A Couple That Dresses Up Together... Stays Together?

Erica's comment from my Sunday post ("you + Dan + Halloween = Perfection") got me thinking about how much I freaking love theme days, costumes, dressing up for a nice occasion, etc.


If middle school had a hat contest, I wore a freaking crazy hat. If high school homecoming week featured cross dressing day, you better believe I had a painted-on beard and a men's suit on. Camouflage day? Hell to the yes. I found a way to cover my entire body in shades of hunter green and khaki. If my office allows Halloween costumes, I'm dressing up.

Despite getting a few years older, my enthusiasm hasn't died down at all. And lucky me that I found someone who shares a mutual enjoyment of playing dress up. (Costumes, that is. Don't get any ideas, pervs.) Like me, the husband doesn't halfway do a costume or a theme day.

Here are a few photos exhibiting said mutual enjoyment:

80s Prom II (March 2009)

Ben's tacky Christmas sweater party (December 2008)

Bankhead to Buckhead party (April 2008) — for those of you outside of Atlanta,

basically we had a party with a "preps versus gangsters" theme

(preps not pictured here)

Dan runs the 2007 Dahlonega Halloween 5k with my sister Anna,

dressed as a 70s marathoner, of course

First 80s Prom (September 2007)

Halloween 2009's Billy Mays and OxiClean

And he dresses up nice, too. :)

Wonder what the next occasion will be...

Halloween Costume Madness

My office held a fall festival on Friday, complete with a costume contest, chili cookoff and bake-off. Never the one to skip out on an opportunity to dress up or cook, I participated by wearing a costume and chili cookoff. My actual Halloween costume wouldn't have made sense without the husband (not to mention it wasn't made yet) so I went with an old standard and easy costume.

Some photos from the day (thankfully I wasn't the only employee to participate in dressing up):

HR does its best Smooth Criminal impression.

Gene is...? Redneck?

Balloon Boy's dad. This was one of my favorite costumes (gotta love a pop culture or current events reference costume)

These ladies called themselves "Ebony and Ivory."

There was food (baked goods here).

And more food (chili).

Julie was someone from NCIS (I don't watch the show but I heard she was spot on)

Can you guess what this is?

Love this costume. "The Most Interesting Man in the World" (aka the Dos Equis man)

Yep, I wore regular clothes from my closest and donned a collapsable witches hat.

I had to save my real costume for Saturday night. :)

We had a Marilyn and a Xena.

Flash forward to Saturday night. I PROMISE that Dan planned to do this costume before the untimely death of the infomercial star himself. If you look below, you'll understand more about 1) why I wouldn't make sense by myself and 2) why I wouldn't have been able to sit down at work wearing this.

Self explanatory, right?

I think Dan's look was perfect. Kudos to Maria for suggesting I be the infomercial prop.

Anna planned to rock my American Gladiator costume from last year. She went ahead and made this shield in preparation. Too bad I couldn't find it. AT THE VERY LAST MINUTE. Two hours, $5 fabric and a royal blue long john's shirt later, she had a costume. Phew. I'm glad I have that sewing machine.

Photo evidence of costume construction project:

Alan (Anna's bf) was a creepy old flasher. Yes, he really did shave the top of his head.

Kyle and Maria were totally authentic (mummy and Cleopatra).

I already can't wait for next year. I LURVE Halloween.