Halloween Tips | Halloween Ideas
November 27th, 2009 by Andy Garvin

Halloween is coming up again, and like everyone else, I am thinking about what costumes I might want to get for the holiday this year. Halloween costumes are something I take pretty seriously, despite the fun nature of dressing up as someone (or something) else for a night. I know it’s supposed to be all fun and games, but I believe that the more effort you put into it, the more fun it will be for everyone.

Lately, I’ve been thinking more and more about period costumes from some point in human history. More specifically, I’m thinking about great’50’s costumes. If you are stuck with what to dress up as for Halloween, perhaps some of my ideas for’50’s costumes will do the trick (no Halloween pun intended).

First of all, when going for a period look like’50’s costumes, I try to be careful not to do what is too easy or expected. In fact, the appeal of’50’s costumes is that it is a little something different. For that reason, I try to avoid the most popular of’50’s costumes; the’50’s teenager look. Teenagers and pop culture or youth culture first emerged in the’50’s and the subsequent poodle shirts and the leather-jacket, gelled-haired greasers are the result. These costumes are classic and time-honored and, frankly, a good choice. But they are a little too easy in my book. Let’s dig deeper.

I like to think about the time period I’m working with and think about getting more specific. There were lots of people wearing poodle skirts and saddle shoes, but there was only one James Dean, for instance. Trying to model a specific celebrity or character is a great approach to’50’s costumes.

In that spirit, I like thinking about some of the celebrities, and not just Marilyn Monroe or Elvis Presley. For instance, why not take Audrey Hepburn’s iconic look in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”? That is easily understood and seldom seen in costume parties these days. Also, for whatever reason, James Dean is remembered as the’50’s heart-throb, but Marlon Brando was just as big. And if you can pull off dressing as one of the Rat Pack, you should win your costume party contests, as far as I’m concerned. Working on’50’s costumes that are a little different or unique is not as hard as it looks. And, as far as I’m concerned, the extra effort is worth the awesome and unique costume for this Halloween.

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November 27th, 2009 by Amy Smith

Many Americans hold a soft spot in the hearts for the’80’s. I was born in’84 and even though I was very young for the duration of the’80’s I seem to hold the same memories of the’80’s that older people do.

1980’s music, movies, TV shows and fashion seem to be what people reference when discussing the decade. Many songs, shows and movies from the’80’s are being remade because people feel nostalgic when experiencing the media.’80’s fashion is perhaps the most untouched area of pop culture that has been carried over, meaning that people dress in clothes that are not interpreted from the’80’s, but instead are actually from the’80’s. The piece of clothing that is perhaps most discussed then and now is the 80’s prom dress.

Since the’80’s had a thread of excess running through the decade, the prom dresses produced were considered very cool. “The bigger the better” was definitely the motto and since prom is the most formal event of a high school student’s experience, people spared no expense on an 80’s prom dress.

A typical 80’s prom dress was bright in color and some popular choices included: tangerine, teal, magenta and fuchsia. Many girls chose short dresses over long chiffon dresses from the’70’s. An 80’s prom dress needed to be bold and cosmopolitan and a great bright color helped pump up the energy.

Another fashion rule from the 80’s was that over-accessorizing was impossible. The attitude was the more styles going on in a single outfit, the better. This of course applied to prom dresses. The construction and shape the dress made on the body was very important. You had to have the biggest impact and sleek silhouettes were not in style. Some had ruching, or bunching up on the sides. Some were asymmetrical or had geometric cutouts or prints. Another well-known characteristic of an 80’s prom dress was over-sized shoulders and puffy sleeves.

An 80’s prom dress typically had a lot of detailed appliqus, sequins, bugle beads, netting and rhinestones. These dresses were pricey but well worth the effect. The dresses were accessorized with clutch purses, big jewelry, and metallic high heels and sometimes patterned tights. These days, an 80’s prom dress can be purchased from consignment or thrift shops. Many nightclubs have 80’s night and many parties are 80’s themed. Even though the 80’s prom dress is now worn as a joke, many others 80’s clothing is not.

