Thanks to Goodwill's selection of second hand costumes at low prices, you can afford to easily swap costumes and hit the same house over and over again! Or you could just wear the same costume and go to other houses. Of course if your Goodwill is anything like mine, I'm pretty sure the only thing you'll find are small red flannel shirts and worn out JNCOS. Pretty sure your neighbors will catch on pretty quick.
Wednesday, August 14, 2024
Tuesday, September 12, 2023
Masks or GTFO
Man, it was only 3 years ago that Covid shut everything down. Feels like forever ago huh? In fall of 2020 many businesses were gearing up their Halloween sales as a means to get back on track after months of lost sales from the world closing down. It was such a weird time. Now that things are seemingly back to normal, it's almost all but forgotten. I generally post a good bit of local news at the local costume shop bits this time of year... but this one really seems specifically ancient. Weird considering it's probably one of the most recent.
Tuesday, August 22, 2023
Was that Bill Clinton?
It's fun going to Spirit and picking out a costume... but real talk, sometimes Spirit doesn't cut it. Just like when they messed up your order at Olive Garden, you need to take it up with someone in charge. Look Spirit, your half assed Deadpool costumes isn't going to work again this year. I need to see someone in charge, I need the Halloween Headquarters. I'm not sure where they're at now, but in 1996 you could go to the Halloween Headquarters located in the Methuen Mall.
Thursday, May 11, 2023
Halfway 2 Halloween~ Newsworthy Costumes
While we're all having a little Halloween fun in spring, I'm sure costumes came to mind for a few of you. One year I wanted to be Eddie from Iron Maiden with a zombie mask I saw at Spencer's. Unfortunately the cost of the mask was around the "hell no boy, go mow the damn grass" mark so those plans were ditched. Anyone else have an asshole lecture you about the costumes they wore in the good old days? I think the reporter in today's clip is among that breed of jerk. While I'll never argue over the quality of a good scary face made with make up... how you gonna disrespect Garfield at Halloween?
Friday, October 14, 2022
Breaking News- It's Halloween!
The local news usually makes the most out of the Halloween season. In this clip from the far flung distant past of 2019 (boy what a difference a few years made) the WaCkY roaming reporter visited a Party City. Party City (a store that seemingly only has a business model during Halloween) is a great place during the spooky season. Tons of masks, costumes, make up, and more! It's fun to browse the decorations and oddball trinkets. Our ZaNy news corespondent asks the staff about scary stuff and tries out some creepy make up. He looks great!
So... the minute I said 2019, we all got a little depressed huh?
Thursday, September 22, 2022
Spooky things with bad hats
I'm way more familiar with the Kooky Spooks Make-Up kits than their costume brand. To be honest, I've only learned of these costumes in the more recent years. Before I go any further, can we all give a round of applause for that great music shared across the Kooky Spooks commercial universe? It's so great! I'm not so sure I would have liked these costumes though. The allure of an inflatable costume is hard to resist. Just... a giant inflatable hat just doesn't say "hey, wear this all night".
Tuesday, October 12, 2021
I don't know who Ziggy and Zon is but...
According to a Google search, Ziggy and Zon's World was a store that closed in 1997 and apparently was regarded as wacky. I don't know how wacky it actually was, but with a name like Ziggy and Zon... whoa. It looks like a pretty charming little store. All my local stores are big chains, well, except for that weird gas station/grocery store/butcher/U-Haul/restaurant place a few miles away. But I don't go there, smells like farts. Ziggy and Zon's looks like the kind of place that holds onto everything until it sells, meaning you'd probably find some really cool old costumes. The make-up kits are probably expired and cost more than they do at Walmart, but dude Paas WWF kits! Thinking about it, that local store I mentioned may have them too, and they make keys!
Wednesday, August 11, 2021
It's Showtime
I've made my love for Halloween make-up kits well known here. That being said, I don't think I ever saw anyone buy a Showtime make-up kit. Sure, I was a kid when they were out and not exactly in the know about such things. However my local Walmart sold them and I saw the exact same amount on the shelf the entire Halloween season. Especially one with a crushed box. It just sat there hoping somebody would want to be a weird clown mime...thing.
Tuesday, October 13, 2020
Very Much Candy
To quote Zack Gibson whom aspired to be a ninja in 1990, 'I like to get very much candy at Halloween'. Well, real talk kiddo... your costume sounds like it sucked and you didn't get very much candy at all. Or maybe he did.
I dunno.
His ninja costume didn't sound like a lot of effort was put into it. Now what he should have done is wear that Crash Dummy mask with his ninja costume. Then he would have been a Crash Dummy Ninja. Doesn't that sound better?
Stupid ass ninja costume.
Tuesday, August 25, 2020
Safety Tips From... Mel-Mac?
