A Halloween Survival Story

ScavengeInc.com is our online costume store. In addition, there is our retail store, Scavenge, in Santa Barbara, CA. Things get downright crazy there as Halloween gets closer. Work days get longer and longer, the crowds get bigger, and the people get more and more desperate and stressed.

I put in lots of time there in the weeks leading up to Halloween. The feet get sore, the house gets messier and messier, and (just about) everything else in the world gets put on hold.

To keep in the spirit of the season (by the way, when exactly did Halloween reach “season” status?), I come to work in costume for those final days leading up to Halloween. So it’s not just thinking of one costume, but seven! And here they are . . .

Started out fun, and celebrating my refusal to grow up, wearing the coolest Peter Pan costume. I love this thing. It’s simple, it’s comfortable, it’s fun looking. I was ready for NeverNeverLand by the end of the day, though! My poor tootsies were aching after 8 hours standing a walking in ballet-type shoes.

Did I learn my lesson, though? NOOO! The next day, I dressed as first-mate pirate. Back in the ballet shoes, so I could show off my cool stripey pirate-type socks. I put this outfit together myself (mini skirt, striped t-shirt, satin bandana, belt and sword, to go along with my socks), but people kept asking where in the store they could find this costume.

I needed a break from aching feet, so I decided I would come up with a costume based on shoes first. So I picked out my most comfortable shoes (some big old Doc Martins) and came up with something to go with that. So here I am, a Rambo-inspired soldier. Maybe not the best look ever, but the feet were happy with me.

I had planned to be Wonder Woman for the next day, but that costume just wasn’t made to fit me. I already had the boots, so I was excited to get to do the whole look. The extra small size just crushed my chest, and the small was too long in the torso. It was all good, if I were doing Wonder Woman, I’d prefer the panty bottoms anyway.

So the ever-ready pirate outfit was my fallback. (Confession time – I have about 6 different pirate outits. Do you think that means something?) This one is actually made from a guy’s costume. I eliminated the pants, just wore the shirt and headband. Topped it off with some tights and my, way-cool, pirate boots. Not ultra-comfy on the feet, but not nearly as torturous as the ballet shoes. The feet merely grumbled a bit at the end of the day. This was a tough day, though, and I was one pooped pirate by closing time.

I let someone else pick my costume for the next day – my boss. I was a lucky Leprechaun for the work. It’s a one piece strappy dress, with a long-tailed shrug. Topped off with this fun hat, some black thigh-high stockings, and another pair of even more comfortable Doc Martins and I was a happy girl.

The final two days before Halloween are pure craziness. Mostly guys in the throws of last minute desperation. It’s nuts! We had a line down the street to get in the store and people smashed into every open space. This was a situation that needed some SUPERness. So out came the seasonal superhero – the Halloween Hero! She appears every Halloween to rescue those poor helpless folks who wait until the last minute to get their costumes. Faster than a speeding witch, stronger than Frankenstein, able to point customers to their perfect costume in a single wave. Someone suggested a name change – she may be called the Great Pumpkin in years to come. Something to ponder for the next 12 months.

Finally, a classic costume to finish out the madness – a simple, yet effective witch. I haven’t been a witch since I was a little girl. Maybe some green skin and a long crooked nose would have been a nice touch with those green and black striped tights of mine. Next time.

Best Couple's Costume Idea for 2008

So you’ve got yourself a special someone this year. Wooo-hooooo! While that’s a great thing for your emotions, makes life funner, gives you companionship, yada, yada yada, lets get down to the real reason this is great news. It opens up a whole new world of Halloween costume possibilities. You get to coordinate your outfits and be a costumed couple.

There are your standard couples costume ideas -

Dr. Frankenstein and the Monster
Referee/Umpire and Player (football, basketball, etc)
Cowboy and Indian
Cop and Crook
Wild Animal and Hunter
Dog and Cat
Barney and Betty Rubble
Fred and Wilma Flintstone
Or for those who think there may have been something going on in the neighborhood:
Barney and Wilma
Fred and Betty
Mario and Luigi
Batman and Joker
Angel and Devil

As you can see the possibilities are, fricken, endless. You can match things that naturally go together or two opposites. Or try how about this . . .

Here’s an idea that’s good for this year only – I hope (oooops, did I just hint at my opinions on our Presidential candidates?). Go as McCain and Palin! The costumes are easy to put together and you can all sorts of fun. It’s an idea that will be unique to this year’s Halloween only (there I go again, letting my bias show), so make the most of it.

