Save the World…Together!

Posted on July 9, 2012 by admin

At Halloween, one of the most fun things to do is to try to come up with a costume that you and your loved ones can wear together. That way, when people come up you at the party, they’ll say, “Oh, look at you two, you’re so and so. You’re so cute!” and you’ll beam with pride. If you’re in need of an idea for a group costume, there’s few things more popular than superheroes lately.

With “The Avengers” breaking all kinds of box office records and “The Amazing Spider-Man” opening that recently opened, (It’s getting pretty decent reviews.) people are naturally going to want to dress up as superheroes. So why not join in the fun and dress a superhero and a sidekick, or the superhero with the lady he loves? An Avengers Halloween costume is a great idea, or other superheroes make the perfect duo for a woman who wants to show up at a party with her beau in matching costume.

An obvious choice would be to dress up as Superman and Lois Lane, or if you wanted to stray from the comic book story, Superman and Wonder Woman. Pre-made Superman costumes are pretty easy to find in any department store as are Wonder Woman costumes. Lois Lane may take a little bit more creativity, though all you really have to do is put on a dress or jumpsuit and have dark hair.

You can take it “old school” and go as Batman and Robin, and that’s a great choice for young men, since Batman seems to have more girls than we can count. Since “The Avengers” has been so popular, you can go as Black Widow and Hawkeye (they date each other in the film) or Black Widow and any of the Avenger guys since there are plenty of them. Or, you can be Iron Man and Virginia “Pepper” Potts (from the film). With the newest Spider-Man just hitting theaters, a good idea would be dress up as Peter Parker (with the Spidey suit underneath the normal clothes) and Gwen Stacy or Mary Jane, if you feel so inclined to do a throwback costume (though we all know that Gwen Stacy was his real true love). One that is lesser known but still sexy and would be a fun project to put together for the both of you would be Daredevil and Elektra from their 2003 and 2005 respective films.
Guys, if you’re lucky enough to have a girl who would agree to dress up in skintight spandex in front of who knows how many people, don’t let this opportunity pass you by. If you can pull off convincing costumes, it’s no doubt that you’ll win all the awards for best couple costume at your next Halloween party. Ok, now you’ve got some great ideas, so go ahead, be a hero.

Emma Rae Curtis is a costume/dressing up/makeup & accessories expert. She mainly writes about Halloween but also about all things costume and dress-up related.

How to Dress Like Katniss Everdeen for Cheap

Posted on July 2, 2012 by admin

It’s no secret that one of the biggest fictional characters in recent times is Katniss Everdeen, the heroine and main character of Suzanne Collins’ trilogy The Hunger Games. Almost every teenaged girl in the country knows about the books and now, thanks to Lionsgate, the movies starring Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss.

The movie portrayed Katniss differently than we may have imagined in our head, but the movie also made Katniss more recognizable to the general public. It’s more than likely that Katniss Everdeen will be one of the most popular Halloween costumes come October. The best part is that she has so many different outfits that can be worn and they are easy to replicate for a small price.

In the opening scene of the film “The Hunger Games”, we meet Katniss in a leather jacket, knee-high boots and a bow slung over her shoulder as she’s hunting in the woods. All one needs to emulate Katniss in this casual women’s costume is a light brown leather jacket, pants in an earth tone color (brown, dark green, beige) and brown riding boots.

Buying new may be an exciting thrill and, when not worn together, these can make other day-to-day outfits. Iif thrift is important, usually these items, or if not the same, similar, can be found at any second hand store for much cheaper than buying them at retail price.
One of the most popular costumes will no doubt be Katniss’ outfit she wears while she’s in the arena. Again, this is a simple outfit to throw together, whether you’re buying for more than just Halloween or if you don’t plan on wearing it again. Dark green cargo pants make up the bulk of this outfit and a simple black v-neck t-shirt will suffice to compliment them.

A black zip up jacket will complete this costume and it’s likely that all three items can be found for under $20 at any thrift store. Add an orange backpack to really emulate Katniss.
Don’t forget to braid your hair and be sure to wear a Mockingjay pin (found at Walmart or easily accessible online) so all your party guests will know exactly who you are.
Good luck and may the odds be ever in your favor!

Emma Rae Curtis is a costume/dressing up/makeup & accessories expert. She mainly writes about Halloween but also about all things costume and dress-up related.

Finding the Right Costume for Your Figure

Posted on June 19, 2012 by admin

Many women struggle with body image issues and will sometimes skip out on the fun of holidays because of this. However, I firmly believe that life is worth living to the fullest, especially during the best seasons of the year…namely the one during the fall that involve Halloween. That’s why I think that despite your figure size, be it teeny tiny or well-proportioned, you should consider going all out and dressing up.

There’s nothing that makes me more discouraged than seeing a beautiful person hanging out on the sidelines because they feel too self conscious to engage in the festivities. It’s one thing if you don’t like parties, or naturally are too shy to dress up, but it’s quite another issue altogether to skip out on costumed fun because of self-loathing. I assure you that there are costumes out there for every figure, and ones that will flatter every body type, from super skinny toplus sized costumes. The trick to pulling off a great costume no matter what the body type inside of it is some self-confidence. Even if you don’t have it, if you walk into that halloween party like you own the joint, you can fake like you do.

So, why not dream up a costume that will make you feel comfortable and still allow you to join in the holiday awesomeness? One friend of mine made this concept work when she sewed her own antique-style swimming suit to wear to the beach, weight be darned. I promise one you start getting compliments on your great outfit, you’ll be happy you didn’t hang out in the corner dressed in a gunny sack….unless that’s the costume you had in mind.

Emma Rae Curtis is a costume/dressing up/makeup & accessories expert. She mainly writes about Halloween but also about all things costume and dress-up related.

Halloween Stockings

Posted on May 6, 2012 by admin

At Halloween it can be easy to overlook small details, but even if you don’t like stockings, tights or pantyhose, you know they can make all the difference.

Now you can find nylons in any style, color or pattern imaginable. So why not try to incorporate them into your look?

Here are some simple ways to use pantyhose for your next costume:

As fake tattoos – Many stocking companies now sell specially made nylons that look like tattoos. Whether for your arms or legs these fake tattoos look convincing and provide a great touch to any costume, for man or woman.
Black and white stripes- Stripes evoke the Wicked Witch of the East from the Wizard of Oz. Nothing is more iconic than when her legs shrivel up after Dorothy has taken the Ruby slippers. If you want to be a wicked witch than this is a must for you.
Using shear nylons to glue on plastic cockroaches or spiders is another great way to make it look as though you are crawling with life. Maybe you want to be a decomposing bride or a mummy, this is a simple way to add a lifelike touch without gluing anything to your skin.
Gory tights make it look like your oozing with blood without having to make up your legs or arms. Sometimes when you get home from a late night party all you want to do is crawl into bed, but if you have caked on layers of makeup, this is not a good idea. These tights make it easier to get in and out of your costume without the cleanup.

Don’t forget that you can get tights in neon colors, with stripes, circles, diamonds or zig zags. With clouds, butterflies or glitter, you have so many options to choose from you might never go back to naked legs.