Currently Obsessed With is a once-a-month (but sometimes more) feature where I talk about things I’m really into.

I went to a Harry Potter Party a few weeks ago, and in my search for a Luna Lovegood costume I could put together with not a lot of effort, I got to thinking about character-inspired outfits.  I’m a huge fan of Disneybound, which was really helpful when I was putting together a Princess Anna costume for Halloween.  If you know of any similar blogs, I’d love to know about them.

There is something very cool about using everyday clothes to dress up as a character- and there’s a certain practicality to it that I also like.  There’s nothing wrong with buying a costume, of course, but I’m finding that in terms of costumes, I’m getting more practical as I get older.  I want to dress up for Halloween (or something other party/event) but I don’t want to get a costume that is then going to sit in my closet, not being worn.  Character-inspired outfits are an easy way to do that.

The biggest appeal is that it’s fun to create outfits based on a character.  I did it last year when I dressed up as Anna from Frozen for Halloween, and I did it when I dressed up as Luna Lovegood for the Harry Potter party.  I’m definitely doing it for Halloween this year, and I’m currently deciding between Luna (since I have the outfit, but I may add some radish earrings and a butterbeer necklace) and something Night Vale- either Cecil or a hooded figure.

I’m currently figuring out a Cecil outfit- I have a plum colored shirt I’m not sure about, so I’m trying to decide if I want to go with it, a more Night Vale purple or something white.  I’m hesitant about white, because I know I’ll end up spilling all over it, and white isn’t my favorite color to wear, but it will also be easy to find if I decide not to go with plum, or if I can’t find the shade of purple I’m looking for.  And a cardigan.  I need a cardigan.  And some fun Night Vale-ish tights.  Although I’m not too worried about the shirt now, because the fun of it is that it doesn’t have to be exact, and now that I’ve talked it out a little, I might stay with the plum-colored shirt after all.

I did get this totally awesome old-timey microphone necklace, and I would need to figure out make-up for it.  I figure the temporary tattoos from the Night Vale store might be easier, because I’m not at all confident in my ability to do make-up for a Cecil costume, but we’ll see.

I’m not completely sure what I would do for a hooded figure costume, other than wear all black (which is no problem at all, since I have black clothes).  I’d need a hooded cloak, of course, but I figure that will be easy enough to find around Halloween, and maybe I’ll print up the rules of the dog park on some card stock and hang it around my neck or something.  If I go with it, of course.

Really, for Halloween, it’s more about the accessories than the actual clothes, but it’s still a lot more fun to put something together with accessories and clothes than it is to buy it.  Plus, the idea of dressing up as, say, the Sorting Hat, or Alice In Wonderland in a non-obvious way is really fun.  I just love the idea so much, and I really need to pin more character-inspired outfits.  I’m not kidding when I say that I have an entire pinterest board dedicated to it.

I do think it’s one of those things that’s really subtle, which does fit with me personality-wise, but it’s also something that can be not-so-subtle too.  Depending on who you dress up as, it might not be obvious you’re dressed up as someone, which is the appeal of doing it year-round, but it might be problematic if you’re talking about dressing up for Halloween, or something else where you need to be costumed.  But that really is why I’m such a huge fan of it.

At risk of repeating myself, I think I shall end this post here, but it was also fun to ramble on about.  Hope you have an awesome day!