside time each week to work on the costume at least a couple months out.

This Year
Costume Ideas: Hmm, I usually don't commit to a particular costume until late Summer, but the ideas I've had so far include an interpretation of Poe's Raven, a version of the reaper, the nightmare ringleader design I abandoned last Spring when I started thinking about the Bast costume, or whatever may stalk into my head by August.

Possible costume problems: Materials (getting the right costume element/price). That will probably decide which costume I go with.


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## Scry (Oct 22, 2008)

that is one incredibly freaky Bast... I like the fact you took a recognisable concept that made it a little more twisted. and the outfit as a whole looks great!!


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## Scatterbrains (Nov 16, 2008)

Never got to a costume for me last year. I was so busy right up to the ToTs that I just threw on a mask...

Next year...

If all goes to plan, and part of that is me learning to sew, then I will be a pumpkin reaper


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## UnOrthodOx (Apr 24, 2007)

I don't know that I've put a name to the costume yet. But "Witch Doctor" fits.



















Success:

Staff lights up on command, improved leg tassels, BAREFOOT. Mask lighter weight than ever before, and not so claustrophobic. 

Failures:

Tattoo sleeves "One size does not fit Cole". Really needs a loin cloth added to it. 

How I'm changing it this year:

Feathered headdress instead of mask. 
Airbrushed tatts on arms, legs, and face. 
Loincloth added. 

Bonus costume 2:

Frankenstein monster ripoff. (didn't want exact replica, just the general idea)










Good: Made my own prosthetics for the first time in 15+ years. 
Scared the children without putting anyone in tears (this is for an elementary school carnival).
For 20 days to plan, and only 40 minutes to get dressed, I was fairly pleased. 
Real fun to go sit down and eat dinner in a crowded resteraunt afterward...

Bad: Needs better makeup (but with the time constraints....???) 
Bottom half was just my normal jeans and steel toe boots (I'm tall enough without platform shoes). 

Changing this year:

Airbrush acquired this year should make makeup easier and quicker. 
New prosthetics now I've knocked some rust off. 
Torn up pants with bare feet and more prosthetics exposed.


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## Magickbean (Dec 6, 2007)

Great idea for a thread! 

Last year

Costume: 
The Corpse Bride 

Picture of Costume:










Successes:
I made each individual part of the costume, except for the corset, which was handmade for me by a friend, and the shoes. My mum helped with the skirt and sewing the roses to the veil, as my sewing skills weren't quite up to par for that, however it meant I had complete creative control over every detail and this pleased me. 

I got lots of compliments on the outfit, and was pleased with the look overall.

Everything was made well in advance, except for the corset, which arrived just in time, which meant no last-minute trips to the fancy dress shop as has happened in the past!

The corset was beautiful and was made to replicate the one Emily wore in the film.

The costume was very comfortable and easy to manouevre in. 

Overall it was one of the closest-to-character costumes I have made so far 


Failures:

The corset was made too big and so didn't "cinch" me in as it was supposed to.

The skirt wasn't as long as I wanted it to be and the fabric was too cream when compared with the white train/corset.

The body paint was hard to apply by myself and I made quite a mess! I also didn't allow myself enough time to do it properly. 

Although I was mostly happy with how the make-up turned out, I had to rush it due to time constraints so it wasn't as good as my trial run weeks beforehand, and the blue shimmer started to wear off during the night where I got too hot running around playing hostess.

The hair was synthetic dreadlocks, which took a long time to make and install, and were very hot to wear.

This proved to be an extremely expensive costume, as money spent on all the materials and the corset to be custom made meant that in total it cost somewhere in the region of £150.00, which is more than it would have cost for a pre-made costume. :/


How i'd change things if i were to go back:

Buy cheaper fabric for the skirt
Buy a corset from my wholesaler and then modify it like I originally had planned
Paint some tights to wear on my arms and legs to look like blue skin/bones so that I didn't have to paint my whole body and do my face make-up
Lose more weight so I felt more comfortable wearing all white and bearing my arms!
Allow more time for myself to get ready!!! As Always!!!!


This Year

Costume Ideas:
A Catarina (Dia Des Los Muertos style)

Possible costume problems:
Finding the right material/pieces to customise to make the dress etc
This requires body painting or the painting of tights to create skeletal arms and legs
This costume also requires effective face painting skills so will require a lot of time on the day and plenty of practice
I need to make my hair huge and curly - my hair does not like to be either of these things naturally...
Potential problems tracking down suitable accessories when the UK doesn't have any Mexican stores
I need to make sure that I have a lot of time to get ready despite being the hostess!


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## mysterymaiden (Aug 11, 2008)

Cool thread!

