Tag Archives: halloween costume

Toga

How to Make a Toga

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Toga

A toga is essential wear for any college student who is going to attend a Greek Party or a Toga Party. If you have yet to attend a Toga Party you will more than likely attend one, or two, before your college days are over. You know the kind of outfit a toga is if you ever saw the movie Animal House. If you haven’t, don’t worry because a step by step series of instructions follow.

To make a toga you only need a plain white bed sheet that is not the kind with the elastic to fit the bed, twin size usually works best, a few safety pins, and to follow these simple steps:

1.    Before you begin to create your toga you need to make sure that you are wearing the proper undergarments. For ladies, a strapless white tube wop will do the trick and white shorts for your lower half. Guys can get away with only wearing a pair of white shorts. Of course you could always go in the raw underneath your toga but depending on how wild the party gets, that may be a choice you later regret.

2.    Making your toga begins with taking the corner of the bed sheet in one hand and holding it on top of one of your shoulders. You will want to leave approximately six to eight inches to spare.

3.    Drape the sheet across your chest and be sure that it is snug. Now tuck it under the opposite arm.

4.    Adjust the length. Here is where you want to adjust the length if it is too long. You will know if it is as you will be tripping over the sheet. The ideal length for a toga is knee length so what you can do is fold the sheet over a few inches and re-drape it to create a shorter fit. Repeat the process until it is at its ideal length for you.

5.    Wrap the sheet around to your back and then tuck under your arm and come back to the front again.

6.    Now you will see what to do with the other corner of the sheet. From here you take the second corner that will be in back of you and bring it up over your back. Now the two corners can be tied in a knot or they can be fastened with a safety pin or even a broach.

7.    Finish by securing the different layers with safety pins and be sure that the safety pins are hidden and not in plain sight.

8.    Top off the look with a pair of calf high sandals and you can even go as far as making a u-shaped headpiece with leaves and wear that at the party for the truly authentic look.

Now you will be ready to go into the Greek Party looking as good as John Belushi did in Animal house. For those of you that haven’t seen it yet, go rent it, it is a timeless classic and will show you exactly what you have to look forward to.

Abraham Lincoln

How to Dress Like Abraham Lincoln

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Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln is one of the most well recognized presidents in history. Even most school children can accurately identify him. He is most well known for his finesse in leading the country through its greatest internal crisis, the Civil War, which led to the end of slavery. Also noteworthy and unique is his style, known throughout history as classic and conservative. You can dress up like him on President’s Day or the Fourth of July to show your patriotism and appreciation for one of our country’s greatest presidents.

Abraham Lincoln had a very conservative and classy look. To mimic him, you will need a top hat. This is the hat of choice for men of that era. When top hats were first introduced in Europe at the end of the 18th century, they were instantly popular with socialites and workmen alike. Abraham Lincoln was key in popularizing this style in the States. Rumor has it that he kept important documents inside his hat. Make sure that you buy a black hat, as that is the only color that he wore.

Next you will need a black suit jacket, preferably one that is a tailcoat. A tailcoat is technically a skirt, with the front part cut away, leaving only “tails” in the back that fall to below your knees. This was originally done in order to make horseback riding easier. Tailcoats are synonymous with this time period and were the uniform of choice for gentlemen attending evening white tie affairs.

Underneath the jacket, either a white or gray shirt is ideal, to be paired with a vest of the same color. It is even better if the vest has a bit of a metallic sheen to it. As far as pants go, simple black ones will be fine. Then, finish the suit with a black bowtie.

Shoes will need to be simple black dress shoes for men. This should be the easiest part of the outfit since most men already have a pair of black dress shoes.  Now that you have your outfit complete, it is time to work on your appearance. To achieve a likeness of Abraham Lincoln, you will need to find a dark wig and dark fake beard. Make sure that you part the wig to the side. You also may have to trim the beard so that it looks similar to the way Honest Abe would wear his.

Abraham Lincoln was a very tall man, measuring up to about 6’4’’. In order to look extremely authentic, walk on some short stilts or wear shoes with platforms to increase your height. If you choose stilts, be sure to practice on them first so that you can get familiar with how they feel when you walk.

The last key point to remember is to keep a very stoic and somber face. Abraham Lincoln was not known for his giddy and upbeat character. Few photographs depict him actually smiling. So no laughing when you are fully dressed!
Enjoy your day as Abraham Lincoln, one of history’s top most interesting men!

Vampire

How to Dress Like a Vampire

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Vampire

When we think of vampires we typically think of dressing in all black, however in vampire mythology, there are several different styles of vampires when it comes to fashion. The cardinal rule of vampires is looking good. In fact, the vampire books that are most popular right now have the good vampires dressed in lighter colors. So whether it’s a black outfit or not, style is the most important thing when it comes to dressing like a vampire.

