It seems like Halloween is quickly approaching this year. I’m already thinking about costumes, especially since this year the Voodoo Music Experience takes place over Halloween weekend, and I’ll be spending the weekend there with the Noisician Coalition. I think I’ve decided that I’m bringing back my Cher costume, which I came up with in 2004 as a joke. (I wanted my friend Connor, who was the DJ at our local club at the time, to play “If I Could Turn Back Time” on the dance floor! My plan worked!)
I LOVE costumes… I think here in New Orleans most of us look for any excuse to wear costumes throughout the year, but especially at Halloween and Mardi Gras we go full force with costuming! Sometimes costuming can be a great excuse to buy those extravagant things that you’ve been wanting to get anyway… that’s what I told myself with my Cassowary costume from Mardi Gras a couple of years ago.
Miss Mischief made a post about Halloween costumes on her blog recently along these same lines. Who wouldn’t love to dress up as Lady Gaga or Joan Holloway this year?
Sometimes it’s fun just to do silly random costumes that don’t really represent anything at all. Dress up! Have fun! Wear something you normally wouldn’t! That’s how I came up with this ultra last minute costume the Halloween of 2005, just a few short weeks after we came back into town following Hurricane Katrina. My friends and I actually got photographed that year by someone from the New York Times and we made it into a slideshow on their website.
Think outside of the box and don’t limit yourself when it comes to costumes. Who cares if you’re the only person who gets it? Personally, I like costumes that are like an inside joke with myself. Although it’s fun to wear an instantly recognizable costume sometimes as well! (Everyone knows who I’m supposed to be in that Cher costume!)
Still looking for costume inspiration? Miss Mischief is offering up custom order tiny top hats just in time for Halloween, or check out my older post on some Etsy Costume Finds. Threadbanger is also a great source for DIY Halloween Costumes.
You’ve still got plenty of time to plan and create the perfect Halloween costume this year! Go forth! Decorate yourself!
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi,
I’m trying to figure out how to make a Cher (Turn Back Time) costume like yours pictured at the top of your page. Where did you get the fishnet bodysuit and the black V outfit? Yours really looks like hers and you did an awesome job! Any help you can give would be much appreciated! I’m trying to get all my costume stuff early so I’m not rushing around at the last last minute. Thanks!!
Erin
Erin, I searched the French Quarter until I managed to find a full body fishnet body suit. I can’t remember exactly where I found it, but I bet you can find one online. Leg Avenue is a hosiery/lingerie company – I’m not sure, but they MIGHT make on.
The black V part was added on by me. It was kind of a pain to do… it required a lot of hand-sewing and help from my boyfriend & best friend. I basically found some stretch black velvet material, cut it out in the shape I needed, and then hand sewed it onto the bodysuit. The tricky part is, unless you have a mannequin or something, you really need to sew it while you’re wearing it, since the body suit stretches so much. Which is where my boyfriend and best friend came in, for the back and parts I couldn’t reach by myself.
The bodysuit is the hardest part. The rest is just finding a wig, fake tattoos (a must if you’re going to do this!!), a motorcycle jacket, some boots, etc. She also technically wears some sort of gold necklace and gold belt thing in the video – one time I wore this I was able to find those pieces, but these pictures are from the first time I did this costume.