This Is Halloween: part 1

This Is Halloween, This Is Halloween!

(part 1)

(why did my parents think this was a decent picture to take?)

Hello readers! Anyone who truly knows me knows how much Halloween means to me (and after this post, you'll understand why). I am usually stuck in a rut because it only comes around once a year, and I don't have many friends - so I don't ever get invited to costume parties. Do you understand? I don't have a 3 day weekend to swap out multiple outfits! I have to narrow it down to my absolute favorite, and that can be frustrating when I have about 7 costumes in mind and readily available in my closet. I started planning this year's costume back in February but recently realized that it wasn't appropriate to wear to take our 4 year old and 2 year old trick-or-treating. Mind you, I've never had the gall to wear a risqué outfit (not my taste), so that isn't the issue. But not a lot of people outside of West Hollywood would understand my 

Gwen Stefani-as-a-bride-in-the-Simple Kind of Life-music-video: 

(I'll have to save it for a few years down the road when my kids are too embarrassed to go out with me on Halloween) 

Back story/side note: growing up we didn't have too much money to spend on expensive, yet cheaply made, store bought Halloween costumes (that you wear once!), so we had to get crafty. This is where a lot of my creativity blossomed from (thanks mom! honestly!) You gotta make do with what you have. 

I'm trying to instill that same tradition in my kids, but when a 4 year old wants to be Queen Elsa for Halloween, you have to let her be Queen Elsa for Halloween. ::sigh:: But who am I kidding? If I could have been The Little Mermaid from ages 4-11, I totally would have. 

Sub side note: why haven't I still fulfilled that dream to this day?

Anyway, I'm planning on writing a 'Halloween: part 2' blog about the process of custom-making my 4 year old's Queen Elsa costume. Tantrums and all.

OK! So without further ado, I've compiled some photos from throughout the years of a few costumes I've worn. These are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to all the ideas I haven't lived out yet.

1980's Rock n' Roll (2003)

Decades Theme: 1960's Modette, 1970's Disco Queen, and 1980's Dogtown (2004)

I don't have any proof for 2005, but a friend and I dressed as Andy Warhol and Edie Sedgwick

Alice in Wonderland inspired by Gwen Stefani's 'What You Waiting For?' video (2006)

French Mime (2007)

2008 I planned on being Snow White before I got dumped, but changed plans to a 1920's Newspaper Boy as a newly single gal! (and I had a backup costume of Little Orphan Annie - but where is my photographic evidence??)

Cowboy, and Max from Where The Wild Things Are (2009)

Pregnant costume inspiration: When Pigs Fly (2010)

Amelia Earhart (2011)

Family costume: Alice in Wonderland (2012)

Family costume: Wizard of Oz - Dorothy and TinMan (Papa and baby were Scarecrow and Cowardly Lion) (2013)

The next few pictures I'm posting didn't make the cut, but I was itching with ideas and needed to document them. I ended up being Twiggy (1960's), but here are some great runner-ups:

Frida Kahlo (2014)

Equestrian Rider (2014)

Circus Lion-Tamer (or tap dancer, depending on the details: whip or dance shoes) (2014)

1950's Synchronized Swimmer (2014)

A modern take on Snow White (attempt #2)

Hamburglar from McDonald's

Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen (2014)

Pirate (2015)

Gwen Stefani circa '95 (2015)

These last three photos aren't actually from Halloween, they're from themed birthday parties instead. But hey, I love sharing any kind of costume idea when I have the chance. 

This year we are dressing as Disney characters where the girls are a pair and Rafael and I are a pair (I'll go into detail over each costume in my next post).

 Just like this year and every year of my life, everything we wear is straight out of our closets. If you look closely, my costumes are just regular clothes combined to create a character. Otherwise I've hand-sewed them. 

As you can see, I absolutely adore Halloween. If you asked me why, it all comes down to expressing myself creatively. I love the idea of temporarily "being someone else" because it's fun, light-hearted, and a conversation starter. I try not to ever half-do my outfits, I'm all about the details (that's what sets the costume apart). Generic Halloween costumes, I think, are one of my top 3 worst nightmares. 

With all this said, have a fun and safe Halloween and hopefully you got inspired with a costume idea!

Over and Out:

Sixties Pixie