# It really wasn't that great of a costume, dude. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 10, 2011, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-really-wasnt-that-great-of-a-costume-dude/581404 "2011-05-10T16:20:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2011, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-really-wasnt-that-great-of-a-costume-dude/581404/1 "2011-05-10T16:20:31Z")
I’ve been to a good number of costume parties in my time. Some of them tend to be filled with unimaginative outfits (read: predictable store-bought items), but a few of them are attended by folks who have tons of creativity and imagination. A while back, I was at a large costume dance party with over a hundred attendees. Because of the sheer number of people, the emcee decided to limit the number of people in tn the costume contest. He said, “Please, you can only join the contest if somebody nominates you because you have a really clever or amazing costume. If you’re nominated, line up by the stage and announce yourselves one by one.” So people nominated their favorite costumed dancers. These were folks with really funny or elaborate outfits – TV characters, comic book characters, and so forth. Some people had clearly put many hours into building their costumes, and it showed. (You folks would have loved some of the Star Wars and Firefly outfits that people wore, for example.) A few people decided to join the contest even though they weren’t nominated, though. Not a huge deal, except that their costumes were really kinda… lackluster. When his turn came around, one guy – an acquaintance of mine – jumped into the circle and yelled “Taekwondo!” He was wearing his taekwondo uniform. Now, I’m not saying that it’s not a perfectly good costume. Nor am I saying that every costume has to be outstanding or even clever. However, if the costume contest is supposed to be restricted to the more clever, more interesting costumes, you probably shouldn’t field an entry that was basically pulled out of your gym bag. It’s really not that clever, dude. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2011, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-really-wasnt-that-great-of-a-costume-dude/581404/2 "2011-05-10T16:38:56Z")
Maybe he was just really excited about Taekwondo… Kind of a weird post. Also, I wouldn’t assume that having an “unimaginative outfit” means that a person is necessarily not creative or imaginative. It just means they were unable or unwilling to spend the large amount of time (and sometimes money) necessary to make a really cool custom costume for that one party. Of course, they may _also_ be non-creative and/or unimaginative, but you can’t assume that. ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2011, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-really-wasnt-that-great-of-a-costume-dude/581404/3 "2011-05-10T16:44:34Z")
You’re making me feel bad about my “jeans-and-t-shirt guy” costume. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2011, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-really-wasnt-that-great-of-a-costume-dude/581404/4 "2011-05-10T16:54:38Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > Kind of a weird post. Are you saying that’s mundane? Or perhaps pointless? > [@](#): > > Also, I wouldn’t assume that having an “unimaginative outfit” means that a person is necessarily not creative or imaginative. It just means they were unable or unwilling to spend the large amount of time (and sometimes money) necessary to make a really cool custom costume for that one party. Of course, they may _also_ be non-creative and/or unimaginative, but you can’t assume that. I agree, which is why I never said such a thing. Please note that I was only commenting on the costumes, not on the creativity of the people wearing them. ETA: Okay, I see that I did say that there were people who had tons of creativity and imagination, in contrast to the ones who wore the predictable outfits. Yeah, this could be taken to imply that the ones in the predictable outfits were necessarily uncreative. No, that’s not what I meant, though I do see how that could be inferred. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2011, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-really-wasnt-that-great-of-a-costume-dude/581404/5 "2011-05-10T17:38:50Z")
> [@Manduck](#): > > You’re making me feel bad about my “jeans-and-t-shirt guy” costume. ☹ Hneh, I’m Nachos, nheh. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2011, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-really-wasnt-that-great-of-a-costume-dude/581404/6 "2011-05-10T17:41:21Z")
I don’t think clothes that you would _ordinarily_ wear for any real-life purpose count as any “costume” at all. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2011, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-really-wasnt-that-great-of-a-costume-dude/581404/7 "2011-05-10T17:56:46Z")
It seems the umbrage is because given the particular constraints (too many people to judge everyone), you weren’t expecting him to participate in the contest. What if he jumped out with a couple extra gis and yelled “supplies!” ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2011, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-really-wasnt-that-great-of-a-costume-dude/581404/8 "2011-05-10T18:35:51Z")
