DIY Effie Trinket Costume

Posted on July 25, 2012 by admin

Effie and Katniss

“The Hunger Games” is going to be all anyone is talking about for the next couple years. It has created quite a stir in the popular culture of today and it will definitely be one of those things that continues on immortally. But while “The Hunger Games” is popular in the here and now, you’ll want to really make yourself stand out at your next Halloween party. To complement the Katniss costume I told you about, why not dress up as the eccentric Effie Trinket, the always fashionable escort to the District 12 tributes during the Hunger Games.? It’s a fun and exciting way to spice up the party.

Effie Trinket Costume Photo via Jdursh.blogspot.com

Effie is known for her pale skin, bright lips and bright hair. A bright pink, powder white or light green wig (if you can find such a thing!) is perfect to emulate Effie. The color of the wig will determine what kind of outfit you want to get. In chapter one of “The Hunger Games”, Katniss describes her at the Reaping as having a “scary white grin, pinkish hair, and spring green suit.”

You can emulate the outfit that Katniss describes, or you can try putting together the outfit they chose for the Reaping scene in the movie, the fuchsia suit. If you’re looking to score a deal on this costume, scour any thrift store you can for a fuchsia pencil skirt and jacket. An old 80s prom dress would also be a good idea to alter because the puffy sleeves were all the rage back then. Put on your pink or white wig and to top it all off, find a large pink clip flower because that is what really sets Effie apart.

As for make-up, the base really needs to be pale white powder all over your face. Her eye make-up consists of bright pink eye shadow that surrounds the whole eye or a rainbow of different colors, depending on the outfit you choose. The lipstick can either be a straight application of fuchsia color or applied more in a heart shape, in a Tim-Burton-Alice-in-Wonderland-esque kind of style. Fake eyelashes wouldn’t hurt one bit either.

Effie Trinkett Make-up Photo via Emily Duke

The best part about Effie is that she is so eccentric! As long as you have the standard pale face and bright wig, you can pull off just about any outfit and people will still know who you’re trying to be. Just have fun with it! If you and a friend show up as Katniss and Effie, you will be the true life of the party! As Effie so eloquently states, may the odds be ever in your favor!

Emma Rae Curtis is a costume/dressing up/makeup & accessories expert. She mainly writes about Halloween but also about all things costume and dress-up related.

Save the World…Together!

Posted on July 9, 2012 by admin

At Halloween, one of the most fun things to do is to try to come up with a costume that you and your loved ones can wear together. That way, when people come up you at the party, they’ll say, “Oh, look at you two, you’re so and so. You’re so cute!” and you’ll beam with pride. If you’re in need of an idea for a group costume, there’s few things more popular than superheroes lately.

With “The Avengers” breaking all kinds of box office records and “The Amazing Spider-Man” opening that recently opened, (It’s getting pretty decent reviews.) people are naturally going to want to dress up as superheroes. So why not join in the fun and dress a superhero and a sidekick, or the superhero with the lady he loves? An Avengers Halloween costume is a great idea, or other superheroes make the perfect duo for a woman who wants to show up at a party with her beau in matching costume.

An obvious choice would be to dress up as Superman and Lois Lane, or if you wanted to stray from the comic book story, Superman and Wonder Woman. Pre-made Superman costumes are pretty easy to find in any department store as are Wonder Woman costumes. Lois Lane may take a little bit more creativity, though all you really have to do is put on a dress or jumpsuit and have dark hair.

You can take it “old school” and go as Batman and Robin, and that’s a great choice for young men, since Batman seems to have more girls than we can count. Since “The Avengers” has been so popular, you can go as Black Widow and Hawkeye (they date each other in the film) or Black Widow and any of the Avenger guys since there are plenty of them. Or, you can be Iron Man and Virginia “Pepper” Potts (from the film). With the newest Spider-Man just hitting theaters, a good idea would be dress up as Peter Parker (with the Spidey suit underneath the normal clothes) and Gwen Stacy or Mary Jane, if you feel so inclined to do a throwback costume (though we all know that Gwen Stacy was his real true love). One that is lesser known but still sexy and would be a fun project to put together for the both of you would be Daredevil and Elektra from their 2003 and 2005 respective films.
Guys, if you’re lucky enough to have a girl who would agree to dress up in skintight spandex in front of who knows how many people, don’t let this opportunity pass you by. If you can pull off convincing costumes, it’s no doubt that you’ll win all the awards for best couple costume at your next Halloween party. Ok, now you’ve got some great ideas, so go ahead, be a hero.

