Halloween Costume Idea – Elliott from ET
When you think back to iconic films of the 80s, I’m guessing 1982’s Steven Spielberg’s E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial comes to mind. I’m also guessing that when you think back on E.T., all or most of the following run through your head: “Phone Home” “I’ll be right here” (sniff) Speak ‘n Spell That plush, kind of leathery E.T. doll that EVERYBODY had Reese’s Pieces (yum) Adorable, young Drew Barrymore And this: That scene in the movie was...
Halloween Costume Idea – Gary and Wyatt from Weird Science
The 1980s introduced us to a whole new genre of film. Alongside action movies, horror movies and “The Coreys” movies, we also had another very important category: NERD MOVIES. Classics like Revenge of the Nerds, Better off Dead, Sixteen Candles, Real Genius and Can’t Buy Me Love all told the tales of lovable losers, delightful dweebs and ultimate underdogs who struggled in the beginning, but prevailed in the end. And sometimes, the...
Halloween Costume Idea – Watts from Some Kind of Wonderful
When I think back to 80s movies that featured really awesome strong female characters, I’m happy that so many great ones come to mind. Think back to our heroine Andie in Pretty in Pink who planned on going to prom alone because she wanted to let them know that they didn’t break her. Or JoBeth Williams fighting otherworldly spirits to bring her daughter back in Poltergeist, or Sigourney Weaver kicking ass in in Aliens or Madonna in all...
80s Picture Day Costume Idea
Picture this: you get invited to an 80s party, and you need to come up with the perfect costume. Of course there will be the usual suspects in attendance: your Cyndi Laupers, your Madonnas, a few guys walking around in tiny shorts and “choose life” t-shirts, and maybe even a Beetlejuice or Duckie Dale. But what if you want a costume that is a little quirkier? Funny. Subtle. Dare I say . . . brilliant? Why go with the expected when you...
Beetlejuice Halloween Costume
Beetlejuice! Beetlejuice! Are you sure you want to say it a third time? Because you know what’ll happen. Or, maybe you don’t. So go ahead, let’s hear it a third time; let ‘er rip and unleash the Ghost With the Most. Beetlejuice! Tim Burton’s 1988 horror/fantasy/comedy features Michael Keaton as a grotesque, obnoxious, and very funny ghost who hires himself out as a ‘bio-exorcist’ to rid haunted houses of their living occupants. The...
Hall and Oates Halloween Costume
Some things just go together: Peanut butter and jelly, chocolate and peanut butter, beans and rice, and Hall and Oates. Daryl Hall and John Oates had some of the biggest hits of the 80s. Seriously, it’s kind of crazy just how many hit songs they had throughout the decade: ‘Maneater’ (1982) ‘Private Eyes’ (1981) ‘Out of Touch’(1984) ‘One on One’ (1983) ‘I Can’t Go for That (No Can Do)’ (1981) ‘Kiss On My List’ (1981) ‘Adult...
Halloween Costume Idea: Claire from “The Breakfast Club”
Molly Ringwald was the queen of 80s teen movies – the leader of the (brat) pack in my book. She got her start acting on The Facts of Life in the late 70s and early 80s and went on to become John Hughes’ muse, starring in such hits as “Sixteen Candles,” “The Breakfast Club,” and “Pretty in Pink.” The ultimate 80s teen icon – why not dress up as one of her movie characters this Halloween? In “The Breakfast Club,“ she played Claire...
Cabbage Patch Baby Costume Idea
Whoever first hit on this idea is a genius. This is the perfect 80s-inspired costume for your baby: a crochet hat that magically transforms your baby into a Cabbage Patch doll. And it’s crazy easy. Your baby just needs the wig, which happily you don’t have to make yourself (this gal on etsy does a fine job). No other costume gear is needed; they can just wear a regular outfit. If you pride yourself on costume details (and who...
Revenge of the Nerds Costume Idea
Clap Your Hands Everybody So many movies of the 80s had the same great theme: the underdog faces adversity and trials, but ultimately comes out the winner in the end. Think of Lucas, Can’t Buy Me Love, The Karate Kid, and Sixteen Candles. And, many 80s movies also offered another related theme—“nerds” who were bullied by popular kids at school. I mean, just think of Lucas, Can’t Buy Me Love, The Karate Kid or Sixteen Candles. When you...
Risky Business 80s Costume Idea
Remember 80s Tom Cruise? “Outsiders” Tom Cruise? “All the Right Moves” Tom Cruise? “Losin’ It” Tom Cruise? (Bonus points if you remember “Losin’ It” Tom Cruise!) I’m talking pre-mega movie star “Rain Man”/”Jerry Maguire”/jumping on Oprah’s couch Tom Cruise. Now when you think of 1980s Tom Cruise, does this come to mind? “Risky Business” came out in 1983 — a coming of age story of Joel (Cruise) a high school student living in the...
80s Costume – The Creepy Twins from The Shining
By Lori Ferraro Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 masterpiece The Shining goes down as one of the scariest movies of all time. We watch it every year at Halloween – even if it’s not Halloween if I’m flipping around and land on it I always shave to watch it – followed by a pretty restless night’s sleep. The Shining tells the story of the Torrance Family – dad/writer Jack takes his wife Wendy and son Danny up to an isolated hotel over the winter...
Louis Tully 80s Costume From Ghostbusters
All Louis wanted was the love of his neighbor Dana, played by Sigourney Weaver. What he got was possessed by the demon Gozer and transformed into the demon Vinz Clortho, the Keymaster. Dr. Egon Spengler of the Ghostbusters rigged up Louis with some snazzy looking headgear to find out more about the impending invasion from the astral plane, and now you can pull off Louis’ signature “wired up” look. Here’s what you’ll need: 1 metal...
Lloyd Dobler 80s Costume Idea
In my book of 80s teen heartthrobs John Cusack deserves several long, loving chapters devoted to him. He was dreamy in a sweet/funny/nerdy kind of way, which somehow in my teen brain made him a possible candidate as a future boyfriend. Shockingly, this did not end up happening. His characters were usually the underdogs that you rooted for and wanted to end up with the girl – from Sixteen Candles to Better off Dead to The Sure...
80s Bathrobe Costume Ideas
By Lori Ferraro Do you own a bathrobe? Then guess what? You have a Halloween costume. The 1980s gave us many classic bathrobed figures, and now you can recreate their iconic looks with little effort. Michael Keaton – Mr. Mom It’s this easy. Props include a baby and a vacuum cleaner. What you’ll need: Bathrobe T-shirt Pajama bottoms Stubble Cousin Eddie – National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation Stick a cigar in your mouth,...
Debbie Gibson Costume Idea
By Lori Ferraro Debbie Gibson was the pop princess of the 80s. Before Brittney and Christina came along we had Debbie. Our decade was a little more subtle, a little more wholesome and our youth was well, a little more ELECTRIC. How cute was Debbie? She’s so sweet she kinda makes my teeth hurt! In 1987 her debut album, Out of the Blue, produced such hits as “Only in My Dreams” “Shake Your Love” “Out of the Blue” and one of my favorite...
