Fright Nights: Last-Minute Costume Ideas

Hey everyone - happy almost Halloween! I thought I'd cap off this (very) mini series with a few tips on making last minute costumes, if you happened to get invited to a Halloween party you weren't quite ready to get dressed up for. As I mentioned before, I work at a Halloween store, so I've seen a lot of people blow through with some pretty creative ideas! These are some of my favorites:

"What Does the Fox Say?"

This is a Leg Avenue fox kit we sell in my store. You can find it online, too. Literally all you have to do is put on a cute/comfortable outfit, pop on the ears and tail, and wear a sign that says "What Does the Fox Say?" Or, you know, only respond to people by saying "WA PA PA PA POW" when they try to talk to you. Or communicate by mo-o-o-o-orse. Whatever floats your boat.

Effort: minimum. Pop culture impact rating: 9.

"Rosie the Riveter"

Do you have a chambray shirt and jeans? Do you also have a bandana and a curling iron? Boom, Rosie'd.

Bonus: you can spend the whole night flexing and making fierce faces at people. And you never have to think about your pose in group pictures!

Effort: almost none. Pop culture impact rating: 3.

"Minnie Mouse"

The old standby. If you have a lot of bows and red and white polka dotted things at your disposal (Lord knows I do), then you can definitely do this. All you need is some mouse ears, which many people already have from a trip to Disneyland. If you don't, they're pretty cheap at Halloween supply stores. This costume is very cute, and really fun to accessorize - you can definitely make it your own.

Effort: minimum. Pop culture impact rating: 4.

"Grumpy Cat" >:(

My friend told me she was going as "Hipster Grumpy Cat" this Halloween, and I was so delighted. Every costume store has tons of cat ears, tails, and whiskers for sale, and if you're good at makeup, you can take this costume from "vague reference" to "OMG your costume is the coolest." Any tan-hued outfit will do.

Bonus: you can make this face at everyone all night. And that is awesome.

Effort: minimum to medium. Pop culture impact rating: 8

"Walter White"/"Heisenberg"

This one will probably require a trip to the thrift store, unless you have a penchant for dressing like a chemistry teacher who also likes fedoras, and sunglasses. All you need to get is a black jacket, a plaid shirt, a black fedora, a bald cap, shades, and a fake goatee, if you can't grow one yourself. Dipping sticks are optional. A serious 'tude is mandatory.

Bonus: get your friend/significant other to dress like Jesse. Buying the components for Jesse is both cheaper and way more fun (really obnoxious oversized sweatshirts and graphic tees). I may or may not know this from experience. Okay, Craig and I are going to be Walter and Jesse for Halloween.

Effort: moderate/high (my store is out of fedoras already). Pop culture impact rating: 10.

But seriously, what are you guys planning on being for Halloween? Spill the beans. I LOVE hearing about peoples' costumes.

Fright Nights: The Best Horror Movies on Netflix Instant

Hi, guys! Somehow I didn't foresee that my job at the Halloween store became more demanding as it neared Halloween. Fantastic insight on my part. But even though I missed a week, I felt like I should carry on sharing some of my favorite things from my favorite holiday with you!

I really, really love horror movies. I'm the first in line to see every crummy new scary movie at the theater, just hoping to be one of the first to uncover a diamond in the rough (a la the Conjuring and You're Next this summer). In high school, I even tried to watch 100 horror movies one October. Um, obviously I don't have that kind of time on my hands anymore. But I still make sure to watch a few of my favorites (and try to scope out some great new flicks!) this time of year, and frankly, all year round.

 A list of the best scary movies is all well and good, but where the heck are you supposed to get them, Blockbuster? Every time I see something on a list I want to check out, I instantly cross-check it with Netflix Instant. Since everybody and their brother has Netflix, I thought I would save you guys the work, and share some fantastically spooky things you could watch this very minute, if you were so inclined. The horror section can be a dreadful and treacherous place filled with bad acting and even worse special effects, so trust me to weed out the truly stupid and point you in the right direction. I'm practically a professional.

