Halloween Costume Couture for Hard Times

http://www.lodinews.com/articles/2008/10/25/lodi_living/1_halloween_081025.txt

Finding the perfect costume in Lodi with an empty wallet may be as easy as looking in the closet
By Lauren Nelson
Lodi Living Editor
Updated: Saturday, October 25, 2008 5:53 AM PDT

What's scarier than, say, ooze-drooling goblins, flesh-eating serial killers and possessed, head-spinning teenagers?

How about a creepy economy, drained bank account and wide-eyed children nagging you to buy them the grandest and most expensive costumes of this Halloween season?

Your budget may seem buried six feet under a pile of IOUs, the kids' early Christmas wishlists and, oh yeah, bills — but there are ways to get the best costumes in Lodi without digging yourself deep into a grave of debt. Across Lodi, people are creating their own costumes, and they say all you need is a pinch of creativity, a spree through your closet or thrift store and a handful of safety pins.

Just ask 12-year-old Maggie Anderson, who has never had a store-bought costume.

"We prefer the quality, originality and value of homemade costumes," said her sister, Molly Anderson, who helped make this year's costume.

The local sisters got to work on creating the perfect costume early. Their first step was finding the inspiration, which they got at the Halloween Superstore. It was important to keep their goal in mind — without making a purchase.

"Our mission: To find a costume that was interesting, age-appropriate — not an easy task for the 'tween crowd — and easy to replicate," Molly Anderson said.

Maggie Anderson used a dress she bought at Goodwill and things around the house to create Mummy My Dear. After wading through a sea of pre-made costumes, accessories and plastic masks, they found the perfect disguise: Mummy My Dear, a Goth-inspired outfit made of a white rag dress, bandages and a mummified teddy bear.

With their image in mind, they headed to Goodwill, where they found the main ingredient: a white cotton babydoll dress for $3.50. The rest of the costume came from items they already owned. After each person in the family contributed to the costume, they ended up with shredded white fabric (the burial rags for Maggie and her teddy bear) even her dad's tall, black hunting boots.

"Paired with teased pigtails, white face powder, black eye shadow, studded cuffs and pirate-striped socks, Maggie looked like she'd come straight from the punk rock preschool of the undead," Molly Anderson said. "She even beat out a cross-dressing bride to earn first place in her school's costume contest."

Kaitlyn Hooley, also 12, created her own costume using clothing items from old costumes and her own clothes. When she found a faux fur in the Halloween tub, she got the idea to pair it with a pink scarf, green shirt, orange skirt, different colored nylons and mismatch socks to create a fashion disaster. Hooley put her hair in sloppy pony tails and applied her own makeup.

"She was so excited with her creation. I just let her do her own thing," said Mindie Hooley, Kaitlyn Hooley's mother, who was also excited that she got away with a free costume during hard times.