Can't breathe, can't see... let's go knock on some doors!
While other generations were showing off their fantastic DIY or store-bought Halloween costumes, what did Gen X get? A plastic mask and vest, along with a gentle reminder to stay far away from open flames. 🤣
I can still vividly remember that plastic scent and the sweat beads on my face. But when I strutted into the classroom in my Wonder Woman outfit, complete with chunky gold cuff bracelets on loan from my aunt, you couldn't tell me shit... I felt absolutely invincible.
As an adult, my favorite costume has to be the year my husband and I went for matching outfits — the Big Bad Wolf and, well, let's just say, a decidedly non-traditional Red Riding Hood. She wanted to get caught... or maybe even eaten. WHAT?! We were dating at the time, and we LOVE teasing our grown-up kids about our choice to be seen in public like that.
Now, I'm curious, what's your all-time favorite Halloween costume? 🎃
Circa 1976, I went as a VERY traditional, non-naughty red riding hood (in a homemade costume), my dad dressed up as the wolf (in an old men’s fur coat), and my mother was the grandmother -- although she was very, visibly pregnant with my brother at the time, which made for an interesting twist.
At around nine I was the deviI. I wore a red short-sleeved leotard from gymnastics, threw some red mesh tuile around for a skirt, red ballet flats, a cardboard tail, horns, and pitchfork...and the most hideous, scary offensive plastic mask. Creepy for all the wrong reasons. That was the late 70s.
Armed with my Halloween edition of Teen Beat, I crafted my favorite Halloween costume of all time...a tube of toothpaste!! I was so proud of that costume and received what seemed like a hundred compliments and extra candy that year...such great memories!!!
Look I'm just gonna say it: my all-time fav was Sexy Cat. Black leggings and long-sleeve T, black high heels, a headband with cat ears and some sloppy black whiskers painted on my cheeks. Wore it to every Halloween party in my 20s, and it never let me down. Everyone loves a Sexy Cat, is what I'm saying ;)
In 2008 I went as Sara Palin. As a brunette who wears glasses all I had to do was put on a red suit jacket I already owned and put my hair in a bun. I added a toy rifle for flair. Easiest and best costume ever.
Circa 1977, I went as the goddess Isis, which now would probably be considered cultural appropriation and or vaguely terroristic, so probably not the best choice even though it was one of the best GenX TV shows of the 70s. If I were to go back and rebrand, I'd make her the goddess Neith, the pre-Hellenic goddess of all goddesses, war, weaving and the heavens—who also didn’t require a dude to reproduce. My favorite present-day costume was going as Fleabag from season 2—right after she'd been punched by her brother-in-law at the family dinner. So, think: black eyes, bloody nose, the fabulous black jumpsuit with red lips and a cigarette. I swear I'd have our whole family dress up as her for a holiday card with the caption “This is a love story... Happy Holidays from the Kennedy Joneses!” Because that's the kind of year it’s been 😂
3rd grade, '78 - Don't recall what prompted this, but I decided to go as a news reporter. Mom bought me a plastic costume hat (the only style they had was a derby though I wanted a fedora), tucked my hair in, smudged my face to look like a five o-clock shadow. Makes me cringe a little that I didn't think I could be a woman reporter.
I was the devil and my partner was a monk. He carried a fake Bible with a flask inside. I still have the fabulous sequined devil horns. I like to wear them when I vacuum.
My mom only bought us the plastic mask / vinyl outfit costume one year, because it was freezing cold that year in Wisconsin and they fit over our winter coats. My favorite as a child was a gypsy costume we built from my mom's closet and jewelry box. Another bad cultural appropriation in hindsight. As a 20-something, I came across a fake "Heart of the Ocean," and decided to go as Rose from "Titanic" in a robe and auburn wig. I think I still have that silly necklace. It was a super easy and fun costume at the time.
