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Ten-Word Tuesday. Help Needed.

ghost-graphic

Four days remain until Halloween, and Bossy’s daughter still hasn’t figured out what she wants to be.

While Bossy is making suggestions like Ghost and Hobo, Bossy’s daughter is thinking along the lines of something way easier, like one of the characters from Candyland.

candyland-character

candyland-character2

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Bossy can sum up the most inspired Halloween costume from her own childhood in this way: White lab coat scripted with the unfortunate reference, Dr. Feelgood.

Which is what today’s Ten-Word Challenge is all about. In exactly ten words, can you tell Bossy and her daughter about one of your Halloween costumes, from your childhood or now?

And be sure to check back later today for the greatest costume ideas on the web. In fact, there will be a prize awarded to anyone who gives Bossy’s daughter an idea easy enough to accomplish in four days, and costing
free-ninety-nine.

If you missed last week’s challenge, click here to read what Bossy’s council would contemplate if they took to their beds.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  9. –>My custom ordered lab coat with the name “Dr. Debra G. String” didn’t arrive so I went to the Dollar Tree, bought a bag of Smarties and taped them to my pants.

    Smarty Pants!

    Total cost: $1.05 (with tax in Va.)

    Reply

  10. My all time favorite is Housewife. I donned my nightie, long bathrobe, fuzzy houseslippers. Put pink foam curlers in my hair, a masque on my face and big, dangly shocking pink ball earrings. I carried my “I think I’m allergic to morning coffee cup” along with a rolled-up National Enquirer. I can’t believe I didn’t win scariest costume since the party was a group of divorced people!

    Anywho, it was tres comfy and my skin was glowing and dewy when I washed off my masque.

    Reply

  18. Over the weekend my family and I dressed as the Addams Family. Simplest outfit was my daughter as Wednesday. We had everything already although I did go and get a very very cheap black wig to braid (my daughter has lighter hair) and she completed the outfit by removing the head from an old doll to carry around =)

    Reply

  28. I think a very sparkly thrift store prom dress, a tiara and wand and she’s a princess. Adorable! Or she could go with the big hair and a sash be a beauty queen.

    Reply

  31. Maaaaaary Poppins. That’s what Bossy’s daughter should be. Because that’s what I was going to be until I got distracted. I was going to be Mary and Billy was going to be Burt and we were going to sing and dance for everyone. Now we’re being Earl and Joy from “My Name is Earl” because that means Billy gets to wear what he wears every day and I get to be loud and obnoxious. So basically, we’re not dressing up this year.

    Reply

  36. One of my favorite costumes was in 6th grade I went as an M&M. It was incredibly cheap; two colored poster boards were all I had to buy. Cut out two circles, used some string at the top to attach it over my shoulders, cut out an “M” the size of a sheet of paper, and pasted it on the front. As a bonus, it easily fit over my winter coat!

    Reply

  37. pig nose + butterfly wings = swine flu
    (the following is not an idea for Bossy’s daughter but a costume I saw at a party last weekend)
    “I love daddy” tshirt + 70s feathered hair wig = Mackenzie Phllips

    Reply

  38. Athena in armor: duct tape armor, paper mache helmet. I love making papier mache masks: slap the stuff on your face, dry it some with a hair dryer, glue stuff to it.

    Reply

  39. In 6th grade I got a box from the grocery store and painted it to look like a box of Crest toothpaste and then cut out holes for the head and arms…hard to walk but cozy!

    Reply

  41. Bag Of Jellybeans. White long-sleeve tee & tights, dry-cleaners bag over head, filled with tiny balloons, sealed at the bottom, use paper & markers to make a label & tape on the front.

    Reply

  43. I remember vividly the year I was a mummy. Long johns wrapped with gauze that kept coming unwrapped. I would not recommend that method.

