Vickie Fee

Dressed to Thrill

It’s October, which means, well I guess it means a lot of things. But one of those things is HALLOWEEN!

With little sister and baby brother. If you look closely you can see sponge rollers in my hair, which means Halloween fell on a Saturday that year. Mama always rolled our hair into sausage curls for church.

When I was a kid, Halloween meant roaming the neighborhood collecting candy in a sack. And by roaming the neighborhood I mean going only to those houses where my mother actually knew the people (Mama’s rules, of which there were plenty.) It also meant donning a costume, of course. For my brother, sister, and me those costumes were always store-bought. The kind with a printed, satiny hospital-gown over the body, and a thick plastic mask we could barely breathe through with eye holes we could barely see out of. Safety first. I might add those were exactly the kind of costumes we wanted—nothing homemade for us.

By the time I was a teenager, store-bought costumes and masks were passé. I would only wear ensembles I put together myself, like a clown or gypsy. And the real thrill of Halloween became haunted houses and scary movies. Going through the local Jaycees haunted house was fun. But actually working in a haunted house as other people ran through screaming was waaay better. The teens and young adults at our church put on a haunted house as a fundraiser for our annual youth trip. We depended mostly on make-up, a fog machine, strobe lights and jumping out at people for the fright factor. But we did have an ace up our sleeves. One of the guys at our church worked at a funeral home. Scoring a real casket and an old hearse made him incredibly popular.

Looking scary at a Rocky Horror costume party many moons ago.

As an adult, I’ve only worn a costume for Halloween when we conspired to wear them to the office, and to the occasional costume party. One year my sister hosted a Rocky Horror Picture Show costume party. We had a couple of Dr. Frank-N-Furters, a Magenta, a random assortment of Transylvanians, and one woman who showed up as Peter Pan. (There’s always someone who didn’t get the memo.) I went as Columbia and hubs was dressed as the minister from the opening scene outside the church. No, I can’t tap dance, but I did stomp about and wave my glitter hat during Columbia’s dance scene. I know you’re sorry you missed that.

No costume parties this year that I know of. If I had to dress up, I might go as Nancy Drew. I have a magnifying glass and a flashlight so I should be good, right? Then again, I don’t think I could pull off the teen sleuth look. I could always go as a mystery author on deadline. I definitely have some pajamas and a large coffee mug. Hey, I’m already in costume!

Do you have a favorite costume, decoration or Halloween activity or memory? And where do you stand on candy corn, thumbs up or down? Share in comments.

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26 thoughts on “Dressed to Thrill”

  2. Ixnay on the candy corn.

    I’m going to be the pariah, but…I don’t like Halloween. I do remember the costumes with the masks. Except…I was so beyond the hassle, but I still had to take my sister (8 years younger) out. My kids I usually had to do 2-3 costumes because whatever was good for trick-or-treating or dance or taekwondo would not pass muster for Catholic school (or heaven forbid, the school would have a “theme” and I’d have to create a costume to fit the theme).

    So yeah. Bit of a curmudgeon when it comes to Halloween. But I do like pumpkin spice.

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    1. Liz, I had to take my sibs, including baby brother in the pic, trick-or-treating way after I was over it, too. Some churches in our area encouraged the kids to dress as Bible characters. I remember Jonah. He had on a tunic with bits of “seaweed” glued all over it. 🙂 And I LOVE pumpkin spice coffee — it’s like pie with caffeine!

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      1. I took my nephews trick or treating and convinced them the plane lights overheard were actually witches with lights on their broomsticks. It was a short trick or treat.

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  3. I used to do the neighborhood trick-or-treating thing when I was a kid, but I haven’t dressed up or done anything for the holiday since. I don’t have kids, and nobody goes door-to-door in my neighborhood (or maybe it’s just my apartment complex). My idea of a good Halloween is staying inside and reading Halloween-themed books. As for candy corn, I’ll pass!

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    1. Marla, we don’t get trick-or-treaters where we live now either. But in our neighborhood in Tennessee, moms would pull onto the street in mini vans and hordes of costumed little ones would descend. We’d have 80 to 100 kids come to the door on Halloween. And I’m with you on candy corn.

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  4. I like Halloween just fine, but my Jack Russell mix goes nuts with all the doorbell-ringing, kids, and weird costumes, so we now turn out the lights and pretend we’re not home in order to protect her from all that trauma (though it’s not nearly as bad as New Years and the fourth of July).

    As for candy corn–big thumbs down. It’s WAY too sweet. (But I am intrigued by those mac n’ cheese flavored candy canes I saw yesterday on Facebook…)

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    1. Leslie, even though we don’t get trick-or-treaters here, I still buy a bit of candy, you know, just to be on the safe side. Then I’m forced to eat it myself. 🙂 How did I miss Mac n’ cheese flavored candy canes!

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  7. OMG, those photos are HILARIOUS!! I developed a distaste for Halloween at a young age. I found it terrifying and bully-ridden. I have only one childhood costume memory. A beautiful satin princess dress my mother made me. I remember she pulled my hair into such a tight bun that it hurt all night. As an adult, I once put on a light blue leotard and told people I was a Brillo pad. Which worked until someone pointed out that Brillo pads are pink and SOS pads are blue.

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  8. I remember those costumes with the plasticky dress and the plastic masks, Vickie. I remember wanting those so badly, but my mom always made my costumes from scratch, which was so awesome of her!

    I love Halloween! I rarely dress up anymore, but I’ve always enjoyed doing it. I make my girls’ costumes each year and I’m still waiting for one of them to decide on her costume this year. And I have to say no to candy corn. I’m not a huge sweets person, and they are simply too sweet!

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    1. Amanda, it’s awesome that you make your girls’ costumes (and that you inherited that talent from your mom)! And no candy corn fans, so far. 🙂

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  9. Oh my gosh, I love this post (and pics) so much. I would have LOVED to see your Columbia performance and the current-day mystery-author-on-deadline costume idea is perfection. Yay for Halloween! 👻

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  10. I hated Halloween then and now, because I am too introverted to beg for candy. We always had the cheap cost I puked with stupid masks when I was a kid.
    Ive make costumes as an adult for parties. I was Pete Maverick (including the short hair), I’ve done a mom on Saturday morning with her “adult baby” sidekick, a peanut m&m, Jim Belushi from the Blues Brothers, Elvis, a squire, you get the idea. I prefer dressing up as as a man for some reason.
    And of course at Malice this past year I was Bertha Cool. Thinking of reviving her at the NaNo kick off party the end of the month.
    Candy corn? I can eat about 3 pieces before I give up. But it’s a Halloween tradition, so I go for it.

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    1. Hestia, You know I love the Elvis costume — jumpsuit or leather jacket? Everyone, send your candy corn to Hestia. So far, she’s the only commenter who says she’d eat any.:)

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  11. Adorable post, Vickie! (Sausage curls! Glittery hat-dancing!). I was actually Nancy Drew for Crime Bake a few years ago. Titian-hued bob wig (I still have it), trenchcoat over my cashmere sweater, pearls, and plaid skirt. Oh, and I carried an old-school clock around with me, just in case anyone was confused. Too much? (I’m a former Nancy Drew editor, what can I say?)

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