If you hear it once, you'll hear it a thousand times. Have an adult check your candy after trick or treating. This is very important, because there could be a needle in a slo poke or CBD edibles in your bag. Which is kinda impressive seeing how expensive they are at the Circle K.
Locally produced spots like this are always special because you can hardly hear the narrator over the spooky sound tape. Admittedly I learned something, apparently Alf's home planet is a shoe store. Which explains everything.
Friday, August 21, 2020
I Was A Third Grade Werewolf
For exactly one night.
In the third grade.
I've mentioned Crestwood House Monsters here before, so what if I told you the stars aligned just right and I got the Wolfman book from the library the same day I first saw Teenwolf? Because that's exactly what happened.I was prepared to read my book that Friday night when a new movie came on HBO. A cinematic masterpiece, Teen Wolf.
It was then that I was bitten, by the idea to be a werewolf for Halloween. I'll wait for you to catch your breath. So there I had the perfect costume in mind but now with a conundrum. How was I going to pull that off? The simple answer would be with a mask and some of those hairy gloves.
The complicated part would be I was in the third grade and what you might call a child.What I'm saying is, I was still a little scared of rubber masks. I was petrified of them prior, despite loving all sorts of monster toys and movies, having a real one in your face is a different story.
Though after years of my brother reusing his Gamorrean Guard mask, I had matured from pissing myself in abject terror to slight discomfort. However, I still didn't want to wear one.
Ben Cooper mask, sure. Rubber mask, nope. So how do I become a werewolf? All of my costumes up to this point were smock and mask or make up kit based.
I love looking at the packaging and at the examples. The variety of kits from cheap to expensive, I just can't get enough of them on the aisle.
I mentioned it was the weekend right? So of course a trip to the store was in order and wouldn't you know it, the old faithful PAAS make up kit display was standing proudly.
All the kits were there. Dracula, ghost, camouflage... stupid ass clown... glam rock... left over Easter Egg kit... wait...
wait...
A WEREWOLF!
Needless to say, I had my costume in check. Come Halloween night I was dressed as a werewolf should. Blue jeans, black fruit of the loom sweat shirt, and the mind blowing transformation that only a PAAS make up kit could produce! The kit came with several tubes of make up and instructions on how to properly apply. Also included were plastic fangs and on the back of the box were cut out ears and moon medallion (yarn not included).
I don't mean to brag, but I looked badass. My cousin arrived in yet another bullshit bed sheet ghost costume with some of his moms cold cream on his face to make it white. At least he smelt nice. I got so much freaking candy and even scared a few old ladies. Except the ones who never know what you're supposed to be. EVERYBODY ISN'T DRACULA MRS. EDNA. Same assholes that gives out those stale peanut butter chews. Same ones. Same bag from last year.
That Halloween rocked, maybe even more when my cousin threw one of his trademark tantrums and yard spiked his MCBoo Pail into the ground after tripping on his sheet for the millionth time. We got back to my place for pizza and a viewing of Teen Wolf. The perfect bookend to my werewolf saga.
Friday, August 14, 2020
A Sam Walton Halloween
Halloween isn't free and nothing says I need to buy something better than a trip to Walmart. With those prices it's no surprise they're as big as they are either. You can load up on candy for trick or treaters only $1.97 a bag! BOGO 2 for $3 on Skittles and those are as good as full sized candy bars.
Hey Look, Walmart is having a costume contest! We should grab something while there and win 1st place. They've got a few pretty good options.
I've got time to win this now! And you've got the power to come in second! Walmart has costumes for around $4. That ain't bad y'all. We're gonna need to grab some of those pumpkin buckets though to go trick or treating after I kick everyone's ass in the contest. You know... I've heard about stuff some people do to candy at Halloween.
Good thing the hospital will x-ray our candy! I was pretty worried, I heard a kid died from one of those peanut butter things. You know... I'm kinda rethinking our costumes. Masks aren't as safe as make-up.
Dang son, we're going to win this contest for sure! We can use make up and be all sorts of cool things now! That Take-Off will come in handy later as well, I don't want to have weird color spots on my face at school. With make-up, we can be anything.
I'm going to win this thing now! What's that, you're going to be Dracula with green hair? Lame, with Kooky Spooks, your ass is grass and I'm the John Deer! What a great Halloween thanks to Walmart. Now let's go home and order pizza while watching the late night horror marathon.
Wednesday, August 12, 2020
McBoo To You
In the glory days of McDonald's, Ronald rung in the holidays usually with some sort of great Happy Meal promotion. The most famous McD's Halloween promotion would the the various trick or treat pails that were practically an annual tradition. For a few years tacking their commercials onto the 'Scared Silly' spot was another tradition as you'll find various editions paired with that classic bit.