    Reply

  50. Grim reaper 7months pregnant. Son born premie. Eerie much?

    suggestions
    cover her entirely in coupons and call her frugalista!!
    zombie in pinstripes- Dead Yankees/Damned Yankees
    Devil horns, yellow felt yolk on white. Devilled eggs.
    Balloon boy. Very easy:) Too easy??
    Round yellow and red discs for Connect4

    Reply

  52. Take an old white sheet and make it into a sleeveless straight to the floor roll that she fits into…if it is cold she can wear a turtleneck underneath. Cut big letters out of felt spelling out CREST and glue or sew them on vertically down the sheet in front. Use a small pleated lampshade for the “hat” (loop ribbon from the frame and tie under chin)…top of the tube. Very cute and inexpensive or free depending on what you have or can borrow.

    Reply

  53. Cotton balls, paper sun, squirt bottle – partly cloudy chance of rain.

    GF and I are going as this to a Halloween party this year, she is the sun and I am the clouds. We are both carrying squirt bottles 🙂 Hoping to win the most creative costume awards. We used foam core to make our clouds and sun but I am sure you could do it on the cheap with stuff around your house.

    Reply

  58. As a 12 yr old 6th grade girl with a disgraceful chili-bowl haircut and the figure of a stick insect, my mother decided I should dress as none other than the ultra-hip 1980’s character…Robin Hood (forehead slap!)
    Ta-dah, humiliating in ways therapy has still yet to fix. I’m 38, you do the math.

    Reply

  61. Pink ears. Pink thermals. Whiskers. Fuzzy slippers. Tail.
    Pregnant. Rabbit!

    1970 was so easy. Sister and I were look-alike Hippies.

    White thermals. Football helmet and boots covered with cotton balls. (Q-tip!)
    (Friend’s idea. His wife went as Toothpaste tube described by #52 above)

    Reply

  62. I always liked being a gypsy…my mom let me raid her jewerly, makeup, closet…lots of fun! I know that’s more than 10 words but it’s Tuesday.

    Reply

  64. 10 yrsold political campaigner made my own sign, vote for Jimmy Ford

    cheap daughter costume: black sweatsuit, glowsticks=stickgirl. look up on youtube, my kids were a hit last year.

    Reply

  67. These are from Real Simple magazine, so I can’t take credit, but I just love the jellyfish idea 🙂

    * A green clown wig + a schoolgirl outfit = Broccoli Spears
    * A plastic laundry basket with holes cut out for legs + white balloons + a shower cap = Bathing Beauty
    * A white dress + a pipe-cleaner halo + leaves in her hair and “dirt” on her face = Fallen Angel
    * Black clothes + yellow electrical tape down his torso + toy cars + Velcro = Highway
    * A pig nose + a blanket = Pig in a Blanket
    * A blue T-shirt + cotton balls + tape + a water gun = Partly Cloudy With a Chance of Rain
    * A polo shirt + khakis (or madras shorts) + a name tag = Jay Crew
    * A clear umbrella (preferably dome- shaped) + party streamers or metallic ribbons = Jellyfish

    Reply

  70. old sheet stapled to round cardboard over head and Coke colored on one side and Pepsi colored on the other = Cola Wars

    So I was a kid of the 80’s, sue me 🙂 and I couldn’t do it in 10 words, too tired, but I can do a 10 word suggestion:

    overheard at Halloween parade this weekend: H1N1 – black clothes, tape

    Reply

  71. Cardboard cut in semi-circle (to go around waist like a tutu). Cover in green felt (costs little). Hot glue poker chips and cards to surface and cut out diamonds, spades, hearts and clovers (construction paper?) and glue along front edge. Attach ribbons/string with staples/glue (for suspenders). Pair w/ white shirts and black pants and Bossy’s daughter is a blackjack dealer. (Saw a pic of this on a blog – so cute, inexpensive, and easy to make).

    Check out the pics: (no, not my blog or a plug – just thought visuals would help).
    http://rubyjane.blogspot.com/2009/10/more-3-d-halloween-costumes.html

    Crap! forgot the 10-word thing. Sorry, couldn’t do it.

    Reply

  74. Swine Flu – bathrobe, tshirt, pajama bottoms, slippers. Carry around a box of tissue and a thermometer. Get one of those pig snouts with the elastic and some pig ears (construction paper on a head band!) and you are all set with a cheap costume and topical!