> [@Manduck](#): > > You’re making me feel bad about my “jeans-and-t-shirt guy” costume. ☹ If you were Canadian, you could expand your repertoire into “Hockey shirt guy” like so many Canadian guys do every Halloween. :rolleyes: OP, was there a lot of booze involved? That might explain him thinking his costume was more awesome than it was. ---
**Author:** ![PlainJain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5daacb/32.png) [@PlainJain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlainJain)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2011, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-really-wasnt-that-great-of-a-costume-dude/581404/9 "2011-05-10T18:47:59Z")
> [@JThunder](#): > > Are you saying that’s mundane? Or perhaps pointless? Maybe blogish or FaceBookish? ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2011, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-really-wasnt-that-great-of-a-costume-dude/581404/10 "2011-05-10T18:55:59Z")
I found the OP to be sufficiently entertaining to warrant inclusion in this forum, FTR. One year at Halloween MrWhatsit pinned a cotton ball to the rear of his jeans, and if anyone asked what his costume was, he said “I’m a bunny.” That was the same year that two separate people showed up in “Neo” costumes from The Matrix. ---
**Author:** ![gregorio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/fbc32d/32.png) [@gregorio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gregorio)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2011, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-really-wasnt-that-great-of-a-costume-dude/581404/11 "2011-05-10T19:11:33Z")
Hey, I went as [Greg Wiggle](http://www.google.ca/search?q=greg+wiggle&hl=en&safe=off&prmd=ivns&source=lnms&tbm=isch&ei=4IzJTZi3FoeqsAOlrPWSAw&sa=X&oi=mode_link&ct=mode&cd=2&ved=0CBYQ_AUoAQ&biw=1043&bih=773) last year. No, my costume wasn’t as elaborate as Lego blok guy or spray painted green army guy or actually wore parts of a pumpkin on his head headless horseman guy but I could pee without help and cleanup after was a breeze. No, I wouldn’t have jumped in the best costume line, but I still had fun. I believe there were two Zach Galifianakises from The Hangover complete with a doll in a snuggy. They didn’t win the contest either. And my costume worked on so many levels. ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2011, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-really-wasnt-that-great-of-a-costume-dude/581404/12 "2011-05-10T19:45:14Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > It seems the umbrage is because given the particular constraints (too many people to judge everyone), you weren’t expecting him to participate in the contest. What if he jumped out with a couple extra gis and yelled “supplies!” Well, it seems to me that if the emcee says that the contest is limited to the more clever and/or creative costumes, then one should make sure that his outfit is at least _reasonably_ clever. I realize that most of us tend to view our own works through rose-colored glasses, but really… wearing one’s taekwondo uniform? Not even remotely interesting. > [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > OP, was there a lot of booze involved? That might explain him thinking his costume was more awesome than it was. Nope, no alcohol whatsoever. I think that a lot of people do tend to think that their costumes are way more awesome than reality warrants. I remember one Halloween party wherein the emcee opened up the costume contest. Most of the folks with store-bought or otherwise mundane costumes sat this out, but several ladies did dash to the stage, wearing standard (and clearly store-bought) witches attire. Nothing distinctive; just the standard black garb with the pointy hats. I realize that these are perfectly cromulent Halloween costumes, and the emcee didn’t place any restrictions on who could join. Still, they hardly seemed like contest material. ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2011, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-really-wasnt-that-great-of-a-costume-dude/581404/13 "2011-05-10T19:47:05Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > If you were Canadian, you could expand your repertoire into “Hockey shirt guy” like so many Canadian guys do every Halloween. :rolleyes: Now that’s just pathetic. > [@gregorio](#): > > Hey, I went as [Greg Wiggle](http://www.google.ca/search?q=greg+wiggle&hl=en&safe=off&prmd=ivns&source=lnms&tbm=isch&ei=4IzJTZi3FoeqsAOlrPWSAw&sa=X&oi=mode_link&ct=mode&cd=2&ved=0CBYQ_AUoAQ&biw=1043&bih=773) last year. > … > And my costume worked on so many levels. Dude, I would have given you some serious props for that. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2011, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-really-wasnt-that-great-of-a-costume-dude/581404/14 "2011-05-10T20:08:04Z")
