Costume by Orcas

I’m thankful for Halloween taking my mind off not homeschooling anymore. I went for a walk this morning and cased the town collecting elements for a costume – Sandy from Grease.

I barely dress in anything other than jeans and my black Patagonia jacket during the winter, so Halloween is a welcome excuse to be wild and different.

I’m also not the girly type. I abhor trying on clothes and spending money on makeup and changing fashions. I love to buy used, since retail clothes aren’t friendly for the environment.

Last year, I aimed to dress as Sandy but couldn’t find much in the used store here that worked. My hair was also long, and curling it up short seemed impossible. Especially for someone who has no patience for curling one small clump of locks at a time.

What they did have, instead, was a goddess outfit on sale and some knee-high sandal-ish boots for a fantastic price. So that was it…

This year I was undecided, but I walked into Sequel – our treasured used clothing store – and happened upon tight, shiny pants. SANDY! And my hair is short and highlighted thanks to a bottle of $6 Sun In and ample ultraviolet light at the lake this past summer. This is must be my Grease year!

Then I saw a sleeveless black sequin top for half price – $4! Speaking my language! I don’t even buy expensive things I’ll wear all year round, so to pay a lot for one day a year is out.

I collected all of the other necessary tidbits to pull the look together.

A curling iron (thank you friend!)…

Foundation that matches my skin (thanks another friend!)…

Hair spray samples from a local salon (thank you, you-know-who!)…

A wide belt with some silver bling in the middle (Sequel again!)…

And of course, cigarettes – the first I’ve ever bummed off anyone (thank you new friend and another friend!). I imagine one or two might break as I’m walking around with them, so I’ve got back-up…

The last things I already have. Hoopy earrings and red lipstick (not that my lips will show under a mask, but I have to be accurate nonetheless!)…

Red nail polish, borrowed from my younger son who uses it as paint for miniature shields and armor he makes out of metal…

A black leather-looking jacket (an inexpensive Target find)…

And some heels that I can actually walk in comfortably for hours without feeling paralyzed afterward…

Now it’s all up to whether I can pull off the hair styling, the make-up, and staying warm enough in the cold and wind! Thank goodness for YouTube tutorials!

May you, too, be inspired by treasures awaiting you in used stores, your friends’ generosity, and the randomness in your closet to go all out tomorrow.

You see what happens when homeschooling stops? Ugggh. Thanks for tolerating this fun, meaningless frivolity.

Have a ball out there!