    Reply

  78. water balloons blown up, stuff in dry cleaner bag while she is wearing it, tape bottom edge together to keep balloons in and still allow for walking = bag of jellybellys Cutest cheapest costume I ever made and my son bounced down a set of concrete stairs giggling with me in hot pursuit, not so giggly, but he was unharmed and wanted to do it again.

    Reply

  79. one year i was a tea bag. i cut a hole in the bottom of a brown leaf/garbage bag, stuck my head through it, used string to attach a homemade “Tetley’s” label to myself, and wore brown leggings. Ta-da!

    But i do think that the person who suggested Wednesday Addams is onto something . . ..

    Reply

  84. Wore mis-matched clothes from Dad, black construction paper hat – The Mad Hatter.

    But I don’t think Bossy’s Husband’s closet is nearly as tragic as my dad’s so potential mismatched plaids and stripes are less likely.

    Reply

  88. Clear plastic leaf bag
    Small round balloons
    Tape, ribbon

    That’s 10 words. Here’s whatcha do: Dress Bossy’s daughter in long-sleeved turtle-neck and leggings. Cut leg and arm holes in the clear plastic leaf bag. Blow up about a thousand of those little round water balloons. Have Bossy’s daughter step into the leaf bag and fill it with the balloons. Gather the top of the leaf bag around Bossy’s daughter’s neck (trim excess, to make a ‘ruffle’) and tape loosely (don’t want the child protective services involved). Cover with decorative ribbon. Whataya got? A giant bag of jelly beans!

    Reply

  89. My best costume so far: autograph book. Running around asking for autographs.

    It was made from cardboard boxes & construction paper, said “Autograph Book” in sparkling flowing large script on the front, with a hole for my face on the front (the O in autograph) and on each page inside except the back. I had multiple pages with the pics of stars/signed by stars, except my face was their face. (And they can be anyone you want them to be…I did old Hollywood: Cleopatra signed Liz Taylor, Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz signed Judy, etc., but you could do anyone.)

    Cardboard boxes: free
    Ribbon: Raided friend’s wrapping paper closet, so: Free
    Huge, gigantic, oversized pen: $2.00
    Poster board & glue: $3.00
    Sparkly glue & markers: $5.00
    Being able to run around saying: “OMG! OMG! I can’t BELIEVE it’s YOU!!!!!! Sign me, PLEASE!!!”: priceless

    (If you’re willing to get in to being completely goofy with it, people get in the spirit with you & love it. They will think it’s the best thing ever. I even had people asking me if they could sign me. To which I say “YOU want to sign ME?! OMG!” It was so much fun!!)

    Reply

  103. cloudy with a “chance” of showers:

    cotton puffs all over blue sweat suit – carried water spray bottle- when asked spray em in the face