Generally, modern interpretations of vampires focus on the commitment to high fashion and always looking fabulous. Male and female vampires always want to look their best, supposedly so that they can better seduce their victims. Female vampires often dress in form fitting, sexy dresses while male vampires dress their best in a dark suit with a bright white shirt below. In fact, a tuxedo and a black cape are required if you want to go for the very classy vampire look.

Even if you are not quite ready for the slinky dress or tuxedo look, you can still dress like a vampire in a more casual way. In this case, black clothes will definitely be essential. Black jeans or pants are the basics of any casual vampire outfit. Be sure that they are very black. Faded black jeans that are almost gray will definitely dilute the effect you are after. Wear black shoes or boots also.

For women, it is important to choose a top that is sexy. A tight T-shirt can create the effect you are looking for. However, a more elaborate form fitting top with some metal accents like grommets, buckles or zippers is an even better choice. If you are uncomfortable wearing tight fitting clothes, a long black open jacket is a great fashion accessory.

For men, a classic white T-shirt or button-down shirt is a great vampire look. If wearing a regular shirt, a fancy pin at the neckline is a nice touch. If you choose to go the white shirt way, be sure that your shirt is ultra-clean and bright white. Vampires always dress sharply. A black T-shirt or button down shirt is also an option for male vampires. Don’t forget the long black jacket for those cold nights.

Remember that whatever you choose to wear needs to be in a classic style. Vampires, while fashionable, don’t follow trends of the day. They are eternal creatures and as such, wear clothing that will stand the test of time.

Details are important when striving for a particular look. The vampire look requires some attention to the makeup you choose also. Wear foundation that is too light for you. This will give you a vampire-like complexion. Even men can choose to use this technique. Darken your eyes with eye shadow, liner and mascara. Vivid red lipstick or even almost black lipstick will perfect that unmistakable vampire look. Some people even have permanent dental work done so that can look like a vampire!

Many people are fascinated with vampires because they appear to be so glamorous. Vampires have always been known for dressing well. Whether you’re lined up at your dentist’s office for fake teeth or not, dressing like a vampire could be a good rule of thumb if you’ve set your sights on dressing well.

Halloween

Pros and Cons: Rent Or Buy A Halloween Costume

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Halloween

Is it Halloween time again? If you’re a busy professional then preparing for Halloween can seem like another chore on your list. A lot of time is needed for even thinking what you’ll wear let alone putting it all together. And if you have one or more Halloween socials to attend, whether they’re personal or professional, you’ll need to put in some effort on costume preparation. You don’t want to look bad at work for something as silly as skimping on a Halloween costume. If you just don’t have the time, don’t worry. There are options for you. Costumes can be bought or rented. Let’s take a look at some advantages and disadvantages of renting vs. buying a Halloween costume:

First, ask yourself some questions. Is it cheaper to rent or buy? Will you use the costume again? What will I do with the costume after Halloween? Will I need to buy a new costume every year?

Buying Pros: If you’re a busy professional without a spare minute to your name then Halloween time seems like more work. Take some of the load off of yourself and buy a costume. If being the center of attention is not your thing, then there are a ton of generic type costumes available all the time. With themes that range from political to sports, you can’t go wrong. When the party is over you can donate your used costume to a school or local theater company. Or, consider giving it to a thrift store and get a tax deduction.

If this is a costume you think you could use again then you’re covered for a future year’s event.

Buying Cons: The truth is you’ll likely be buying a costume for one or two occasions. This could be a waste of money. If you decide to keep the costume, then you’ll need to find a safe place for it so it doesn’t become ruined. The space itself could be an issue. Halloween costumes can really take up a lot of closet space. If kept for a long time, some clothes change in color. Also, maybe this year’s style won’t be the same as styles in years to come. Different occasions call for different costumes so buying one costume might not be practical and very expensive. Something else to consider is that store-bought costumes usually look like they’re store-bought costumes. You won’t get noticed for being creative. Or worse, you will get noticed for a lack of creativity.

Rental Pros: There are those times when renting makes more sense than buying. If you are attending a theme party and you need something specific, then a theatre rental shop would be a great place to go if you’d like to put together an outfit that really hits the mark. Renting is certainly cheaper and more practical if you plan to use a costume for one occasion. Also, if you have a limited budget, renting is best because high buying prices might cause you to wear a costume you normally might avoid. Renting a costume will give you many more choices than you think. Finally, by renting you can save more and thus afford to have different costumes for different occasions.

Rental Cons: Of course there’s a downside to everything. Rental companies charge more per rental than if you were to simply buy the item yourself and own it. There could be associated deposit and rental fees, not to mention cleaning costs should any kind of spills or damages occur.

The point is, just give renting or buying some thought before you rush out to spend money on Halloween. Then have fun at your party.

