"The perishing of fabrics and the rotting of early rubber, due to chemical instabilities and damp conditions, create new and sinister, puzzling abnormalities. Time and repeated wear have caused a beautiful metamorphosis, never intended or imagined by the maker." Haunted Air: "A glimpse of how the old, weird America celebrated All-Hallows Eve."
posted by billypilgrim on Oct 25, 2011 - 24 comments

From National Geographic News, October 29, 2010 — Halloween Costume Pictures: Spooky Styles a Century Ago. In 1918, American kids, witches, and swastikas were cute.
posted by cenoxo on Oct 31, 2010 - 16 comments

From the obscure reference, to the sexy obscure reference, WTF Costumes proves that if you have a Halloween costume idea, someone has probably already thought of it. [more inside]
posted by Potomac Avenue on Oct 17, 2010 - 49 comments

Rob Cockerham is no stranger to giant Halloween costume projects (and no stranger to MeFi). Every year he famously chronicles his costume builds (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) including everything from idea to final design. This year we not only get to see how his "Money you save with Geico" costume went together, he also published shots from other bay area halloween costume builders (now that's a sub-genre) including the awesome Tauntaun that beat him and the Transformers Bumblebee costume that took ten months to create and went all the way to win in Las Vegas costume contests.
posted by mathowie on Nov 24, 2009 - 34 comments

21 Halloween costumes that will not get you laid. Probably NSFW. Looking through these, I'm sensing a certain theme. 21 fun, ad-choked clicks. sorry.
posted by Slithy_Tove on Oct 31, 2009 - 58 comments

Halloween is lurking ever nearer, and you need costumes and home decorations. Even if you're not as crafty as a witch, Halloween is a good time to start because the results are supposed to look deformed and grotesque. And you're dreaming of a green Halloween. Fortunately I just happen to have a few links to get you started. This garlic wreath could help you keep the vampires away, and this eyeball wreath may work on everyone else. For a geek-style Halloween, make a Mac-o-lantern. You could also decorate the house with a vinyl record cat clock, tin can candle lanterns, a ghost mobile, CD cat coasters, or a skeleton doll made out of old socks. For outdoor decorations, lawn tombstones can be made out pizza boxes and old newspapers, a skeleton out of old plastic containers, and there could be a ghost or two hanging about. You could adorn yourself with a skeleton brooch made out of tin cans, and if you've got old clothes or linens lying about the children in your life might like a few cute monsters to cuddle. If your kids (or you) have finally outgrown dolls, give the dolls a zombie makeover. For costume ideas, check out the Daily Green's list of the best recycled costumes on the Web, then send the kids trick or treating with pumpkin or black cat canisters. Just please be careful with those shears and x-acto knives or the blood and gore on your costume may be a little too organic.
posted by orange swan on Oct 24, 2008 - 28 comments

Yes We Can (eat babies)!
posted by youarenothere on Oct 7, 2008 - 41 comments

A top immigration official has apologized after awarding 'most original costume' to a Homeland Security Department employee who dressed in prison stripes, dreadlocks and dark makeup for a Halloween gathering at the agency. [more inside]
posted by Artifice_Eternity on Nov 6, 2007 - 50 comments

In honor of Halloween, the greatest costume ever: a playable Pac Man arcade cabinet.
posted by jonson on Oct 31, 2006 - 24 comments

Attention all precociously edgy kids: Have you bought your costume yet?
Your parents may insist on insist on something a bit tamer...
posted by hermitosis on Sep 10, 2006 - 40 comments

2004's Scariest Halloween Costumes. A do-it-yourself guide to this season's quickest, least expensive, and spooky-ookiest halloween costumes. My personal favorites are: Florida's Electronic Touch-Screen Voting Machines, The Littlest Prisoner at Abu Ghraib and Jenna Bush's Liver.
posted by Brilliantcrank on Oct 28, 2004 - 24 comments

Snatch first prize at a Halloween party! There's plenty of, umm, interesting costumes over at Ronjo. The kids' ones aren't of the pimp and ho caliber, but the doggie pimp is excellent. Or you could just become a prophylactic superhero in your spare time.
posted by bbrown on Aug 23, 2004 - 15 comments

mr. deadguy / biomorphs / death studios / ghastly creations / lubatti designs / nfx studios / monster mayhem / the monster lab / twisted toybox / 1313
posted by crunchland on Oct 20, 2003 - 16 comments

It's not too early to think about Hallowe'en. This year, why not go as Dr. Zira?
posted by plinth on Sep 20, 2003 - 5 comments

Inarguably, I think, using contact lenses solely to change the way you look (for halloween, perhaps) is a wonders-of-technology experience, one that reached critical mass some time ago. There have been cases of permanent injury, though, and the NY Times reports that the F.D.A. is cracking down. How great is the risk, and can it be mitigated? (Other than, you know, by actaully getting them via perscription.)
posted by Tlogmer on Oct 29, 2002 - 21 comments

Snake bags and mullet wigs does not a costume make. I thought Halloween was supposed to be about looking scary to keep the evil spirits away? I also dislike the idea of buying a costume - seems disingenuous. Slightly more inside...
posted by bradlauster on Oct 15, 2001 - 5 comments

Student reprimanded for dressing as Jesus for Hallowe'en but students dressed as Satan and Hitlet are left alone. [via Fark] (Gratuitous self-blog: Been there, done that, wore the muslin loincloth)
posted by plinth on Nov 6, 2000 - 8 comments

I've seen a lot of photos of peoples' costumes from this past Halloween, but this guy's costume is far and above the best one I've seen.
posted by mathowie on Nov 20, 1999 - 0 comments