    Reply

  105. Under-$1 Ideas I Came Up with As I Looked Around My Office:
    1. Modern Fairy: jeans and flowy top (or even a t-shirt); cut connected wings (not two individual wings) from large craft foam sheet, decorate as desired, safety pin center fold of wings to shirt back; use old eyeliners/eyeshadows/lipsticks to draw fanciful designs on face. COST=cost of foam
    2. “Hippy” is always popular with tweens: jeans and flowy top or t-shirt; sandals; flowers painted over eye or on cheek using old makeup; hair in braids with flowers tucked in or headband around forehead. COST=cost of flowers
    3. “Baby” is also perennially popular with tweens: matching pajama top and bottom; braided pigtails; fake eyeliner freckles; slippers (or socks over shoes); pacifier; teddy bear or doll. COST=cost of pacifier
    4. Tourist: pants and flowered shirt; lei (buy or make by stringing together fake flowers or flowers cut from craft foam or paper); camera (bonus! taking pics of friends); sunglasses; brochures or maps; suitcase/duffel (bonus! holds more candy). COST=cost of lei
    5. Undead ____ (also recurring for teens): put on any outfit you have (bride, cheerleader, jeans & t-shirt, prom, etc.); powder face white; put black under/around eyes and on mouth; rub dirt on costume if desired. COST=face powder
    6. Super ____: make-your-own-superhero with matching shorts/skirt and shirt; add tights and boots; add cape (make from old pillowcase or sheets or any fabric); personalize cape and chest with emblem cut from craft foam; cut mask from craft foam or fabric, tie on with more fabric or string. COST=foam
    7. Giantess: wear whatever you like; carry around doll-sized people, animals, or other props; terrorize them periodically and speak in a slow, loud voice. COST=free
    8. Mime: black pan and striped top; white face paint (or even just circles on cheeks and a couple of lines perpendicular through eyes); gloves (Magic Gloves are cheap); beret or even just a ponytail. COST=free (bonus! silence)
    9. Western Cowgirl: jeans, boots, and plaid top; cowboy hat; braided pigtails; lasso or toy horse if desired. COST=hat
    10. Beauty Queen: fancy dress, jewelry, and shoes; hair and makeup deliberately overdone; elbow-length gloves optional; tiara and sash (easy to make from wide ribbon or fabric). COST=tiara
    11. Any animal under the sun (think unique, like rabbit or snake).
    12. Pick one of her favorite products and play off of that (like Dr. Pepper, for my husband, could be scrubs covered in craft foam jalapenos).
    13. Pick a character from one of her favorite books, movies, or TV shows, then dress her as that character. Add a few props or some creative face painting, and regular clothes become a costume!

    Hope these help! Pick me, pick me, Bossy’s daughter! 😀

    Reply

  110. White Trash – plastic trash bag with neck and armholes cut out. Paper taped to back with “White Trash” written on it. (Probably more of an adult costume, but you can’t get much easier than this!)

    Reply

  115. I was the Empire State Building – successively smaller boxes. My friend – Statue of Liberty (green robe and greasepaint).

    Reply

  118. Daughter is dressing as a Grecian Goddes, old white twin sheet -free, old gold jewelry/cuffs from my jewelry box-free, gold cording for belt $1/yard, gold sandals already in her closet…. DONE!

    Reply

  119. Old Woman: Thift store outfit, borrowed cane, thick glasses, wig.

    Carpenter: Old jeans, dad’s flannel, tool belt, dirty face.

    Reply

  121. my favorite was granddaughter went as a movie theater floor.
    (anything you may find on a movie theater floor glued to a black outfit)

    Reply

  122. Shirt and Paper numbers attached=Someone you can count on.

    Thriftstore prom dress, tiarra, sash that reads… Miss Understood!

    Or if she happens to be nursing the dairy fairy!

    Reply

  127. (I’ve tried this 3 times!)

    black tights, long black turtleneck, yellow labeltape strips, hotwheels: strtwlkr!

    (guessing it’s the phrase, why the system won’t take it?)

    Reply

  145. Graduation gown..fake big butt…Smart Ass! Ha, Ha, Ha!

    I wish you would have done this post before I got my costume. Some really good ideas on here!

    Reply

  146. wear laundry basket as overalls, ties for suspenders: dirty laundry!

    (i used this when i was about bossy’s daugher’s age. my mom & i just cut a hole out of the bottom of a plastic laundry basket, used my dad’s old ties to hold it up, and then sprinkled some of my own clothes in the basket for effect. perfect.)

    Reply

  147. Mrs Potato Head; all felt with extra pieces/body parts to velcro for everyone to move around and place as they wish

    Reply

  148. I just read comment l46 and had to laugh as mine was getting a friend and a clothesline, hanging the ‘dirty laundry between
    us. It was great.

    Another year I went as lifesavers, which was so simple because I had a lifesaver dress that I cut up (I still miss
    that dress)

    Way over l0 words. ooops

    Reply

  149. OH! I’m sorry!! I did not mean for One Night Stand to be idea for Bossy’s Daughter!! Just posting fun idea (for ADULTS!).

    Milk Gone Bad is a good one, though!

    (Sorry over 10! Does it count when for apology? 🙂 )

    Reply

  154. black clothes, 2 pieces poster board, sharpie: ace of spades (some drawing required but who can’t draw two A’s and a spade?)