Mummy costume

How To Create A Mummy Costume

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Mummy costume

It’s Halloween and you need a costume. Maybe you want to be a little more creative than the store-bought cookie-cutter outfits that are offered at a lot of the major retail chains. To be a hit at your costume party, or to simply make your child stand out when trick-or-treating, a mummy costume might be the way to go.

Creating a mummy costume will require time, but not a lot of time. You are probably picturing the fancy, purposefully antique-looking dark monsters from mummy films you’ve seen and thinking it would be impossible to recreate something like that. Actually, it’s a lot easier than you think.

Don’t get overwhelmed. The creation of a mummy costume can be broken down into simple steps, all of which don’t have to be completed at the same time.

1)  First, gather the materials. You’ll need white everything. Get a twin set of white sheets, a pair of white pants or jeans, and a long sleeve white shirt or sweatshirt, preferably a turtleneck. All of these materials can be collected from a thrift shop for under 10 dollars.

2)  Next, color the whites to achieve that rustic, having-sat-in-a-coffin for centuries look. To do this, dye all of these white materials in black tea. Add black tea bags to warm water in 3-5 gallon buckets, add the materials, and steep for about 4-6 hours. After soaking in the water, lay the now off-white clothes out in the sun to completely dry.

3)  First you’ll need a lot of mummy bandages. Start with the white sheets. Cut 2-3 inch slits down one side of the sheet. It doesn’t matter if it’s the long side of the short side. Then tear the strips up the length of the sheet . You’ll find that the strips will tear evenly and also have a very authentic looking frayed edge.

4)  With the turtleneck shirt laid out on a flat surface, wrap the mummy bandages around the shirt loosely up to the level of the armpit. To hold them in place you can use safety pins. Then, using a sewing machine, sew the strips to the shirt. This can be time consuming, but keep in mind that all you want to do is make sure the strips don’t fall off. Also, the more sloppy and haphazard you can do this will make the costume look better in the end. Feel free to overlap the strips and make some look longer than others. Avoid perfection at all costs!

5)  Now the arms. Cut along the inseam of each of the sleeves up to the armpit with a pair of scissors. Spread out the sleeves and then wrap around the mummy bandages in the same fashion. When finished, turn the shirt inside-out and sew the sleeves back together.

6)  For the pants, rip or cut the inseam all the way up to the crotch. Spread the material out on a flat surface and wrap or cover with more mummy bandages. Start from the bottom and begin sewing strips onto both legs. You can stop at the crotch because the shirt will cover the rest. Then turn the pants inside out and sew the legs back up again.

7)  At this point you’ll be running out of mummy strips. With any that are left-over, cover your face.

8)  When you’re wearing the suit, sprinkle baby powder all over for that ancient mummy effect.
That’s it! Simple! Now have fun!

Halloween 1

How to Decide What to Be for Halloween

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Halloween 1

Halloween is a really great chance for you to step out of your usual boundaries and become something you’re not, which is why people of all ages love this strange but fun holiday. Instead of waiting until the day-of to pick up some cheap, plastic get-up from the costume aisle, plan ahead for a Halloween costume that will leave everyone terrified, charmed, screaming with laughter, or even turned on — all depending on the crowd and the reaction you’re going for.

•    Set aside some time to plan and shop. Don’t wait until the last minute if you want to have a costume that will wow on the big night. If you are creating a couples costume, you will want to coordinate the planning with your partner also.

•    Do some research. Check out Halloween costume websites to see what’s available and check out the most popular styles. You might just find the perfect costume for you, or get a really great idea for a unique design of your own creation.

•    Think about what interests you, such as hobbies, favorite celebrities, favorite characters from the movies or television, or famous historical figures. Choose a character that you are familiar with so you can imitate that individual’s dress, mannerisms and speech. You might also consider characters with whom you share a physical resemblance, such as a bald head or pregnant belly.

•    Determine how much money you want to invest in your costume. If you have an unlimited budget, a company specializing in costume rentals may be the place to get the outfit that will blow everyone away at the party.

•    If renting is too expensive an option, consider a visit to your local thrift store to search for uniforms, suits, out-of-date dress clothes and accessories. With a little imagination, your own closet may even turn into a costume gold mine. Consider what you could repurpose or alter with scissors and tape.

•    Keep in mind the type of event you will be attending and dress appropriately. A horrifying, gory mask will not be appropriate for a children’s event, for example, and neither will your super-sexy French maid costume.

•    Weather can be a major factor when selecting a costume. If you will be wearing the ensemble outdoors, be careful to choose clothing that is warm enough, depending on your location. Many locales will be experiencing winter weather at this time of the year.

•    Pay attention to the details. Small touches including hair, makeup and accessories can make or break your costume. What’s a pirate without the eye patch and peg leg, or Dorothy without Toto in a basket?

With a little time and effort, you can come up with an awesome costume that will make heads turn on Halloween. Plan ahead, get creative and have fun!