aqua fortis

Monday, October 09, 2006

Disco Inferno

I was totally planning for months to dress up in 1970s garb for Halloween this year, complete with roller skates. Then I lost the eBay auction for size 5 roller derby skates that I had my eye on. I was kind of glad because I really wasn't looking forward to paying the $17 or so in shipping, which would have probably exceeded the price of the skates. I was really into this idea until A) I lost the auction, and B) I thought seriously about the practicalities of wearing roller skates to a Halloween party. I don't think most people would appreciate me skating all over their floors, no matter how cool the costume might be. (And it was going to be cool--there was going to be an afro wig. And lots of gold spangles.)

Some might opine that I could still put together a good 1970s disco-era costume without the roller skates. I could wear Chuck Taylors, I suppose. But I also think one ought to be tall and thin to pull off the disco look. Otherwise I might end up looking like Little Orphan Annie instead.

So I'm coming up with some alternate ideas for costumes now. I used that website a couple of years ago and Rob and I ended up going to our friend Jess's Halloween party dressed as a plastic surgeon and a post-breast-implant patient, which I thought was hilarious, but, if you read the blog entry, did not quite go over as well as was hoped. So I'm going to try for something a little more obvious this year and less prone to misinterpretation.

  • Medusa. I could wear a long black dress, and then make a hat with a bunch of fake snakes attached to it. That would be quite amusing.
  • Rosie the Riveter. I'd have to obtain some work clothes, though, which would be hard to find in a small size.
  • Renaissance Wench. This would be the laziest option, as I already have a costume a friend made for me for the purposes of next weekend's Renaissance Faire, at which I plan to imbibe with gusto so I don't have to say "huzzah."
  • Greek Goddess. The only problem with this one is that I'd probably insist on being a specific goddess, and then I'd end up with another one of those costumes that nobody gets. Anybody have a spare Golden Apple of Discord?
  • Beatnik. Again, this could lend itself to misinterpretation.
  • Richard Simmons. I actually thought of this one myself, before reading it on the costume website. This would enable me to utilize the afro wig.
  • Rastafarian. The only problem with this one is I'll be going to a party in Berkeley and it's highly possible people won't notice it's a costume.
  • Catholic School Girl. I'm saving this one until someday in the distant future when I might be pregnant, because I think that would be hilarious.

I'm kind of liking the Medusa idea right now. I'm not sure I could get Rob to be Perseus, though. I'm thinking about making little stuffed snakes that I could put a wire in the middle of because then I could bend them into a truly dramatic hairdo.

8 comments:

Sarah Stevenson said...

It occurs to me I could also be Snakes on a Plane, but it sounds like a pain in the ass to wear an airplane costume. It's just not worth it.

tanita✿davis said...

...but if you made the plane out of carved and painted styrofoam, attached just to a shirt (you'd have the nose cone sticking out of your chest), it could be less of a pain. But I'm just like the idea of you Pippi-ing it up with the hair... You know something weird, and random and totally not-quite related I just found out? You can't buy PIPECLEANERS at Rite Aid or Long's unless you're over 18. It's a SMOKER'S thing... for, like, PIPES. Meanwhile, you can just go to Michael's... and buy in bulk, and in happy colors.

Anyway, yay for you for actually dressing up! I will be wearing my hives and calomine...

MeiMeiLn said...

I love all these ideas, esp. the pregger Catholic schoolgirl. If I'm invited to a Halloween party, I'm so picking your brain. Please send pics of your costumes!

Anonymous said...

The 70's roller girl costume is a great one! I used to wear roller skates around the house all the time, but I guess it's another thing to wear them at someone's house. While intoxicated. Still, I'll have to bust that out some year. I have some white roller skates that I never use because the wheels are cheap and janky. Medusa's a good altnerate option. Fun AND scary. You can probably find the snakes at a costume shop. Be sure to post pictures after the party!

tanita✿davis said...

Mostly? I'm just jealous you get to go to a RenFaire... when was the last time I did that?!

David T. Macknet said...

You could go as a Japanese Schoolgirl - similar costume to the Catholic Schoolgirl, really - and ... drumroll ... you could sell used panties, like they do in Japan.

Of course, that might be culturally insensitive ... but, then again, if you read the whole article, it might just be a creepy/sick idea. Sigh. So much for the innocence of Anime.

MeiMeiLn said...

I used to envy Tootie for being on roller skates all the time. And used panties? Ew. Thanks for the info, Davimack. :)

Sarah Stevenson said...

Ahh, Snopes...what don't they know??

Thanks, guys, for the suggestions. I'll definitely take pictures, whatever I end up doing. I saw a lot of 25 rubber "bendy snakes" with a wire inside on eBay for about $18, so I might splurge on those. Can you imagine? With the wire inside I could definitely achieve that Medusa hairdo.

I'll try to remember to take pics at the Ren Faire, too. I'm trying to think of something I can do to personalize my costume and make it a little more interesting (not cleavage-interesting or authentic-Renaissance-B.O.-interesting, but...something).