When You Google DIY Costume Out Of Nothing 30 Minutes Before Walking Out The Door

Ah, the annual uptown Halloween parade. I try to avoid it at all costs, but this year, somehow, I didn't. In fact, not only didn't I avoid it, but I was kind of excited about it. The dressing up. The parading. The viewing of awesome costumes everywhere.

I was there 3.5 seconds before I remembered why I'd rather gouge my eyes out with a hot spoon than attend the parade. Micah doesn't do costumed characters. And we were in line beside the only fully costumed person at the parade. Micah was pretty sure that if he waved vigorously enough, from a distance, that it would recognize that he came in peace and leave him alone. Sadly, it wasn't a Disney character, and felt no obligation to wave happily back every single time. Micah is probably even now having a nightmare that the thing is coming to eat him while he sleeps. You can imagine that the night wasn't spectacularly fun, then. I mean, it wasn't horrible, and definitely could have been much worse, but it just wasn't fun.

Also unfun was the massive throng of people so thick that you couldn't see the costumes for the crowd. It was sad, because there were some kicking costumes there. At least the few that I saw. The best zombie ever had a Salvation Army circa 1982 pink silk prom gown, torn to tatters, spray painted a grayish overlay for an awesome aging effect, and carried a dead rose. Authentic, man. Dead for years, reincarnated, ready to eat brains.

I'm glad Micah doesn't know what zombies are.

The kids in the wagon, dressed like fish, were as close to an under the sea replica as you can get on dry land. It was pretty sweet.

Despite the fact that we knew the Halloween parade was coming, I found myself woefully unprepared. I'd thought about getting costumes together, but that's all the further it went. Becky and Luke were the only two ready for the occasion, and Luke was saving his costume for actual trick-or-treating, so he fell into the "drat, we leave in 30 minutes and I have nothing to wear" category.

Why yes, I did say 30 minutes from walking out the door. We put the pro in procrastinate.

Becky chose to be Alice (from Wonderland) this year, and had the foresight to get a dress at Salvation Army a few weeks back that fit the bill perfectly. It would need tweaked, but was definitely workable. We added a lace pinafore at the last second (no sew!) and a wide ribbon belt, her ballerina tutu from several years ago made a comeback as a petticoat, and stockings completed her ensemble.  Oh, and a pizza box lid to make a clock, with a dog's choker chain to carry it with. Alice was done.

Josh was clueless (as usual) so Becky suggested he go as the Mad Hatter to complement her. If the dude didn't pull it off quite well, too. A borrowed Dr. Seuss hat from Luke, two borrowed scarves from mom, and he's definitely Mad.

Luke was busy with homework and didn't have time to get elaborate, so he donned the airsoft gear and was a sniper.

Micah was confused. He had on a Steelers jersey, a baseball cap, and a Spiderman suit. We stripped  him down to Spidey, but he insisted on carrying the gun. Becky is convinced that he should not be named among the super heroes because all he can do is shoot webs, and Micah is well aware of this. He upgraded Spidey to be able to defend himself should someone put the moves on his candy.

And that left me. I figured I'd be a hippie since I had the long skirt, but the kids said I was doing the gypsy instead, so I went with the flow and embellished that angle. I am a little bit afraid that I had stuff in my closet to support this lifestyle. In my defense, I took the tags off that scarf with the pom poms on it just tonight, and its been in my closet for 2 years. The rest of it I have no excuse for.