In 2005 I was the
Patch Master. That costume was a lot of fun, but a bit cumbersome. My hat didn't fit through doorways. The mask prohibited my vision, which lead me to trip over a pumpkin. And my long fingers kept getting caught in doors.
So this year I opted for something a bit more comfortable. The perfect outfit to wear for a night at the pub (just watch out for darts to the head). I was Shaun of the Dead. Okay, so I don't have the face of Simon Pegg. But from the neck down, I think I did pretty well.
Don't let the seemly simple appearance fool you. This costume still took it's fair share of work. I bought a new belt and black dress pants. The white shirt was a thrift store score, and with the help of a fabric dye marker, I've got red on me. The name tag was a former credit card, converted with a "Foree Electric" decal I recreated. And that red tie with diagonal stripes had to be shipped all the way from Hong Kong.
But the most work went into that darn cricket bat. It's apparently not so easy to find a cricket bat here in the U.S. Especially not an old weathered one. I ordered one from a sporting goods store online. But it was a light wood color, with a grey handle and decals all over it.
I scraped off the decals, and sanded off the thick lacquer. Once I was down to the bare wood, I "aged" it with a hammer. Then I stained it a darker color. Then smashed a couple zombies in the head to get some blood on it (okay, okay, so it's red latex paint). Then sealed it with a spray polyurethane. Then wrapped the handle with black grip tape. When Z-Day comes, I'll be ready.
Which one is me? Can you tell!? Hint: I'm the slightly taller one.
You look great