    Reply

  155. Daughter just left for a party wearing a wrapped box on her torso, put her hair in a pony tail and decorated with curly ribbon. Cost? Nothing! We had everything at home and she looked great 🙂

    Reply

  156. got any old prom or formal dresses hanging around or from the goodwill? Add a cheap plastic crown and paint your face white/black/bloody- voila’ dead prom queen….that was a winner at our house last year. What about an old brownie or girl scout uniform- again add the zombie theme…acutally add the zombie to any character…
    What about brother’s old band uniform stuff or sports equipment…Good luck!!

    Reply

  157. I originally put a link to a 1918 costumes from a play..but my 10 word, what I was in the past that someone else also said and it itched reading it:

    A hobo with dads clothes, coffee grounds vaseline beard YOW!

    Reply

  159. Dear Bossy’s daughter my mama made me dress as a clown for years. Though I should probably note I lived where it was COLD on halloween and we could be thin or plump clowns depending on just how much winter gear we had to wear in order to trick or treat. LOL

    Reply

  168. Um… no celebrated Halloween Down Under. Ripped Off. So bad.

    (second effort, pretending that I am American:)

    Raggedy Ann – fake yellow wool plaits, painted freckles, gingham dress.

    Reply

  174. Dear Bossy. Today is Wednesday, Day 1 of the World Series. As a diehard Yankee fan I just wanted you to know I will be your blog friend no matter what.
    Will be guzzling wine this evening as CC takes on your dudes.

    Reply

  175. First, a little business, dear KM: You’re going down and so are your pretty boy Yankees.

    stop light (cardboard sandwich board, three colors of cellophane, flashlight)
    Static cling – socks stuck to you
    Zombie – a classic, the grosser the better
    Hershey bar. Brown clothes or brown felt stictched together, white paint.
    swarthmore college student – thesaurus, unbrushed hair, co-op card.

    Reply

  183. 88/harbor mom: I was envisioning hundreds of little balloons filled with WATER next to Bossy-Daughter’s bod, inside that jelly bean bag. Was filled with consternation and fascination, til I read it correctly.r

    Reply

  185. My son went one year as a stick figure: we got glow sticks from Party City (half price because we baught them on 31 October), and used double-sided tape to attach them to black clothing. The sticks are bendy, so one was taped into a circle and clipped to his hair with a snappy barrette.

    Easy, cheap, and he looked s-o-o-o cool when he walked toward you in the dark!

    Reply

  187. Tube of toothpaste, Long cardboard rectangles on front and back, painted to look like Crest (me) and Aim (little brother). Mom made us hats too but I think a white toque would do it.

    Reply

  188. Wear all white, put a metal colander on head, use letters to spell -salt (instant salt shaker)
    Get best friend to dress in all black, put metal colander on their head,use white letters to spell -pepper
    there you go salt and pepper shakers!

    Reply

  192. Vegan Boy. The World’s First and Only Vegetarian Superhero.

    (I was 16, worked at Burger King, and we were allowed to dress in costumes on Halloween. Green hair, silver skin, shirt, pants and shoes complimented with a pink lame cape)

    Oh wait! That wasn’t Vegan Boy. that was a different superhero outfit. Vegan Boy wore silver pants, silver platform shoes, an orange cape and a tight fitting lavendar t-shirt from Wendy’s that said “Where’s the Beef?”

    Reply

  193. [img]http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3113/2809623880_251767951f.jpg[/img]
    Dont be a lame princess, arm chairs are way cooler.
    Age 8

    Reply

  195. I was Mortia Addams back in the 60s – rubber bands around the bottom of my mom’s long black nightie created ‘tentacles’; black wig. My brother was a cuckoo clock – cut door into middle of large painted cardboard box. A few years later he went as a Canadian…

    Reply

  202. Little Edie – panty hose, turtleneck, wrap skirt, head scarve, brooch.

    – did this last night – worked great! Except I had to keep explaining it to people who haven’t seen Grey Gardens..

    Reply

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