Friday, November 2, 2012

Adult Halloween: This Year Was My Choice

Tennis, anyone?
Tennis, anyone?
I first had the idea of our Halloween costumes months ago. I pondered them in my heart. As time drew near, it took some freight train-style enthusiasm on my part to get Matt on board. When he first put on the little white shorts, he said, "No." And I said, "YES!" And he was all, really? And I was like YEEEEESSSS! I think it didn't gel for him until he put the wig on. It gelled for me as soon as I saw him in those socks. Gelled big time.

This is an easy costume to do and I highly recommend it for comfort, couple-friendliness, light-hearted sunshineyness, and budget accessibility. The only real expenditure was two pairs of Adidas Sambas. But I thought they were utterly integral to my vision, and you know, I figured they are also functioning shoes, like, after Halloween. I had the old Lacoste polo, I got the wooden racquets from Pretty Neighbor (and there are a ton floating around out there), and I found the little shorts at, where else, American Apparel. We're just wearing two different sizes of the exact same shorts.

We went around the corner to a party in our neighborhood Saturday night. This is the party I told a bit about last year, where the people move out all their furniture starting Labor Day and completely transform their house. This year the theme was sort of medieval disco dungeon. Last year it was more like Zombie Ethan Frome. I think that's a thing.

halloween 2011
Last year. Pretty sure Matt was more comfy this year.
This party is the occasion for my annual consumption of jello shots. Which were brought around by uniformed waiters this year, which I found hilarious. But also very convenient! It was all lots of fun, and the costumes were great. Yes, a lot of the ladies were nearly naked in that way of current Halloween fashions, but there were some clever things too. This lesbian couple dressed up as Wayne and Garth from Wayne's World. It was uncanny. There was also a couple doing Grant Wood's American Gothic, and it was one of those things where it's like not even a costume, it's just part of their souls. Anyway, a good time was had by all and we were home by 12:30, little the worse for the jello shots.

Nobody did anything scandalous or embarassing, that I remember, though this one lady's girl scout costume was both.

I am already thinking of next year, but to get Matt excited, I think I need an idea that engages his fantasy life. So, basically that gets us to Vikings, barbarians, other tall hirsute characters? I'm reminded of that John Cheever story where the directive for a costume party was, "Come as your heart's desire," or something to that effect, and all the men came in their old school football outfits and all the women came as brides.

Did you guys dress up? Deets plz!

11 comments:

Marsha said...

We haven't done couples' - or any - costumes in years. The last time was a about 13 or 14 years ago and I wore my wedding dress and my husband wore one of my bridesmaid's dresses. Not particularly inspired, but there you go. If we were invited to such a party now we'd probably have to decline because our hearts' desire these days is a quiet night at home. Or maybe that American Gothic idea is more our speed?

gretchen said...

Oh looky, I told you I'd be back. Y'all are TOO adorable. I just happen to own a wooden "Pancho Gonzales" tennis racket from my childhood. Sad. Anyway, Jimmy and I have, in our 20 YEARS TOGETHER (egad, how did THAT happen?) done couples Halloween costumes exactly twice. Sad again. But both were extremely successful. The first was Sonny and Cher, aided by the fact that Jimmy is a couple of inches shorter than me and has a big nose. The second was just a couple of years ago, and we went as a priest and a very scary, unattractive nun. Again, quite good. As for tall, fanciful characters, I vote Klingons. Y'all would ROCK Klingons.

Becky said...

Gretchen, I figured you guys were probably dressing up every year! Is it because you get enough costuming in your jobs?

Becky said...

Marsha, whoa, he wore your bridesmaid's dress?!? Too funny. I'm practically sure that nobody would enjoy matt in mine, LOL

Anonymous said...

Oh my gosh, I love your Cheever reference. I know that story from a long time ago. My son went as bjorn Borg. Easy costume, though he didn't have the cute socks.

Steve said...

I came as Mitt Romney. I dressed as a windsock.

Becky said...

LOLOL

M said...

In our 20s, my brother and I went as Jack and Jackie. We used our parents old cocktail circuit apparel so picture Mad Men era garb. It worked, I guess, because people actually thought that's who we were. Charming in an Irish Catholic sort of way. ; )

Tube socks and short shorts....now those are museum worthy.

Elizabeth said...

My best outfit was Gluttony, when I taped bags of snack foods and candy to my clothes. I went with the other Seven Deadly Sins -- we were quite the hit, and yes, one girl insisted on being Lust and you just know she reveled in it.

Amy said...

Yeah, and I *still* can't stop laughing.

I am so sad that we no longer have an adult party to attend -- the one that we enjoyed for a number of years got, apparently, a little too out of hand, as the excess of skin and alcohol rose each year.

And dang, Becks, can you start rebuilding your blogroll? I depended on it as if it were my own, y'know.

Elizabeth - I loooove that costume concept! Now to find six willing friends (one with trampy tendencies), and a party to go to...

Anonymous said...

Hi, I love the socks so much.

Ballet class kept us another year from Halloween so no one dressed up. Two years ago, we were zombies to accompany the children on their route. It was v subtle -- a little gray-green eyeshadow highlighting our features, stumbling when we remembered. We eschew the limelight, yk. xox