For McCain, just throw on a really boring black suit and a John McCain mask.


Palin is even easier. Outfit yourself with a conservative red dress or go with the pink and black outfit that Tina Fey made ever so popular in her SNL skit. A pair of glasses paired up with the hairdo and you’re almost there. You’ve got to do the Sarah Palin hairdo right - brown hair piled up in the back with bangs hanging down in the front. Do this with your own hair or use a wig with bangs. The icing on the Palin cake is the huge, fake, plastic smile. We have no costume piece for this, you’ll just have to plaster that toothy grin on and keep it there all night. Have a few drinks and before you know it, you will sound like Governor Palin as well – speaking in fragments with no apparent connection between the thoughts.

Lovin' White Gold

One of my latest favorites from television land is not a show or a series, but a set of commercials. I can’t help but smile and get a huge kick out of the newest gimmick by the milk coalition. White Gold is pure brilliance. I hate milk – haven’t had a drop of the stuff since I was 12 or so. Even so, I must admit, those cow juice loving folks have some fun marketing approaches. Milk moustaches, to “GOT MILK”, and now White Gold.

This White Gold character rocks. His outfits are utterly fabulous – all that gold lamé and white – and his whole 80s hair band look – just wonderful.

I haven’t found a company yet that makes a White Gold costume, so if you are lovin’ this character like I am, it’s going to be a operation requiring a keen mind, a creative sense, and the bravery to venture into new territories. The good news is this costume is perfect for the latest spiral our economy has taken.

In order to complete your mission, you will need to make a trip to your local thrift store. Look at everything white and shiny gold. Gold lamé is the key carrying off this look in style. Inspect everything from tights, to knickers, tops, jackets, tights, shoes and accessories in search of pieces you can combine in White Gold style. He wears several different outfits so you have some flexibility here. Just remember these key points - gold lamé, white, gold lamé, and more white all combined in a loud, over-the-top way.

There are just two more items you just gotta have to make the White Gold look complete. His guitar and his hair. You’ll have to pull out your creative skills to create the guitar. Think cardboard, plastic, foam, or even wood (if you know you way around a saw and other sharp, pointy objects).

White Gold’s hair is . . . well . . . white and gold – big shock there, huh? He’s got that long super light blonde wig, with long gold bangs framing his face. I’d get a long blonde wig and color the bangs. And don't forget the moustache!

White Gold for Halloween!

Designing Costumes

Ok, you’re out shopping for a Halloween Costume and find it's completely overwhelming. I mean, how many different Halloween costume ideas really have to exist? Or, how many of the SAME costume have to exist for pennies difference? I see it every day in this business. One costume company comes out with a really hot design. It sells out the first year, so the next year, every costume company knocks off that costume - maybe using slightly different material and then shaving off a few pennies here or there in price.

This knock-off approach kills the costume. What was once a great Halloween Costume is now just another costume. Now, I know the difference (since we buy costumes from these companies year after year) and I know who came out with the costume first and I know which company creates a quality costume. Sometimes these are not the same costume company. I always go with quality because I know my customers will not stand for any costume that is going to fall apart after wearing it once.

The problem is that the customer doesn't know the difference between the original designers of the costume versus the costume company that consistently creates quality costumes. So maybe the first year, a costume company that historically creates very poor quality costumes comes out with a great idea. As a costume retailer, we won't buy that costume - we can't risk the customers’ dissatisfaction. We wait for the costume manufacturer that consistently creates quality costumes to produce the costume. Sure, we sometimes miss out on a nice design, but we don't ever miss the hassle of dealing with all the complaints that are sure to come from that poor quality costume.

So, how does a costume purchaser find out which costume company will consistently create a quality costume? That's a tough question. Most costume retailers won't just give out that information since they want to sell costumes no matter what. I can tell you that Leg Avenue puts out some of the best quality costumes on the most consistent basis. Sure, they've had a few that didn't meet our expectations, but year after year, they have provided great quality costumes.

If you're looking for a Halloween Costume this year, be sure to check our selection of Leg Avenue Costumes. They are hot and sexy and will appeal to your naughty side. Have questions about two seemingly identical costumes? Comment here and include links to the two costumes (or maybe even 3) and we’ll help you sort out the differences.