Last year: The Grim Reaper - I've been The Grim Reaper for the last few years, since it is what I used to wear when facilitating murder mystery games. Got picked up by a local newspaper so I'm posting that pic (yeah, I'm pumping gas... even the Grim Reaper needs fuel!):

Costume: Made it myself a few years ago

Picture of Costume:








Successes: Super easy! Goes over anything, hides face and the prop scythe is easy to carry 
Failures: HOT!!!
How i'd change things if i were to go back: I would redesign the hood so it would stay up better, it kept falling down.


This Year

Costume Ideas: I'm ready for something different, but I'm not sure what I'm going to do - I am probably going to be putting on a charity fundraiser Halloween event so I'll be looking to you all for inspiration!


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## Halloween Princess (Sep 23, 2008)

Last year 

Costume: Princess Peach from Mario Bros.










Successes: Easy & quick to throw on before playing hostess for the night. Pink! Went great with my husband's Mario costume. 

Failures: Not the best at attaching wigs so it didn't look quit right. Cookie cutter, out of the bag (but still not something you see everywhere). Had no idea what to wear for shoes so I went without.

How I'd change things if i were to go back: I would do something with my make-up to go along with the costume. 


This Year

Costume Ideas: I am working on an Abby Scuito costume from NCIS. (Basically she's a goth lab tech, and I'll be using her style and distinguishing items)

Possible costume problems: Again, includes a wig, so I will have to practice. Having a very hard time finding a temporary spider web tattoo like she has on her neck.


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## Gothikren (Aug 17, 2008)

the problem I always have when doing costumes on Halloween or for parties is that I'm always so busy helping the rest of my family and/or finishing setting up the party that I never remember to finish doing everything on my costume for myself and I run out of time. I walked down the aisle at my Halloween Wedding (that I self catered) after taking my kids trick or treating with my tennis shoes on (Forgot to change them), and My makeup didn't look too great either. Oh well eventually maybe I'll be able to set aside time just for me to get ready (perhaps after the kids are out of elementary school and no longer have parties there where I volunteer) only to come home and get them ready at night.  Everyone's costumes on here look great so far. I love hearing what was the best and worst part of each.


Edited to ask....... Does anyone else have this problem?


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## Oldsguy350 (Jul 8, 2008)

LAst year....was still working on my coffin cooler 30 min before the party so time was very limited. Went with burn scar. Actually was very realistic, only took about 15 to 20 min to apply. Downside was that I wanted to do so much more.













This year I want to do a Charlie Brown costume with the ghost sheet over and Charlie under........"I got a rock"


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## kprimm (Apr 3, 2009)

Here is my costume for last year. The pros: It was quick, it looked good, and i was able to turn it into a prop for this year. The cons: limited vision, was a bit hot. I like to use masks alot i have always loved them since i was little and after i use them i can turn them into props for my yard haunt.


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## Samhain.Voodoo (May 17, 2009)

I'm the one with the Violent J make up on right side. 

The good side: Cheap. Almost everything in my costume was reused from previous years, just cut up and pinned together in other places. However, it really didn't cater to my figure which is big. That and the shoes made me look terrible however I was thinking of comfort for trick or treating more than style.

Haven't decided this year. Might go with zombie again or something bloody. Here's a pic of me and my friend playing in blood and I'm eating her arm.


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## dustin2dust (Aug 19, 2008)

Last year I dressed as a dead tattooed side show lady from the 1920's. 

http://www.halloweenforum.com/picture.php?albumid=403&pictureid=9758

Success: The dress, which you can't see well in the photo, looked quite good. I got a nice looking summer dress from a thrift store and with sand paper, coffee grounds and tea stained it and made it look quite deteriorated. 

Failures: The make up didn't go over the tattoos as well as I wanted. It ended up looking a bit patchier than I'd like. The tattoo paper felt like wearing saran wrap and hurt quite a bit to take off. 

How I'd Change It: First off, I bought some ink jet make your own temporary tattoo paper. I would have printed the tattoos long before my guests started arriving for my party. Hopefully with enough time that I could have done a proper test and realized before I covered large parts of my body in the tattoos that I'd have a reaction to them and spare myself the three week long sunburn like rash. 

This Year.... I'm not quite sure yet. I'm pregnant and due on Halloween so I'm figuring I'd need to do a pregnant costume. So far I was thinking of Uma Thurman from Kill Bill dressed as the bride just having been shot. Maybe do an Alien's creature bursting out of my stomach? The pregnant nun thing is over done and bores me. Good thing I have some time to figure it out!


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## Samhain.Voodoo (May 17, 2009)

dustin2dust said:


> Last year I dressed as a dead tattooed side show lady from the 1920's.
> 
> http://www.halloweenforum.com/picture.php?albumid=403&pictureid=9758
> 
> ...


Alien stomach burster. FTW. for.....the.....win.