Cabin in the Woods is an absolute must-see if you're a fan of horror movies. I'll try not to say much more as it's better to go in blind, but know it's incredibly inventive, genre-subverting, and nothing like you'll expect - in the best way possible.

The Evil Dead is a total classic if you're into cheesy B-Movie horror. If you've only seen the remake, you don't know Evil Dead. Remember when I said I would steer you away from stupid? I may have lied just a little bit, but Evil Dead is worth it. It's gross, silly, and inspired 1000 imitators - but there's nothing like the original.

The Caller is a surprise hit. I found this one on a whim this weekend (Craig and I were amused by the casting of Bill the True Blood vampire against Victoria the Twilight vampire), and was pleasantly surprised. It's not perfect, but the concept is pretty unique, and there are enough surprises, thrills, and chills to keep you hanging on the edge of your seat til the end.

Red State is a rare foray into horror by slacker-comedy god Kevin Smith, and watching it made me surprised he didn't live in the genre in the first place. This is an exploration of just how scary cult-like Westboro Baptist-type churches can be. This isn't a jumpy-scare flick, it's truly terrifying in the way that movies that seem as if they could really happen are.

Okay, I'm kind of cheating. After horror movies, my secret Netflix Instant obsession is the documentary section. I've talked about that, and this movie, before. The American Scream is a really cute little movie about people in a small town in Massachusetts who put a whole lot of effort into making free haunted houses for trick or treaters in their backyards. If you're not feeling like getting spooked tonight, but you still want to get in the holiday spirit, this is your best bet.

I saved the best for last! Pontypool is one of my top five favorite horror movies of all time. It's both a deep exploration of how we as a society interact with language and a very scary zombie movie almost exclusively set in the sound studio of a radio station. There are a lot of twists, turns, and secrets about how the zombie disease mutates so I won't give anything away, but know that it's really smart and so, so awesome.

Do you have some spooky Netflix recommendations for me? I'm always looking for new movies to fall in love with!

Fright Nights: My Favorite Halloween Books

This is no secret, but I really love Halloween. I start looking for costumes in August, I binge watch scary movies, I go to haunted houses, my apartment already has 3 pumpkins in it...this year, I'm even working at a costume pop-up shop. It's kind of my thing. So I figured what better way to celebrate than to do a weekly feature with you guys?

I really do love to read, so I figured a few of my favorite spooky books were a good way to start. There's nothing like curling up with a good scary story and a mug of tea on a fall evening, I think.

Linda Petrushevskaya - There Once Lived a Woman Who Tried to Kill Her Neighbor's Baby

Ridiculously long titles aside, this book is a very enchanted collection of short, scary fairytales. Despite having been written only a couple of years ago, it has a magical, old-timey feel - like stories your grandfather might tell you to spook you this time of year. The titular story is wonderful, and I would also highly recommend "There's Someone in the House" and "My Love."

Ray Bradbury - Something Wicked This Way Comes

Bradbury is obviously one of the masters of horror, and it wouldn't be Halloween without him. My first introduction to him is still my favorite - Something Wicked This Way Comes is a classic for a reason. This is a classic tale of the power of friendship, but the eerie carnival atmosphere and fantastical spooky happenings make it a must-read. And if you read it as a child like me, it's certainly worth another look - it really stands the test of time!

Thomas Tryon - Harvest Home

It's kind of hard to get a copy of this book, but I highly suggest putting in the effort. No one since Faulkner has evoked such a perfect atmosphere of a creepy, close-knit town with a dark, seedy underbelly. I can't tell you much without ruining it, but know that this is an impeccably crafted slow burner that will have you sleeping with your nightlight on.

Alvin Schwartz - Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark

What can I say about this one? This was first introduction to scary stories, and it holds a very special place in my heart. The illustrations never fail to scare (if you can find a copy with the originals, that is). And honestly, some of these stories stand the test of time - "The Red Spot," "Harold," and "High Beams" still freak me out when I read them now!

Do you love Halloween as much as I do? What are some of your favorite books to read this time of year?