The Necessity of Planning

I debated long and hard about what costume to wear this Halloween. It’s not just a simple choice of going to Meijer the day of a party and buying something that fits and is cheap. Oh no, I plan.

Sometimes not enough. My senior year of high school I decided on being a Jedi, and I wanted to make it myself. I bought fabric, patterns, and set to work. It quickly became an issue of time. You see, I didn’t, and still don’t, know how to use a sewing machine and making a costume by hand is a really long process.

I ended up roping my sister to help me because she knows how to work the contraption. We were up past midnight on Hallow’s Eve and I had to pay her half the Reese’s I got that year. And while I was immensely proud of my costume I still got pwned by a young kid dressed up as Darth Vadar because his light saber extended AND lit up.

So, for this year’s costume it has to be easy to make. And recognizable. My junior year, I bought 40 peacock plumes and made a tail I attached to the back of a dress. This thing was huge, easily had a six foot span, and with a purple dress and beautiful plums I figured it would be pretty obvious that I was a peacock.

Turns out that was wrong, this one lady called me a turkey. A turkey! And I couldn’t defend myself because I had lost my voice for a week from working at a haunted house. I was unable to say ‘trick-or-treat’, let alone point out this woman’s mistake. My friends still call me a turkey sometimes.

So yes, Halloween costumes have to be easy to make, and it has to be obvious what you are. Oh, and cheap. We are college students.

So I looked through my clothes (nothing’s cheaper then what you already have) and found a pair of cargo pants that had potential. And Salvation Army has a ton of stuff too. Go on Thursdays, it’s student discount day. Take me if you need advise. 

Cargo pants, black top, and a summer fondness for revisiting Disney cartoons. Add a small box covered in printer paper colored to match the proper accessories and some red hair dye and a Kim Possible cosplay is born!

We’ll just ignore the fact that my hair is short and curly and that my martial skills are so bad I can’t even fake a pose.