While the obvious intention was to use these trick or treating, they usually became various storage containers. Crayons and other school supplies were a popular use. McGoblin was home to many a Battle Beast in his day in my bedroom. They had a lot of uses, except for actual trick or treating as they were pretty small.
My cousin generally used them along with his sisters. I'll never forget the Halloween where he was VERY jealous of my Paas make up kit werewolf costume. Dude was a bed sheet ghost with some cold cream on his face. Not even Kooky Spooks and a robe as the official Halloween costume. His McBoo pail got hard spiked into somebodies yard during a temper tantrum after the third time tripping over that sheet.
Saturday, August 8, 2020
Avoid Peanut Butter Chews At The Magic Manor
Your costume has to be on point if you plan to get plenty of candy this Halloween. Thankfully The Magic Manor has all those masks of gorillas and old men to avoid. They also have classic monster masks and make up so you can actually have a good costume. Real talk, gorilla and old man masks get you those gross peanut butter chew things. Frankenstein? Fucking Skittles.
Thursday, August 6, 2020
Pumpkin Light Your Way
Friday, April 3, 2020
Friday Night Frights- Halloween Party (1953)
It's Friday, and you know what that means around the base? Friday Night Frights, where I disguise a video as a post! We're all still walking around in masks, in fact, now it's getting mandated in some areas! I swear we didn't usher in a early Halloween...because this sucks and Halloween is awesome. But we could all use a little extra fun right now and what better way than one of my specialties? I've double dipped some of the videos before, I admit. I posted this last Halloween. I figure there's a fair amount of time in between postings when it's fair game again and hey.. who cares right?
This is Halloween Party, a school film allegedly from 1953 that... I really have no clue about it's purpose. There's no safety tips or anything. Just a little production of a family celebrating Halloween and their dog Shep who causes some trouble. There's actually a shorter version of this that cuts off as the family goes to bed, while this the longer version goes into an adventure with costuming. I initially thought Shep gets rabies and attempts to kill the children at the end... but on further viewings have noticed something. If you skim ahead to minute 6:03 it becomes clear. Shep is clearly targeting the kid with racist costume. Get 'em Shep!
Saturday, September 14, 2019
The cool costumes of 1986 and every thang
The crew of WDEF 12 news sure have a problem with kids not dressing as monsters. Children dressing as their favorite cartoon characters are a cause for concern, so much that mask example lady made a point to do an expose on the issue. I guess they weren't concerned with Libya. Though look around that store during the time, even if the employees have some questionable costumes on... looking at you green wig lady. Not cool, but that wall of Madballs is. But we can all agree that the kid at :50 rules.
"They got blood running down their face and every thang"
Friday, August 16, 2019
Get your Kooky Spooks on
It's mid-August, summer's almost over and the back to school stuff is making way for Halloween goodness. Well, before this year when stuff started mid-summer and I'm not complaining one bit, but work with me. The early stuff is usually odd craft things, some candy here and there, and they start stocking the make-up kits. Sure it's just a few tubes of white and green at first. Maybe black, that random eye patch that nobodies going to buy. By September it'll all be there. Various kits from .99 cents to a million dollars. You can be a devil for a dollar, a witch for a little more, or even those crazy glue on scars and stab wounds for a good twenty. However among the many, there are a few stand outs. One such was Kooky Spooks!
Let's talk about Kooky Spooks for a moment shall we? I don't know if you caught the 'when it dries it cracks' bit in the commercial, but that was indeed a selling feature. Sure all the make-up did the same and there was a good chance the bottom half of your face would of flaked off by the end of the night assuming the rest didn't sweat off. Kooky Spooks had the damn gall to sell that common costume malady as a freaking feature. I kinda admire that. Let's take a second to look over the directions.
Now before you study this too hard, don't get too excited. No matter how hard you try, you're just going to have whatever color the kit's primary color is and black around your eyes. You might have some black on your nose, maybe some on your lips if you can stand the taste. If you're really good, you'll have some of the other color around that black eye thing you've got going on. Maybe smeared somewhere else. You're parents will tell you the ones on the package were done by professionals, you look great, don't worry. It doesn't matter, half the other kids on the planet will have the same make-up job.
Now you know you'll need more than your Kooky Spooks, you're going to need a robe. The same damn robe every store has that's either a garbage bag with sleeves for 99 cents, or cloth for twenty. Chances are you might be wearing the one your older brother wore before that somehow didn't get thrown away. I think the costume of solid color face with black rings around eyes and robe is probably the official costume of Halloween. It doesn't matter who you are, you will rock that shit at least once. Chances are there's going to be some sort of reflective strip/sticker/glow stick attached to that robe as well. That's important, because there's always that random Ford Taurus just plowing through the neighborhood like it's not the one night of the year all the kids are in the street. You'd think they'd at least see the kid with the glow in the dark make-up... who am I kidding, that crap don't work.