Halloween And The Best Costume Ever
I clearly remember this Halloween costume. I begged and begged for a store bought costume. Nobody ever had store bought costumes, at least nobody I knew in my little 4 yr old world. I thought they were just the coolest thing ever.
I wanted one of those plastic masks with the elastic band that went around the back of your head making your hair look like you had a really bad case of bed head. The masks severly impaired your vision and I remeber tripping quite a few times that night, finally pushing the mask on to the top of my head. And how I lusted after one of those silky polyester jumpsuits that tied behind your neck, catching the back of your hair and tearing it out small clumps.
The small convenience type store that was near my house had cardboard boxes with a cellophane window on top that would give a peek inside to the costume. Every time we would go to the store I would run over to the aisle where the boxes were and sit down on the dirty linoleum floor and look through all the boxes. My mother would leave me there looking at them, eating my package of Necco wafers, while she shopped. It was the 1970's, people did that back then I guess.
My mother relented that year and bought me a costume, the one and only time she would do so. There were only a couple of boxes to chose from since the majority had already been bought. But still I was thrilled.
The next year it was back to homemade costumes and I was a witch. A witch with a dirty face. Don't I look thrilled? Honestly what is up with that witch make-up? I remember my mother burning the end of a cork and rubbing it all over my face.
Oh, and please notice the "artwork" hanging in the background. It was made out of little colored pebbles glued on to wood. I loved it and used to run my fingers over it's surface, picking the rocks off. My mother would find the rocks scattered on the floor in our hallway and she was convinced it was a result of the glue drying up. I never let on my part.
15 Comments:
I only ever got one store-bought costume, too. It was "Thumper." (Maybe it was a hand-me-down store-bought costume...)
The whole time, people kept asking me if I were "Bugs Bunny." And every time I would answer them that "No, I am Thumper," I would spit all over the inside of that stupid mask.
The next year, I was a scarecrow--complete with itchy hay stuck up my sleeves--so much better! :)
I was a gypsy, always a gypsy, because all it involved was an old skirt and lots of beads with a headscarf. I still remember the year I was 12 though, ah, we got to go out and soap windows and throw corn and tp trees. I felt so evil, lol.
Chris, I had that EXACT same costume---the clown. I remember it vividly, and seeing your picture took me back to my childhood. I was born in the '70's too, 1970 to be exact. I guess that was "the thing" back then.
my fallback costume was always a genie/bellydancer chick. not that it mattered in western new york. seriously, "oh, look. what a cute little parka you have little girl!"
my mother and i collaborated on many fine costumes. the hot air balloon (with paper mache balloon and basket of woven material), the gigantic fish bowl including a stuffed cat perched on top, the stoplight, gumball machine...we liked the halloween. yes we did.
oh and your clown costume? i'll be having nightmares about it tonight.
Annie, it's not just you. I checked and it's some sort of browser incompatibility. (My highly scientific method was to open internet explorer. The site looks perfect there. I normally use Mozilla Firefox.) Chris, When I am less exhausted I will look at your html and see if I can figure out a fix for you.
Hey, the witch outfit is pretty convincing :-)
Perhaps you will the young which child and your task was to use your flying broom to sweep the chimney? Hence the dirty face.
I think it was pretty cool - clearly a very creative and capable mom.
Alley
I could write about 6 paragraphs extolling my amazing costume making virtues -- but I will spare you.
I am sorry to tell you that the first few inches of your posts are missing now...
I know the first few inches are now missing, if you are using firefox. I haven't been able to figure out how to fix it, without messing everything else up. My knowledge of all these things is pathetically lacking.
The brought back sooooo many memories. I too coveted the store bought costumes in the boxes. I always ended up with the really gross ones like Frankenstein,(which is just perfect for a girl!) I remember at our school we would have a Halloween party and get to wear our costumes and parade around to all the different classrooms showing off. It was so much fun! Thanks for bringing back those memories.
This made me remember being a witch year in and year out until I was 9 or 10. One year, my mom let me get a mask for my witch costume. Inexplicably, I picked out a "beautiful lady" mask complete with -purple eyeshadow, rose blush, and full red lips...this with my witch costume.
I, personally, am enjoying the shag rug memory. Our's wasn't as nice as your's tho---ours, meaning my SISTER and MY ROOM CARPET, was avacado green with gold flecks. A beauty to behold. Went so magnificently with our favorite Holly Hobby matching comforters.
Your witch costume reminded me of a halloween my mother decided to get creative...all inspired from a WOMAN'S DAY magazine. It included a gypsy costume using mason jar lids...sewn to my scarf near my ears. The little buggers wouldn't stay put..
ahhhh that was the life.
Today the theme for "Way Back Wednesday" was an old Halloween costume. My photo shows me as a scarecrow - homemade - but my 2 brothers were wearing the 'plastic' costumes you talked about. :)
I remember my PRINCESS store-bought costume. Not only did it impare your eyesight, but remember how the edges sliced your tongue when you stuck it through the little opening in the mask???
Thank you for the amazing description. I, too, was born in the 70s and I had a few of these pathetic costumes...Mine was a Cinderella or princess version. I also went as Casper one year, but my sister always prefered SpiderMan.
I do remember how hard it was to breath and to see anything! And I would almost be dizzy after a few too many minutes of inhaling my own carbonminoxide!
The tunnel vision always made me fell like I was living in a dreamstate. Loved it!
I had a similar costume, one year I was strawberry shortcake, another year I was barbie. Same plastic mask. I loved those costumes! You are too cute!
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