In 1996 or so, a group of us went as "Punctuation Super Heroes" or some such. We had Captain Umlaut, The Amazing Tilde, and I was Ellipsis. I had a snappy little black outfit with Wonder Woman type trappings, and three dots across my forehead. I would talk and trail off mysteriously. There also may have been an Exclamation Point, who was just very directive and intense.
Circa 1976, I went as a VERY traditional, non-naughty red riding hood (in a homemade costume), my dad dressed up as the wolf (in an old men’s fur coat), and my mother was the grandmother -- although she was very, visibly pregnant with my brother at the time, which made for an interesting twist.
That image completely triggered me. Lol.
At around nine I was the deviI. I wore a red short-sleeved leotard from gymnastics, threw some red mesh tuile around for a skirt, red ballet flats, a cardboard tail, horns, and pitchfork...and the most hideous, scary offensive plastic mask. Creepy for all the wrong reasons. That was the late 70s.
I would never trade those times. :) They were weird, but so good.
Remember the big inflatable monster head things? That's what I wore one year.
I just helped my daughter finish putting her costume together for her first "adult" party. (She just turned 21.) She's going as Axl Rose!
Armed with my Halloween edition of Teen Beat, I crafted my favorite Halloween costume of all time...a tube of toothpaste!! I was so proud of that costume and received what seemed like a hundred compliments and extra candy that year...such great memories!!!
Look I'm just gonna say it: my all-time fav was Sexy Cat. Black leggings and long-sleeve T, black high heels, a headband with cat ears and some sloppy black whiskers painted on my cheeks. Wore it to every Halloween party in my 20s, and it never let me down. Everyone loves a Sexy Cat, is what I'm saying ;)
In 2008 I went as Sara Palin. As a brunette who wears glasses all I had to do was put on a red suit jacket I already owned and put my hair in a bun. I added a toy rifle for flair. Easiest and best costume ever.
Best Buy's Idea Box. A terrible corporate mascot from the late 1990s
Hamburger Helper Hand. It did a stage dive at Emo's in Austin, then the costume rode home stuffed into the back windows of the tour van.
Circa 1977, I went as the goddess Isis, which now would probably be considered cultural appropriation and or vaguely terroristic, so probably not the best choice even though it was one of the best GenX TV shows of the 70s. If I were to go back and rebrand, I'd make her the goddess Neith, the pre-Hellenic goddess of all goddesses, war, weaving and the heavens—who also didn’t require a dude to reproduce. My favorite present-day costume was going as Fleabag from season 2—right after she'd been punched by her brother-in-law at the family dinner. So, think: black eyes, bloody nose, the fabulous black jumpsuit with red lips and a cigarette. I swear I'd have our whole family dress up as her for a holiday card with the caption “This is a love story... Happy Holidays from the Kennedy Joneses!” Because that's the kind of year it’s been 😂
3rd grade, '78 - Don't recall what prompted this, but I decided to go as a news reporter. Mom bought me a plastic costume hat (the only style they had was a derby though I wanted a fedora), tucked my hair in, smudged my face to look like a five o-clock shadow. Makes me cringe a little that I didn't think I could be a woman reporter.
I was the devil and my partner was a monk. He carried a fake Bible with a flask inside. I still have the fabulous sequined devil horns. I like to wear them when I vacuum.
My mom only bought us the plastic mask / vinyl outfit costume one year, because it was freezing cold that year in Wisconsin and they fit over our winter coats. My favorite as a child was a gypsy costume we built from my mom's closet and jewelry box. Another bad cultural appropriation in hindsight. As a 20-something, I came across a fake "Heart of the Ocean," and decided to go as Rose from "Titanic" in a robe and auburn wig. I think I still have that silly necklace. It was a super easy and fun costume at the time.
In 1996 or so, a group of us went as "Punctuation Super Heroes" or some such. We had Captain Umlaut, The Amazing Tilde, and I was Ellipsis. I had a snappy little black outfit with Wonder Woman type trappings, and three dots across my forehead. I would talk and trail off mysteriously. There also may have been an Exclamation Point, who was just very directive and intense.