Halloween 2008

Once again I went into NYC to be in the village parade.  It was great, though painfully crowded this year.

I'm not in that since I took the shot.  Here's me:

I did notice a lot while going through the parade.  The dos and don'ts of costumes has changed a bit.  While group costumes used to be verboten they are now OK when done well.

Thundercats


LEGOs


Alternative fuels


DaVinci and the Mona Lisa

And of course:

Group costumes are also very in right now:

Tetris

Ghostbusters


Ninja Turtles


A whole Jedi family!

However, there are certain things to be avoided.  OVEREXPOSURE is the key word with this. We saw a couple of Tony Starks

and that was cool but what wasn't was the overabundance of Jokers.  It's easy, takes no effort to make or wear and shows not imagination.  Fine, a few people went as Nurse Joker but that's still a wuss out.  The only Joker I would have accepted (and saw none of) would be a Police Joker with scars and no make-up.  If you're going as something that recent and that popular you need to really put some thought into it.  So for everyone who went as the Ledger Joker on Friday, you get a big thumbs down.

No shit.  Really?

The second costume group that gets a stern warning is anyone who is doing a political costume.

It's an election year so I expected more than usual (which is usually a lot) but a check?  That obvious?  That sucks.  There were large groups of people who simply wore campaign shirts while banging drums.  Shitty costumes.  Put some thought into it and make something creative.  It's going to be more entertaining and even more likely to get your point across:

Alternative fuels (again)

Superhero Union organizers.

Yes, there's some Obama stuff mixed in there but they had superheroes with superhero themed union messages. 

Another costume type that really needs to end is the "Slutty ____".  I don't care what you fill that blank in with, it's a crap costume.  You don't look cute.  You don't look sexy.  You look like a ____ themed prostitute.

This is New York.  If I wanted a "dead, scarred, child molesting" themed hooker I'd call around and find one.  Put on some pants and go find a real costume.  The only exception is if your subject is ACTUALLY slutty.

And even Jareth is wearing pants.

Ok, so maybe pants aren't mandatory.

So, next year's Halloween shall surely be upon us soon than we think.  Who should I go as?  Who should my wife go as?  We're still up in the air.  Our friends have claimed Raven, Flash, Hawk Girl.

Ideas?