I enjoy blogging about costumes and christian books on my audio books website daily.

November 27th, 2009 by Barry Chapman

With Halloween fast approaching, many people are beginning to think about their Halloween costumes, and for good reason. A Halloween costume is easy to overlook and many people end up trying to find some sort of costume at the last minute, and mostly what you will find in this situation is a big headache and maybe a costume that does not quite fit. That is why thinking a little ahead – even just two weeks – can be a big help. This year, I am thinking a lot about period costumes and specifically, about 80’s costumes.

80’s costumes make sense as a Halloween costume this year (or any year) for several reasons. First of all, we are still in the midst of a general retro 80’s period where throwbacks to the 80s are very much in style. Second, 80’s costumes are a great option because so many of the clothes and fashions from the’80’s look like they might costumes anyway; it takes only a little bit of imagination to bring it all the way to 80’s costume territory.

When I deal with period costumes, I like to think beyond the obvious. The way I do this is to come up with a list of 80’s celebrities. Celebrities are notorious for trying to follow the latest fashions, and looking back in time, you will see that the most 80’s looking people are celebrities. People like Madonna, Michael Jackson and Don Johnson epitomize in one way or another a definite 80’s look and are great ideas for 80’s costumes.

Excluding those three though, celebrities are sometimes difficult to turn into an 80’s costume. This is because, even though the celebrities are dressing at the height of fashion at the time, they still are just people dressed in clothes; many of them do not wear clothes that scream “costume”. For this reason, I like looking at specific characters the celebrities might have played in a movie. A great example of this is Tom Cruise in Top Gun. Dressing in a flight suit with “Maverick” on it is a great idea for 80’s costumes.

Whatever your approach to 80’s costumes might be, bring your own ideas and creativity to it to allow your costume idea to really pop at your Halloween costume party this year. Great 80’s costumes are always appreciated by those that like really clever and fun Halloween costumes.

I like writing about costumes and christian books on my audio books website daily.

November 9th, 2009 by Tom Brown

Halloween is a very engaging holiday for many parents. It’s an occasion when kids set off with one of their folks to buy dresses, eatables to take to school and sweets whilst the other parent stays back home to attend the treaters that may perhaps drop in. Many parents worry endlessly that their kid will not get the right gear or that they will not have enough time to put in into creating one or piecing one together. However, it doesn’t require to be so tricky. One can find a number of options to simply make a nice Halloween costume for their kid. What Does Your Child Prefer? The chances are that you have spent at least one Saturday morning watching cartoons together with your child and that you have a vague inkling of which advertisemets or cartoon shows catch their eyes. There is nothing to be concerned about even if you do not have an idea on it- a quick visit to your local toy store would help you know what is accepted among kids. It’s imperative that you have a clear understanding of what your child likes and what they are keen to dress as. It is not obvious that the child would desire to dress as Spiderman barely because he admires him. Therefore it is extremely vital to take the child’s opinion so there is no confusion.

Shop Bought or Home-produced?

One can buy numerous ready costumes in the marketplace which will be an on the spot hit with your child Nonetheless, creating your own outfit at home or purchasing a kit to put together one has its own appeal. Craft shops like Michael’s, have loads of of such kits and they just call for some cloth in addition to a sewing machine.

For illustration, one could stuff a worn out t-shirt around the belly and couple it along with a worn out patchy denims to make a scarecrow outfit. Put a few pieces of hay near the cuffs and collar and put on a good large brimmed sun-hat and your child is set. This do it yourself motto can be a bit difficult when you’re dealing with known personalities, cartoon characters or pop stars, but don’t be afraid to make use of your inventiveness or even do a rapid Google search and look at what other folks are doing to make their own at-home gear come together.

