costume party...eek!

[autumnbr33ze]

so, this year is going to be the first costume party i've attempted. [i usually just have non-costume halloween parties.]

anyhow, is there anything i should know/anything extra i should add to my party to fit in the whole costume aspect?

also, should i set a specific theme for the party, or just have a general spooky atmosphere?

thanks in advance [:
-autumn

[california ghoul]

I had a costume party last year and the best rule is to have NO rules. I think it's more fun/easier for people when they don't have to follow a theme.

[scorpio 40]

we also had a costume party last year with no theme , the majority of guests wore halloweeny items but we did have a betty boo and a crazy frog arrive together.

[StationeryGuy]

The only rule I recommend is that a costume is required and enforced. Ok, so that seems obvious but not necessarily. People will put more effort into their costumes if everyone will have one and it prevents people from becoming lazy. All it takes is a couple people showing up in street dress to bring down the whole party.

[Andybev01]

I don't think anyone should be forced to wear a mask, but if the invite says costume then...

As the gracious host you could have a few inexpensive eye masks (think Lone Ranger) in assorted colors near the front door for those brave enough to show up sans costume. You can pick up a bunch at a party supply store for very little cash.

http://partycity98-px.rtrk.com/cgi-bin/ ... ype=Domino



That way they can get into the spirit of things!

[RckyMtnmomx3]

I've had costume parties for 8 years or so. An incentive is to let people know there will be prizes awarded. Funniest, scariest, Best, Most Original, Cutest, etc.

[ZACTAK]

I'm having my first costume party this year too. Mine is a mix between a birthday party and a Halloween party... I am having a theme of being in a graveyard, but I'm not requiring my guests to have any particular theme. My costume actually has nothing to do with a graveyard theme either.

To give people some more incentive to wear a costume, I am having a Halloween costume contest with four categories: best overall costume, sexiest costume, funniest costume and scariest costume. I'm going to provide some simple Halloween trophies that you can find at Halloween stores and online. Hopefully that help you out a little bit.

[Pumpkin_Man]

I hate to say it, but I never attend costume parties, because there's not a store within 200 miles of my house or any that I know of for that matter that will have anything in my size. If I were to attend a costume party, I would have to make my own costume, and that might look pretty lame if all the other guests rented professional quality costumes.

Mike

[scorpio 40]

we put on our invites fiendish finery required, even a mask will do. 35 out of the 40 dressed up from betty boo in red leather to a very evil count whose mask was extremely
ugly lol. worst costume the crazy frog turned up geez !!
but the odd few were just young men who must of felt self concious and just came all in black, so overall it was good.
we didnt set a theme as i thought cost for some would be a problem and time .
as the host i cheated to, all in black and mask as catwoman as your tending to peoples needs i didnt wanna have a heavy costume.
tania

[RckyMtnmomx3]

Hey Pumpkin Man,
Don't sell yourself short, homemade costumes are way more appreciated than rented or bought ones, anyone can do that. I always do homemade and I don't sew but am handy with a glue gun.

[Pumpkin_Man]

Thanks RockyMt. I really appreciate that vote of confidence, and I agree with you about home made costumes. I much prefer them, and if I were to have a costime party that would be my rule. Besides that, finding a professionaly made costume in my size is like finding the proverbial neadle in a hay stack. They just don't make plus-size halloween costumes.

Incidently, I just received an invitation to a Halloween party from a friend of mine. I'm sort of obligated, because he allways comes to my party, and costumes are not mandatory but prefered at this event, so I am going to go, but instead of wearing a costume, I am going to bring my camera and go as a photographer. That's what I do for a living, anyway, and I thought I could take photos at his party, and I would be some-what in costume. I know thats sort of a cop-out, but unfortunately my size is an issue.

Mike

[cinta5]

It sucks some people have a hard time dressing up for Halloween. It's the best!

[Pumpkin_Man]

I allways enjoyed it in the past, and when I was a kid, after I outgrew the store boutht costume kits, I allways made my own costume, and was proud of my "creations." I went as all kinds of different things, too. One year my costume was as simple as a bed sheat with holes cut in it for the eyes, and a dog chain to chane it to gether. Another year my costume was an elaborate, technical creation as a robot, that involved some wiring, batteries and the like. I made up my own Frankenstein costume, my own Vampire costume and myown Wearwolf costume. I went TOTing in my Tai Kwon Do uniform one year when I was in a "pinch" and in my brothers old Army uniform another year.

If I had more time to creat, I would probably do the same thing, but as it goes, my job and other responsibilities leave me very little time for the creative process, so now a days it's vampire fangs, or a wearwolf mask when I answer the door.

Mike

[scorpio 40]

pumpkin man, u could go as peter parker as a photographer !
be easy enough to home make i would of tht.

[Pumpkin_Man]

That sounds like a good idea, though I'm in my late 40s. I can be a middle aged Peter Parker.

Mike