Strollerderby : halloween hacks

Last-Minute Costume Ideas From People Who are Waaaay Into It

Madeline Holler — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 16:38:00 GMT

I met my husband nine years ago today at a Halloween Party. It was love at first sight, for sure, because we were the only two not in costume. Forevermore, I would not only have a date for holiday parties, but I would never feel pressure to come up with a great costume again. Right?

Oops, the kids. They're worse than over-the-top costumy friends in terms of eye-rolling and pressure to at least put on a funny hat. The folks a Threadbangers have made it even easier with these last-minute costume ideas. I'm set for the next decade. (And who knew a pillow could be so versatile?).

This Halloween, We're On DIY Wings and a Prayer

Madeline Holler — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 12:38:00 GMT

I could never get excited about Halloween, even as a kid. I rarely had good ideas for costumes. What I did come up with never turned out how I wanted. I always felt a bit like an ass until I could get back home, remove my beret and wipe off that stupid eyeliner mustache (Frenchman? What was I thinking?). For me, Halloween was an awful lot to get worked up about just for a Heath Bar.

I still have a hard time getting into the holiday, which is just sad when you have kids. I try every year to drum up some enthusiasm, usually in the form of over-promising my daughters on costumes. Dream big, girls! Anything! So they're all about wings -- the older one wants to be a dragonfly, the younger a butterfly and I even said we could strap a pair to the dog. Where the hell am I going to get dragonfly wings? And a pair for the dog?

Then, like a magical DIY-winged fairy, along come Threadbangers showing step by step … in video! … with humor and simplicity and background music ... exactly how. Now if I could only find some wire hangers.

(Oh, if wings aren’t your thing, they’ve also got pirate and mummy costume DIY).

(Oh, and even if you hate costumes like me, the videos are super fun to watch.)

Take Back Halloween: No More Baby Sluts

Mike Adamick (Cry It Out!) — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 15:55:00 GMT

Dana and I were searching online for a Halloween witch costume for Emmeline, and we noticed that while boys have a lot of simple, innocent options -- cop, fireman, astronaut, Rosie O'Donnell -- girls, even very young girls, are left with slightly more disturbing options.

Witch slut. Witch whore. Baby witch cheerleader slut. From hell. Who dresses their kids in this crap?

I'm not some Puritan -- if you're an adult or my prom date and you feel like Witch Crack Whore looks good on you, fine, here's a pipe and $5 for a blow job -- but the thought of dressing up young girls in midriff-baring costumes, slinky skirts and laced-up baby heels had me spinning. It got worse as the girl costumes got older, as if every year in a girl's life means another inch of skirt above the knee.

And it had me wondering.

"Would anyone ever sell a Chippendale outfit for young boys? Would a parent ever buy one?"

Of course not.

It's nothing new, but it still irks me to no end that from a very young age boys are given role models who use their minds and bodies to do something useful, something productive, while girls are taught to leave their minds at home and use their bodies to attract attention. Even while wearing masks.

That great Dove commercial showcasing the onslaught of body issues young girls face every day left out some important and dangerous sources: us. Parents. People who buy stupid shit like the Bratz cheerleader crack whore outfit.

Make Magazine's D.I.Y. Halloween Hacks

Alisyn — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 15:19:00 GMT

Remember when we were talking about going green this Halloween?

Homemade costumes, healthy and seasonal treats, and a focus on people rather than things are just some of the means by which the goal can be met. And if you're seriously considering any of them, you should definitely check out Make magazine's DIY Halloween extravaganza: the utterly unique and homegrown costume ideas, tricked out pumpkins and seriously scary food hacks are sure to inspire you, and possibly your kids, if they're not the sensitive types (my own kid would just about keel over in fright with one look at that rat cake).

If the spirit moves you, and you find yourself with the desire and drive to enter your own Halloween creations in the Make and Craft Halloween Contest... well, then that's what you should do. Because winning prizes for making cool stuff is awesome.

Check for Halloween how-tos from Make all this month! I will be.

[Image via Make.com]