What is needed for the Best Halloween Dress

The key to a superior Halloween outfit is not whether the other parents are jealous of your effort or if your kid wins a costume competition. It is more eminent for your kid to enjoy being dressed as whomsoever he likes, in order to know that you have done a nice job at making his perfect Halloween costume.

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November 9th, 2009 by Marlene Zubber

If it is your little ones first Halloween (or second, perhaps), it will be exciting for you as mom or dad to be choosing baby Halloween costumes or infants Halloween costumes. Even if your child will not remember his or her first trick or treating experience, it’s still an exciting thing for you to capture it on video so that you can look back at it later with fond memories.

There are lots of baby Halloween costumes on the market today. It might seem as though you can choose any one as long as the fit is okay, but there are other things to consider, too, so that both you and your child have an enjoyable Halloween.

Here are some tips to choose the best infants Halloween costumes.

The first thing you should consider in regard to infants Halloween costumes is what they are made of. Heavy materials are usually unsuitable for babies, even if it is cool outside. So choose a lightweight costume and then add a blanket or jacket as necessary to fit over the costume.

This way, if the child starts to become restless due to being too warm or too cold, you can quickly make the appropriate adjustments to ensure their overall comfort. Lightweight fabrics include both cotton and polyester. In addition to considering the weight of a fabric, it is also important to choose fabric that is designed to “breath”.

Circulation of air is essential when it comes to ensuring that the small child does not become too hot. It is also important when it comes to ensuring that the costume does not cause irritation on the skin.

Another important consideration for infants Halloween costumes is that range of mobility should be free. If your baby is at the age where he or she likes to crawl, roll, and just move in general, the costume should allow him or her to do that.

If you put your baby in a costume that restricts his or her mobility, you are going to have one very uncomfortable and unhappy baby, indeed. So make sure that the outfit lets your baby move just as he or she wants to.

Last, make sure you do not choose your babys costume based upon appearance rather than convenience. Remember that you’re going to have to probably change diapers when your child is wearing it, too. Following these tips should let you easily choose the right infants Halloween costume for your baby.

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November 6th, 2009 by Marlene Zubber

Gathering around making Halloween jewellery is fun for the whole family in this great activity for everyone. Halloween is a great time for everyone to gather together to decorate the outside and the inside of their homes, gathering Halloween supplies to create fun and spooky costumes and shop for trick or treats that you could hand out this Halloween night.

Bobbing for apples and hay rides are all great fall festivities this Halloween season, and walking through a spooky Haunted house is not only exciting but a great activity that the whole family can participate in and have fun. Now another option is to gather and create some great Halloween jewellery that will also accessorize your Halloween costumes or even to be offered to your trick-or-treaters. If you are looking for something a little different this year that you can do, making Halloween jewelry could be another idea.

What types of Halloween jewelry can you make with your family? If you are a beginner to this, it is best to start simple. Start by making things with beads. Halloween anklets, bracelets, necklaces, and many other pieces of jewelry can be created if you use beads.

What types of beads should you choose? There are the standard oval-shaped beads with halloween colors, such as orange and black. In late December to early October, you may be able to find beads that are specially shaped as Halloween characters, like pumpkins, cats, bats, or even witches!

Simply gather up a wide assortment of beads and you can choose the design that you wish to place on the jewelry that you are making.

If you plan on making Halloween jewelry with your family, beads are not your only option. You may choose to create small pendants than can be worn on a costume as well. If you check the seasonal aisle at your favorite department store, as well as the craft section as Halloween draws near, you will likely discover an assortment of items that can be placed on a simple piece of cardboard and then attached to a safety pin to be worn on your Halloween costume!

There are other ways you can make Halloween jewellery, too. Try using Halloween coins, art, small wall hangings, small glowing pumpkins, and so on.

You can see that when it comes to making Halloween jewellery with your family, ideas are only limited by your imagination. Put on your thinking cap, do some research, and get creative!