Emma Rae Curtis is a costume/dressing up/makeup & accessories expert. She mainly writes about Halloween but also about all things costume and dress-up related.

How to Dress Like Katniss Everdeen for Cheap

Posted on July 2, 2012 by admin

It’s no secret that one of the biggest fictional characters in recent times is Katniss Everdeen, the heroine and main character of Suzanne Collins’ trilogy The Hunger Games. Almost every teenaged girl in the country knows about the books and now, thanks to Lionsgate, the movies starring Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss.

The movie portrayed Katniss differently than we may have imagined in our head, but the movie also made Katniss more recognizable to the general public. It’s more than likely that Katniss Everdeen will be one of the most popular Halloween costumes come October. The best part is that she has so many different outfits that can be worn and they are easy to replicate for a small price.

In the opening scene of the film “The Hunger Games”, we meet Katniss in a leather jacket, knee-high boots and a bow slung over her shoulder as she’s hunting in the woods. All one needs to emulate Katniss in this casual women’s costume is a light brown leather jacket, pants in an earth tone color (brown, dark green, beige) and brown riding boots.

Buying new may be an exciting thrill and, when not worn together, these can make other day-to-day outfits. Iif thrift is important, usually these items, or if not the same, similar, can be found at any second hand store for much cheaper than buying them at retail price.
One of the most popular costumes will no doubt be Katniss’ outfit she wears while she’s in the arena. Again, this is a simple outfit to throw together, whether you’re buying for more than just Halloween or if you don’t plan on wearing it again. Dark green cargo pants make up the bulk of this outfit and a simple black v-neck t-shirt will suffice to compliment them.

A black zip up jacket will complete this costume and it’s likely that all three items can be found for under $20 at any thrift store. Add an orange backpack to really emulate Katniss.
Don’t forget to braid your hair and be sure to wear a Mockingjay pin (found at Walmart or easily accessible online) so all your party guests will know exactly who you are.
Good luck and may the odds be ever in your favor!

Emma Rae Curtis is a costume/dressing up/makeup & accessories expert. She mainly writes about Halloween but also about all things costume and dress-up related.

Finding the Right Costume for Your Figure

Posted on June 19, 2012 by admin

Many women struggle with body image issues and will sometimes skip out on the fun of holidays because of this. However, I firmly believe that life is worth living to the fullest, especially during the best seasons of the year…namely the one during the fall that involve Halloween. That’s why I think that despite your figure size, be it teeny tiny or well-proportioned, you should consider going all out and dressing up.

There’s nothing that makes me more discouraged than seeing a beautiful person hanging out on the sidelines because they feel too self conscious to engage in the festivities. It’s one thing if you don’t like parties, or naturally are too shy to dress up, but it’s quite another issue altogether to skip out on costumed fun because of self-loathing. I assure you that there are costumes out there for every figure, and ones that will flatter every body type, from super skinny toplus sized costumes. The trick to pulling off a great costume no matter what the body type inside of it is some self-confidence. Even if you don’t have it, if you walk into that halloween party like you own the joint, you can fake like you do.

So, why not dream up a costume that will make you feel comfortable and still allow you to join in the holiday awesomeness? One friend of mine made this concept work when she sewed her own antique-style swimming suit to wear to the beach, weight be darned. I promise one you start getting compliments on your great outfit, you’ll be happy you didn’t hang out in the corner dressed in a gunny sack….unless that’s the costume you had in mind.

Emma Rae Curtis is a costume/dressing up/makeup & accessories expert. She mainly writes about Halloween but also about all things costume and dress-up related.

Women of the ’90s

Posted on May 29, 2012 by admin

Whether you were 20, 30, 40 or 50 in the 1990s, the women of that decade continue to inspire fashion-forward thinking for Halloween. Here are five of the most influential ladies of 90s culture that continue to challenge me to make my costumes bigger, flashier with more bling.

I hope this list inspires you to really get in touch with your inner grunge and explode with color, baggy pants and high waisted shorts.

