Sunday, January 22, 2012

Holy DIY Batman!

Vintage Batman Robin DIY costumes handmade Halloween costumes
Halloween and the workplace is a very tricky thing. It almost requires a DIY costume as anything store bought requires a stripper pole accessory...and those are sometimes a pain to carry around the office.
My office partner in crime who sits in the cubicle next to me shared my dilemma and we decided to go with a theme. We threw around various ideas before deciding on Superheroes. What's nice about Superheroes is there's a multitude of choices and variations...comic book, movie, cartoons. "A" decided to be Batman and I was going to be Catwoman but wanted to wear bright colors. I'm so over Black. I'd already been Poison Ivy one year back when I had bright red hair...hmmmm....what about Robin?

And what about 1960's Batman and Robin? ZAP! BAM!
Same Bat time same Bat channel.
We decided to raid our closets and thrift stores to make upcycled costumes...that and we're both flat broke.
We scoured the racks of Our Thrift Store in Franklin and Goodwill.

A" managed to find her Batman pieces for under $15.

I found a bright yellow tab top curtain at Goodwill for $3, which provided the perfect cape. A red sweater vest also a steal at $1.99.

thrift store shopping DIY Halloween costume
Off to the CRaft store I found stiff felt and cut out a R and oval then hot glued them together. I made a small one for my vest and a large one for the back of my cape.

I already owned a bright green tennis skirt and like every woman, a pair of tall black boots was housed in my closet.
Masks are not allowed at work so I faked it with green eyeshadow and a black eye liner and attempted a DIY on the Black Swan's makeup that I watched on YouTube.

Robin Halloween costume DIY handmade thrift store upcycle

Work was a blast, I was convinced costumes should be wore at least once a month. Sure there were occasional people who asked who I was…I decided they had a sad childhood and not to take it personally. Cops loved it. I asked if they needed any help fighting crime today. One laughed and said, “well…actually, Yes we do!”. For the day we took down our real name tags and made some for our Alter Egos..


After work I set my camera on a tripod. set the timer and we saved the downtown area from the threat of evil. Sometimes the photo shoot is the best part.

Just try to break into this vault would be criminals!
Batman and Robin 1960s DIY costumes handmade


Sometimes even the Batmobile breaks down. Thank Holy Trusted Local Transit System!

Batman and Robin Halloween costumes DIY office at work


Robin: "That's an impossible shot, Batman."
Batman: "That's a negative attitude, Robin."


"Holy strawberries Batman! We're in a jam!" Robin


Robin: "Ghoti" is "fish"?
Batman: See here. English phonetics. GH becomes F, as in "tough" or "laugh". O becomes I as in "women". TI becomes SH as in "ration" or the word "nation".
Robin: Holy semantics, Batman. You never cease to amaze me!
Batman: No time for compliments, Robin. We must thwart some criminals. To the Batmobile!


Robin: "Boy! That was our closest call ever! I have to admit that I was pretty scared!"
Batman: "I wasn't scared in the least."
Robin: "Not at all?"
Batman: "Haven't you noticed how we always escape the vicious ensnarements of our enemies?"
Robin: "Yeah, because we're smarter than they are!"
Batman: "I like to think it's because our hearts are pure."


"Whatever is fair in love and war is also fair in crimefighting." - Batman



Years later when I revised the costume, while working in Nashville near the Batman building. 


2 comments:

  1. So cute! Great job on the costumes!
    Wouldn't once a month costume wearing at the office be stressful?

    ReplyDelete