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November 4th, 2009 by Kelly Van Dorn

For some, the idea of face painting may intimidate them at first if they are not naturally artistic or have never picked up a brush. This shouldn’t worry you as there are lots of books out there that you can use, start with beginner’s books and work your way up to more advanced.

As you look for the information you will realize that there is enough material available on easy face painting. All you have to do is to look for more simple designs and practice them. If you do not have volunteers for you to practice on you can use paper and then use your own hands or legs and see how it looks.

Once you gain confidence painting simple and uncomplicated designs you can start painting intricate designs too. Make sure you have FDA approved face paint for peace of mind. Other things to consider – you will need to have the correct brushes and sponges for face painting and know what things are to be avoided but once you have all of the materials and knowledge then it becomes an easy face painting activity.

Books will always have some easy face painting ideas for you to copy but knowing that boys and girls have different likes and dislikes will help you to have a wide range of designs to choose from. Boys prefer monsters of Spiderman designs whereas girls like princesses, flowers or bunnies.

Another tip is to try and find out the expected number of boys and girls in advance and put together a portfolio of designs accordingly.

Displaying the designs you can do will aid an easy face painting session because the kids will be able to choose their favorite design before they have got to you which will speed up the process. You know kids, they are indecisive especially when you have so many cool designs to choose from!

Kelly Van Dorn is well respected the in the Face Painting industry and has recently ungraded her website -www.Face-Painting-Designs.com. She plans to help newbie face painters get started and will be updating the site with tutorials and Easy Face Paintingdesigns to copy and follow along. Go check it out now and get your free video.

November 4th, 2009 by Tom Brown

Halloween is almost certainly the most tough celebration of the year for young parents. To clothe your kids and let them move out on their own to ask for goodies might produce trouble. Nonetheless, there are means to keep away from the difficulty that may crop up. It can, and must, be pleasurable for both you along with your offspring. To make certain it goes that way, here are five helpful ways to make sure your children stay out of harm’s way this Halloween.

1. Prepare Yourself In Advance

The easiest thing one can do as a parent to make certain you experience a safe Halloween is to plan beforehand. This may be done by leaving out prior to the evening and planning your way. In order to make sure one does not wander through the lesser known parts and is back home well in time, it is vital to be familiar with which houses you may choose to drop in on. If by chance, it is not feasible for you to accompany your youngster, make sure you have discussed to a parent who is accompanying the kids and write down their route and plans. 2. At Least One Parent Must Come with The Child It is vital for at least one parent to go together with the kid. It’s not only safer to be knowledgeable about just where your kid is, but you can make sure they are out of any trouble they could get into while left without help with a mask on and a gang of friends.

3. Hang about in Well-known Neighborhood

One may ensure their security just by staying closer to the abode. Don’t wander away from the places that you recognize and don’t ring any doorbells or knock on any doors that are new. If not, one ought to go for safer options like the mall. There are usually lots of retailers who will give out goodies to youngsters.

4. Security First

Accidents can occur even if one if very cautious and this makes security incredibly eminent. Flashlights, torches and glimmering sticks may of use. Get a first aid kit on hand in case anything happens and always be cautious of cars. In spite of the crowd on the streets, it is important to be vigilant of the traffic.

5. Be Watchful about Your Dress

Certain dresses can be dangerous if they are not properly altered. In order to raise the visibility of the dress, a few radiance patches on the backside and front will facilitate keeping the youngster safe from the traffic. If ones youngster is dressed up as Batman, they’re as good as out of sight at nighttime. Make sure that there are as much as necessary reflectors on them that someone will catch sight of them from a good distance. If you prepare suitably for Halloween, it doesn’t have to be the challenging ordeal which it seems to be each year.Make sure to keep the youngsters well in your view whilst accompanying them and also check the candy they carry home. Being cautious, giving time to prepare, and not letting minor things sneak up on you may all guarantee a joyful, enjoyable Halloween.