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## churchofsubgenius (Sep 8, 2008)

Last year: The Great God Pan

Costume: Satyr (Pan)

Picture of Costume:Halloween Forum - churchofsubgenius's Album: Halloween 2008 - Picture

Successes: looked pretty good, all the ladies loved the feel of my goat pants

Failures: goat pant started falling apart through the night, I suck at sewing.

How i'd change things if i were to go back: have some other shmuck sew my pants


This Year: Software Pirate

Costume Ideas: Not quite worked out yet

Possible costume problems: getting people to know what I am.


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## ruggerz (Nov 3, 2008)

Scry said:


> Costume: Zombie Amy Winehouse
> 
> Pic: http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y108/twistedhero/n566260363_4643306_9287.jpg



You got a photo with Amy Winehouse?....

That is really awesome...


Ruggerz


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## ruggerz (Nov 3, 2008)

Two Years Ago : Headless Dummy

Costume: Anything But No Head

Picture of Costume:









Successes: Scared Everyone Who Came By

Failures: Not Many ToT'ers, and freezing cold...

How i'd change things if i were to go back: Advance of more gruesom look


This Year: Butcher

Costume Ideas: Bloody Apron, Cleaver etc

Possible costume problems: Not Gorey Enough 



Ruggerz


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## ylbissop (Sep 6, 2007)

Last year

Costume: Barrel
Picture of Costume: 
Successes: I finally did a barrel costume. it was creepy and pretty comfy. it really didn't take too long.
Failures: I had almost no luck with this costume from the moment i started the sculpt for the prostetic right down to the overmask(barrels mask) breaking 10 minutes before the party at which time i had no makeup on yet can you say rushed lol.
How i'd change things if i were to go back: I would not let the clay dry like an idiot whitch would let me make a proper negitive instead of just painting the latex onto the positive. I would be more carefull with the overmask so the two faces being the same effect could be achieved. i'd add more time to halloween day so i could get all the party stuff done and do a proper job on getting all the white on and blending the makeup onto the prostetic.


This Year

Costume Ideas:none yet. you have any really amazing ones?
backup characters left on my definitely want to do some day list are:
frank - donny darko
chatterbox - hellraiser
nosferatu - nosferatu
tim curry - legend (i think darkness is the character name?)
twisted jester - perhaps riddlebox by icp
the priest - beetlejuice

but i was actually thinking about it again when i came across this thread

Possible costume problems:always!


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## Halloween Princess (Sep 23, 2008)

churchofsubgenius said:


> This Year: Software Pirate
> 
> Costume Ideas: Not quite worked out yet
> 
> Possible costume problems: getting people to know what I am.


I think that would be a fun one. It might take people a second to figure it out but it'll be appreciated and get a good laugh I bet.


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## mrhamilton234 (Sep 7, 2008)

Last year's costume-Psychotic, face-ripping zombie

Successes-I scared a lot of people at the party I went to, as well as some kids that trick or treated at my grandma's house (I stayed there until I went to the party). Very easy costume to make.

Failures-Aside from the mask, underneith make up and chainsaw (fake, splattered with stage blood), I just dressed in my normal clothes. The make up job I did on myself kinda sucked too, but it worked, since I scared people.

What I would do if I was to go back-Work on the make up job, wear more zombie-esque clothes.


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## TheEighthPlague (Jun 4, 2009)

*What's black and white and red all over?*

Last year 

Costume: Demon (?)
Picture of Costume:








Successes: This costume RULED. I was able to sneak up on people and even scared the bejeezes out of a few Grown Men! I hollowed out the back of a large bush near the entrance to our porch and would crouch there until ToTs would get to the front door. When they turned around, I would be standing RIGHT there in their grill. Many would jump and/or scream. A few tried to run (nowhere to go!) A huge success with little $ investment. 
Failures: I didn't find the skull belt buckle I wanted, it was to be the only non-black thing on me. My fangs are permanently stained black. Consumed a ton of calories keeping my tongue black (black icing in a can worked quite well, and a black mouth is just creepy.)
How i'd change things if i were to go back: Get the belt buckle early.


This Year

Costume Ideas: Flaming-pumpkin-head Stalkaround
Possible costume problems: Stick-to-it-tive-ness lacking in the build effort. Rachel (my pseudowife) is sure to steal my costume if it turns out even halfway decent.

******************************************

Last year (Daughter's Costume)

Costume: Little BBQ on the Prairie
Picture of Costume:








Successes: This turned out great, her head actually looked like BBQ Chicken. $2 misprint swim cap with 100s of holes cut plus crochet hook equals half head of hair, half "skin" instead of costly skull cap. Built partial ear out of latex then made it look extra charred for super effect.
Failures: Too hard to not take a bite out of her ear. Hair pulling was far more time consuming than I had imagined. Rushed at the end. Bigger holes further apart probably would have done the trick. Make up kit from Party City was awesome. Easy to do. Though very stinky. She almost puked from the stink of the gelatin--something like damp dry-dog-food.
How i'd change things if i were to go back: Bigger holes further apart probably would have done the trick for the hair pulling. Other than that, an awesome costume that scared kids and adults alike.