Parker Posey was one of the indie film world’s “it” girls in the ‘90s. Just Netflix any of her movies and you’ll see amazingly dated clothing that will make you want to magically be transported to 1994. It was another world back then. Jean shorts, high pony tails with crop tops, hot pinks and lime greens. You could put almost any pattern together with another pattern.
Melissa Joan Heart from Clarissa Explains It All heavily influenced my daughters in the ‘90s. Her teenage look can be replicated with a pre-Brittany Spears innocence. I just love her hair.
Nicole Kidman was stunning before her divorce from Tom Cruise. I love her red, curly hair from Far and Away. Whatever film of hers you base your costume off of, you’ll feel elegant and stunning.
Meg Ryan is the cute blonde that everybody wants to be friends with, right? Well, capture her adorable You’ve Got Mail feel this Halloween and really play up the retro feel.
Julia Roberts skyrocketed to mega-fame in the ‘90s, but I’ll always love her Runaway Bride sneakers under her wedding dress.

Who have I left out? When you think back to the ‘90s, who do you want to be? I’d love to know!

Emma Rae Curtis is a costume/dressing up/makeup & accessories expert. She mainly writes about Halloween but also about all things costume and dress-up related.

Classic Women

Posted on May 19, 2012 by admin

It’s incredibly helpful to keep lists of costumes for Halloween. As a woman I forget how many powerful and sexy ladies have come before me. And since Halloween is all about the magic and fun of becoming someone or something else for an evening, I like to be able to see all of my options laid out in front of me.

Here is my personal list of five of the most iconic female personas that I would want to dress up as this Halloween. What are yours?

Dolly Parton – Yes, I know Dolly is looking a bit scary these days from all of the plastic surgery she’s undergone. But, if you remember her adorable hair and crazy outfits from the 70s and 80s, you’ll understand why I can’t wait to be her this Halloween.
June Carter Cash – Her simple look, and big smile is such a classic 1960s country-singer style. If you want something to do this Halloween, pack your guitar and sing harmonies with friends at this year’s Halloween party.
Helen of Troy is the face that launched 1,000 ships. Why, every woman wanted to be Helen. In her Grecian robes and long gold chains, Helen was the epitome of sexy in ancient times.
Priscilla Presley was the King of Rock and Roll’s gorgeous bride. What could be more fun than dressing up in her stunning wedding regalia? Just make sure you have plenty of pomade.
Brigitte Bardot is certainly all things 1960s and French. A sex-icon of the 60s and 70s, her style and flamboyant nature is quite fun to capture in a costume.

Halloween Stockings

Posted on May 6, 2012 by admin

At Halloween it can be easy to overlook small details, but even if you don’t like stockings, tights or pantyhose, you know they can make all the difference.

Now you can find nylons in any style, color or pattern imaginable. So why not try to incorporate them into your look?

Here are some simple ways to use pantyhose for your next costume:

As fake tattoos – Many stocking companies now sell specially made nylons that look like tattoos. Whether for your arms or legs these fake tattoos look convincing and provide a great touch to any costume, for man or woman.
Black and white stripes- Stripes evoke the Wicked Witch of the East from the Wizard of Oz. Nothing is more iconic than when her legs shrivel up after Dorothy has taken the Ruby slippers. If you want to be a wicked witch than this is a must for you.
Using shear nylons to glue on plastic cockroaches or spiders is another great way to make it look as though you are crawling with life. Maybe you want to be a decomposing bride or a mummy, this is a simple way to add a lifelike touch without gluing anything to your skin.
Gory tights make it look like your oozing with blood without having to make up your legs or arms. Sometimes when you get home from a late night party all you want to do is crawl into bed, but if you have caked on layers of makeup, this is not a good idea. These tights make it easier to get in and out of your costume without the cleanup.

Don’t forget that you can get tights in neon colors, with stripes, circles, diamonds or zig zags. With clouds, butterflies or glitter, you have so many options to choose from you might never go back to naked legs.

Popular Costumes for Women

Posted on April 23, 2012 by admin

When it comes to women’s Halloween costumes, there are some that tried and true and standbys that will always be popular. And there are also trendy new women’s Halloween costumes that have recently become popular as well. Between these two categories, women should never have any trouble finding a popular costume to wear for Halloween or any other occasion such as a costume party or another holiday to name some examples.