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November 4th, 2009 by Chris Channing

Halloween isn’t always about having the most expensive costume, but rather one that takes creativity and skill to make. This is especially fun for youngsters, who like to help in the crafting of the costume. Cardboard boxes allow the creativity of a child or adults to be near limitless.

The cardboard you use is already probably in a rectangular shape- so making a car or vehicle is a natural solution! You can easily fashion the box into a vehicle by attaching two suspenders to both sides of the box, so that it can be worn if you cut a hole in the middle. Within 15 minutes, you can have a fully functional and decorated vehicle ready to wear immediately.

Making a robot with a cardboard box is extremely easy. All you need to do is attach something metallic over the surface of the box- such as tin foil or metallic paint. In both instances you will not have to spend over $10 in total for the costume, and the end result is something that looks flashy and creative.

Cars and robots sure do provide a lot of fun, but you may notice that many of the other kids probably already have such costumes. instead of going with the crowd, you could pick something outlandish such as a tree. A tree is actually a bit more work, and requires a specific type of box. Once you cut it right, you can decorate the box with leaves you find from real trees.

Drawing inspiration from a cartoon is just fine. One cartoon that has swept the American nation involves a character named SpongeBob. This character is known for his square pants, which just so happens to be the shape of a cardboard box! You can fasten the box to the body with fasteners, and then draw a suit much like the one from the cartoon. Dress up in a yellow shirt, and the resemblance will be striking.

If you feel up to the task, you can make a truly amazing Transformers outfit from a simple cardboard box. Some of the more intricate designs found on the Internet are created from multiple boxes, have been painted, and overall look like something any young boy would want to wear. It doesn’t get much cooler than walking around in a Transformers costume, and it’s not something you will find in stores.

Closing Comments

This Halloween, focus on having a great costume instead of just going with the normal hustle and bustle. The best costume out there isn’t the most expensive, but rather one that you have put time into and truly enjoy.

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November 3rd, 2009 by Marlene Zubber

Believe it or not, there are several dangers associated with kids Halloween costumes. Despite the fact that these cute and sometimes plain out frightening pieces of clothing are the highlight of the Halloween holiday, several children have been injured while wearing the outfits.

As your childs protector, you need to know what dangers may be contained in these harmless and fun looking costumes, purchased for children every year when Halloween comes around. If you know what dangers exist, though, you’ll know what to look for and what to do so that these situations won’t happen and your child will be safe.

In this article, we’ll talk about some of the most common dangers that can be present in kids Halloween costumes.

One of the most common dangers of Halloween costumes, especially in regard to kids, is that many of these outfits still are not fire retardant. It is true that many manufacturers of kids Halloween costumes are certainly taking the time to make fire retardant costumes, but many still are not.

As a parent or guardian, it is essential that you take responsibility for verifying that your childs costume does include this safety specification. When it comes to Halloween, candles, cookouts, bon fires, and activities like roasting marshmallows is not uncommon. Seeing that costumes often flow when a child walks, it is relatively simple for the clothing to come in contact with the Halloween costume and become engulfed in flames very quickly. Be absolutely certain that the tag on the costume always highlights that it is safe.

A second consideration in regard to your childs safety is that you must make sure that your childs Halloween costume and Halloween mask fit appropriately. Do not purchase Halloween clothing, including masks that are too large or too small for your child.

With Halloween masks, make sure they are not too big or too small. Your child should be able to talk, smell, see and breathe easily in the mask. A better option than a facemask is to go with face paint instead, since you will not have to worry about it blocking your childs vision, etc.

Your childs Halloween costume should also not limit his or her motion. Costumes should not drag or make your child trip. This type of clothing can actually make your child trip and fall, which can be dangers.

As you can see, there are many dangers that you should know about kids Halloween costumes. Knowing what to look for in advance will prevent your child from experiencing any of them.

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