> [@JThunder](#): > > > [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > > > It seems the umbrage is because given the particular constraints (too many people to judge everyone), you weren’t expecting him to participate in the contest. What if he jumped out with a couple extra gis and yelled “supplies!” > > Well, it seems to me that if the emcee says that the contest is limited to the more clever and/or creative costumes, then one should make sure that his outfit is at least _reasonably_ clever. I realize that most of us tend to view our own works through rose-colored glasses, but really… wearing one’s taekwondo uniform? Not even remotely interesting. Sorry, I was referencing an old [joke](http://www.jardmail.co.uk/misc/3mendesertisland.shtml). Keep in mind that Mrs. Devil and I start gearing up for Halloween sometime in mid-November, but if someone did the above I’d take it as a pretty cool concept. ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2011, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-really-wasnt-that-great-of-a-costume-dude/581404/15 "2011-05-10T20:34:48Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > If you were Canadian, you could expand your repertoire into “Hockey shirt guy” like so many Canadian guys do every Halloween. :rolleyes: I am Canadian, but those hockey shirts are expensive. signed, T-shirt and jeans guy. ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2011, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-really-wasnt-that-great-of-a-costume-dude/581404/16 "2011-05-10T20:48:58Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > If you were Canadian, you could expand your repertoire into “Hockey shirt guy” like so many Canadian guys do every Halloween. :rolleyes: I saw a video where the Habs players were asked what their least imaginative Hallowe’en costume was. They all pretty much admitted that at some point they just went out in their hockey gear. Given as they are NHL players now…they kind of went as themselves…from the future! See, it’s cool! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2011, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-really-wasnt-that-great-of-a-costume-dude/581404/17 "2011-05-10T21:24:22Z")
I sympathize, OP. Maybe he was wasted. The coolest costume I saw last Halloween was a girl who dressed as a female version of the Monopoly guy. Monocle, top hat, and a sexy black and white tuxedo-styled bodysuit (similar to this: [Luxury fashion & independent designers | SSENSE](http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/img-thing?.out=jpg&size=l&tid=17285739)). ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2011, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-really-wasnt-that-great-of-a-costume-dude/581404/18 "2011-05-10T22:56:30Z")
> [@rachelellogram](#): > > I sympathize, OP. Maybe he was wasted. > > The coolest costume I saw last Halloween was a girl who dressed as a female version of the Monopoly guy. Monocle, top hat, and a sexy black and white tuxedo-styled bodysuit (similar to this: [http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/img-thing?.out=jpg&size=l&tid=17285739](http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/img-thing?.out=jpg&size=l&tid=17285739)). Sexy Monopoly guy? Normally I roll my eyes at the Halloween trend of Sexy \_\_\_\_\_\_, but I’d give her a pass, IF she wore the mustache. ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2011, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-really-wasnt-that-great-of-a-costume-dude/581404/19 "2011-05-10T23:04:21Z")
As for the karate kid, that fits in well with my impression of the overly-enthusiastic strip-mall martial artist. The best I ever did was a homemade cardboard robot. I used aluminum foil and chrome spray spaint, and really went to town. I even put in sunglasses’ lenses to make a robo-visor to hide my eyes. It was very Bender-esque. But I kept on drinking as I made it, and I decided that I wanted to be a superhero robot. I needed a cape, but all I had was an American flag. So I went this that, and turned my robot into a patriot-type superhero. Straightaway I was confronted by a bunch of red stater good old boys who threatened me with an ass kicking if I let my cape touch the ground. So I revised my costume a third time and became The Robot Who Threatens to Desecrate Your Flag. That was fun. Oh, and I got carded at every bar I went to, but was never asked to remove my head-covering robot mask. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2011, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-really-wasnt-that-great-of-a-costume-dude/581404/20 "2011-05-10T23:19:28Z")
> [@mnemosyne](#): > > I saw a video where the Habs players were asked what their least imaginative Hallowe’en costume was. They all pretty much admitted that at some point they just went out in their hockey gear. Given as they are NHL players now…they kind of went as themselves…from the future! See, it’s cool! 😛 If any current NHL players show up at a Halloween party I’m at, they get a total pass on wearing a hockey jersey as a costume. 😃 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-really-wasnt-that-great-of-a-costume-dude/581404.md?page=2)