Thursday, November 01, 2007

I'm only vain on Halloween. I swear.

Okay, so it's not the best costume of all time. But I dreamed it up on October 31 during my lunch break, found all the materials on the way home from work, and assembled it before the party. So yes, I'm pleased with myself.

Oh, in case you're wondering what in the *%!!#@ I was supposed to be, I was a Nuclear Disaster. But you can call me Captain Kirk's latest conquest if you prefer.

Of course, I learned a painful lesson with this hurried costume. Turns out the reason spirit gum was invented is that Rubber Cement, when applied to the face, causes intense burning and redness. Cheapskate Marie learned this the hard way, after applying all 20 googley eyes to her forehead, and then having to rip them off, rub off the Rubber Cement in a agonized frenzy, and start over with Alene's Craft Glue (which, as it turns out, does great on skin and comes off easily at the end of the night -- phew!) Hopefully my children won't be born with 20 eyes as a result of this toxic costuming blunder.

Since high school I've preferred these improvised last minute costumes to the more thought-out numbers. No doubt this has much to do with my college-honed talent of last-minute paper writing and the excitement of pulling something mildly impressive out of my head right at the buzzer. Makes me feel all superior. My most successful day-of-the-party emergency costume was the Relief Society Centerpiece* hat, which won rave reviews from my coworkers and made a very popular White Elephant gift the next Christmas. I still get a glow of pride when I think of it.

An eerie green glow of evil mutant pride.
















What were you for Halloween?




* Mormon in-joke.

8 comments:

sophie said...

I love it. As always. Here in Los Alamos, we appreciate nuclear disasters properly.

I once again avoided the costume frenzy this year, but Jasper and Max dressed up as Mormon missionaries. It was eerily successful, because all the intangibles were there. Youth, enthusiasm, tie discomfort, a tendency towards horseplay, huge excitement at meeting strangers. One is tall and lurpy, while the other is shorter and stout. Both wear brown coats and white shirts, unfortunately with white socks.

I'll send a photo.

Erin said...

Very clever. Rubber cement? ouch! The RS Centerpiece hat is classic.
You crack me up!

TUG said...

I was a baseball player . . . lame I know.

I went to a LDS YSA party in NYC and the best costumes were a group of girls who dressed up as a "Barbie" from every neighborhood in Manhattan. It was cool

Unknown said...

I was suffering from jetlag and thus was very zombie-esque on All Hallow's Eve, but have decided that next year I am either going as Sylvia Plath (meaning I wear vintage clothes and carry a bell jar) or a Freudian slip....

But, I am planning too far ahead! I should see what I can pull out at the last minute now that I am finally tired of my "Jane Austen: Famous Authoress and Spinster" costume I have doned the last couple of years!

I like neon.

i i eee said...

Über coolio costume!

The thought of your poor forehead...ouch!

The RS centerpiece -I love you.

I didn't do anything for Halloween. I had to work anyway, so beh.

Marie said...

Sophie -- Pleasepleaseplease tell me you're not joking. And if you're not joking, pleasepleaseplease add pictures to your blog!

City -- Thanks! I loved your offspring's costume, but did you dress up?

Thom -- Halloween is for wish fulfillment, among other things. All I ask in exchange for the candy is that everyone make an attempt to dress up. The Barbies sound creepy-cool, like Stepford Wives.

D'Arcy -- I love the Sylvia idea -- it's fun when people have to guess what you are :) I would love to dress up like Jane Austen and get to be all silky and ringlety. My friend and her bro and her bro's girlfriend were Lizzy Bennet, Mr. Darcy, and Georgiana last year and they looked fantastic. Suddenly my funny-girl costume was no fun anymore.

i i e ee -- I'm sorry you had to work! How evil of them -- eviler than zombies for sure.

Sharonelaine said...

I was the head of a cat, with black clothes. Thanks to Marie.

lenalou said...

I was a snowflake --my Hallowe'en costume ideas are always courtesy of my nieces and nephew (so far I've resisted "Cinderella!"). Next year Jane Austen! On with the ringlets!