As for the category of timeless popular womens Halloween costumes, the “sexy” fill in the blank is always a good choice. There is the classic sexy nurse, or sexy cat, or even sexy dog (I might have made that last one up). Also in this category are the classic angel, princess, Disney character, and cheerleader. When it comes to the second category of trendy new costumes, you have to be a bit more up on current events, TV shows, and movies. Some examples of popular new costumes today are Snooki from Jersey Shore, Angry Birds from the smash hit video game, characters from the movie Avatar, and there are always great new womens superhero costumes to check out as well.

So if you are a woman and looking for a great costume for Halloween or for any other reason, whether you go with the popular classics or the popular trendy new costumes, you will never be at a loss for a great costume that will let you feel sexy or like a princess. So have fun and get your costume on!

Emma Rae Curtis is a costume/dressing up/makeup & accessories expert. She mainly writes about Halloween but also about all things costume and dress-up related.

Halloween Hair Pt. 2 – Dyed, Styled and Crazy

Posted on April 8, 2012 by admin

In last week’s post I talked about different tips of wigs and ways to incorporate them into your Halloween fun. This week I want to focus on different ways to color and style your hair so that it can take a life of its own this Halloween.

Some of my favorite temporary methods for dying your hair include using color hair spray, or hair paint to color your hair. Henna dyes work well for a look that will last 4-6 weeks, it is especially good if you want a natural looking red. Using pastel crayons you can color your hair for a night or two, just remember this is extremely messy and may get onto your clothing. Hair extensions can be fun ways to spike your hair with color, especially if you dye them before you add them to your hair. Box colors are not my favorite. The results always vary drastically. If you don’t mind something semi-permanent see your hairstylist.

There are plenty of looks you can accomplish if you decide to color your hair. Here are my favorites:

An actual beehive is a great look that can be done to anyone with long hair. Wrap braids around the top of your head until it is in the shape of a beehive. Then spray yellow hair dye onto the beehive itself. Use leaves and fake fuzzy bees from your local craft store to complete the look.
If your son has long enough hair you can make a realistic surfer catching a wave. Just dye the top section of his hair blue, then using either glue or heavy duty hair spray form his hair into a wave. Using a mini-Ken Barbie doll, you can attach a surfer to the side of his head.
Turning hair into grass complete with bugs, worms and flowers can be a great way to make a complete costume ecosystem. Just spray your hair green, pin bugs, butterflies and flowers into the hair and have fun.

Halloween Hair Part 1 – Wigs

Posted on April 1, 2012 by admin

Creating the perfect look can be difficult. That’s why we spend so much time on hair and makeup when trying to create a perfect costume. Sometimes though, what you have naturally isn’t enough to portray the character you’ve chosen. Sometimes you have to alter your physical appearance enough to give the proper illusion that you are in fact this other person.

There are two ways that we can do this, one by wearing wigs, the other by dying our hair. Today I’m going to tackle the best alternative solutions to wearing a standard wig. I hope you enjoy.

The hair hat-wig is a practical and fun way to get crazy with your costume. Made popular by Lady Gaga, the ready wear knit wig comes in an assortment of colors, or you can knit your own. This wig looks great in pink.
Curly ribbon wigs are easy to make and look great on adults and kids alike. Use a headband as the basis from which to make your wig. This is especially cute if used for a clown costume as many curling ribbons come in bright colors and are easily knotted into curly wigs.
A hair bow is a great wig extension that can be worn on a headband or clipped directly to your natural or wig covered head. It evokes Hello Kitty, Lady Gaga and modern Japanese anime characters. You can also cut it into two parts and create life-like cat ears.
Yarn wigs are a traditional staple for children’s Rapunzel costumes, but there’s so much that you can do with one. Raggedy Ann, any long-haired Disney princess, or Princess Leia. Easy to make, just follow this tutorial.
If you’re looking just to make a traditional Halloween wig that you buy from Target or a Halloween store look authentic, follow this tutorial from YouTube. She explains how to make a natural looking hair part and how to style it freely.

In my next post we’ll discuss ways to dye your hair to achieve that perfect look for your Halloween costume. Stay tuned!