This Year

Costume Ideas: Faceless girl as seen on ghost whisperer the other week. (thinking 'nude' color stocking with foam face appliance with high cheekbones plus wig equals creepy little girl)
Possible costume problems: Might not be able to see very well. Might overheat. Must test soon!


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## Scry (Oct 22, 2008)

whoaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa those 2 ROCK... severely impressed!!!! the contacts REALLY make it work amazingly.

I've done a fair few faceless people long before Ghost Whisperer and i can vouch for how creepy they are to almost EVERYONE!!!


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## sikntwizted (Oct 26, 2007)

My stalkabout.
Successes: 8' tall. Made it myself. Head turns AND looks down. Didn't cost much. Adults refused to stop at my house. Took 2nd out of 400 people at a club (winners flashed the crowd).

Failures: arms fell out at random times (didn't glue the pvc pipe), PITA to get on/off. Hot as, well. Can't see too good in the dark. Used a bike helmet for head control (should have a better fitting non bike helmet). Hand controls cut me. 

This year: Probably going to be the same since Nascar moved the Talladega race to Halloween weekend and my next one won't be ready. Added shoulders to this already.


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## TheEighthPlague (Jun 4, 2009)

*StalkAround*



sikntwizted said:


> Used a bike helmet for head control (should have a better fitting non bike helmet).


Why not a bike helmet? That's what I was planning on using, as I have one laying around and I have no bike. Any advice greatly appreciated.


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## sikntwizted (Oct 26, 2007)

It doesn't fit the head as well as it needs. It covers the top, which is fine, bit there's not enough on the side for proper control. When you turn your head, it slides around a little. I tried putting it as tight as I could, which only cut me and it still slid around. Others have used old motorcycle helmets and they like them better also.


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## freudstein (Aug 9, 2007)

*Last year*

*Costume*: Female version of the Phantom of the Opera

*Picture of Costume*:









*Successes*: it was a bit hit with everyone, and I was impressed with the final result. Everything went great together

*Failures*: I struggled to do the scarring make-up under, and just out of, the mask. The petticoat was hard to manouver around in(but without it, the costume would have been less impressive)

*How i'd change things if i were to go back*: I'd spend more time researching/attempting to creating the scarring effect


*This Year*

*Costume Ideas*: (I've been planning since november last year) Tiffany, as in the bride of Chucky
*Possible costume problems*: finding an affordable wedding dress close to the one she wears


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## Joiseygal (Jun 10, 2009)

Wow IslandCryptKeeper great job on the Little BBQ on the Prairie costume. I love it!


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## christmascandy1 (Aug 19, 2009)

Geez after hearing all these great ideas,,,my playboy bunny seems so...yuk!


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## halloween_sucks_in_the_uk (Sep 28, 2008)

Wasn't my costume it was my sons, he hid in the bushes in a ghillie suit. He had a wonderful time jumping out and frightening the life put of poor unsuspecting trick or treaters. Only problem was because he'd been in the bushes so long, some big hairy spiders decided he'd make a nice new home 

Had to get the husband to catch them all and put them back in the real bushes!


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## Lot27 (Apr 15, 2009)

Last year 

Costume:
Picture of Costume: 1st pic
Successes: creepy all the way. Little gore going on
Failures: Way hot
How i'd change things if i were to go back: Mask was a replica of someone elses work. Soap based blood.


This Year

Costume Ideas: Custom mask based on the charachter that went over so well last year. Turned up the gore a little. 
Possible costume problems: Too scary. I've been told to not make my presence known until AFTER they get tickets. lol. I can read the person's limits and use it well. Won't be able to find blood that does not stain my skin


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## j2gibson (Aug 25, 2009)

*Halloween 2008 Costume*

*Last year*

Started as a psychotic clown, morphed into this:

*Picture of Costume:*



















*Successes:*

Won scariest costume of 2008! People were all around freaked out and had a hard time looking at my contacts 

*Failures:*

The wig got immediately too itchy to wear and the hair kept going into my mouth, hence the before and after pix.

*How I'd change things if i were to go back:*

Only think I might change would have been something with the wig.



*This Year*

Not sure yet, tough trying to figure out something to top last years! Suggestions!?


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## Lot27 (Apr 15, 2009)

^^age the coveralls some. Wicked costume tho.


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## j2gibson (Aug 25, 2009)

Face Dealers said:


> ^^age the coveralls some. Wicked costume tho.


What are some ideas for that? Rub them good with dirt maybe?


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