As a child I grew up watching ET and was fascinated. Eight years ago I met my best friend and we both discovered our love for aliens. So much so, that for my first tattoo on my 18th birthday I got “UFO” tattooed on my inner lip. Every Halloween I try to outdo myself, thinking of something better, something that will catch your attention and make you want to ask my a bunch of questions.
After searching and searching it finally hit me. Why not live out my dream and be ET?! I was so indecisive on what I wanted to be I ended up constructing my costume in 24 hours and for $20 EXACTLY just in time to show it off for the weekend before Halloween. I attempted to get a real ET stuffed animal except cost and shipping dates were ridiculous. Instead, my thrifty artistic self went to Kinkos and enlarged my favorite photo of ET that I could find. I taped that onto a plastic mask which I purchased at a local costume store. For ET’s body I grabbed my favorite stuffed frog and burrito wrapped it in a white bed sheet until it looked just liked the scene from the movie.
To keep him on me, I took a belt and tighted the basket on my waist and of course for the finishing touch, how could I forget his famous glowing heart? I purchased a LED stick at a costume store, cut up a piece of a pink shopping bag and taped it around so it would have a similar effect of his heart. Oh and the basket… that was free (but don’t ask me how). What about the red hoodie? I walked into a store and they had two left. I picked one closer to my size and went to the register. While ringing me up she announced “$11 please” I was surprised because the price tag said $18. Of course I told her and her manager standing behind her replied “it must be your lucky day”.
By the time I let the world see my costume it was the Saturday before Halloween. I work in the heart of a college town right on the most popular street packed with bars. That night they had the annual Monster Masquerade and ALL night I got complimented for the best costume along with tons of pictures. I felt great that everyone was so endeared by my costume. Fast forward one week to Halloween night they had another event going on a couple bars down, DJ’s, lights the whole nine yards. Walking down the packed streets to get to the bar was an adventure since I had to squeeze a basket strapped to myself through a mob.
Finally when I made it into the bar, I ended up getting on stage dancing my heart out with little old ET strapped to me the entire time (and yes, there is a video! ). Eventually a guy who worked at the bar personally led me through the crowd to take photos with the professional photographer and I currently am up on their website. It was such a great night being complimented on how creative and awesome everyone thought my costume was. What was the best part is that everyone knew who I was, young and old and that it only cost me $20 and a few hours to put together.
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Hey, fantastic costume!
– Do you have a link to the picture of E.T. that you’ve used?
Hey, fantastic costume!
– Do you have a link to the picture of E.T. that you’ve used?
Could you share the link or fiel you used? also what did you make the handle bars out of ? this is awesome!! kudos to your creativity!!!
What kind of mask did you use and do you have the link for the face…. and how did you do those handle bars?! lol
What kind of mask did you use and do you have the link for the face…. and how did you do those handle bars?! lol
I was just wondering the same thing about the ET photo. Nothing looks as good as yours! Thanks
I was just wondering the same thing about the ET photo. Nothing looks as good as yours! Thanks
I too would like a link to the photo!
I too would like slink to the photo!
If you’re asking about the handlebars I just got some 3/4″ PVC at Home Depot with two 90 degree elbows and silver spray paint for $6.32. Buy the 10 foot pipe, have them cut it into 1.5 foot sections (the bar) and 5 inch sections (the handle). Attach 90 degree elbow and voila! I bought spray paint for $4, but you could also wrap the bar in duct tape and the handle in electrical tape that you have at home for free. The PVC pipe itself was $1.95 and the elbows were 40 cents each.
With a red sweatshirt from Goodwill for $6, and a basket for $2 that makes my rendition less than $15!!
Do you have any pics of the handle bars? How did you attach them?
Here’s the full E.T. costume (sans me in red hoodie) with handlebar tutorial with pictures: http://imgur.com/a/5bIsL
I included a link to the image I used for E.T.’s face. In all I spent less than $15 and 2 hours. $5 for the hoodie at Goodwill, $4 for the crate at Fleet Farm, ~$3 for the handlebars at Home Depot and $1.50 for E.T.’s face. I had a red bike light for his heart and a white towel to wrap him in. I used a small rectangular pillow for his body.
If you’re asking about the handlebars I just got some 3/4″ PVC at Home Depot with two 90 degree elbows and silver spray paint for $6.32. Buy the 10 foot pipe, have them cut it into 1.5 foot sections (the bar) and 5 inch sections (the handle). Attach 90 degree elbow and voila! I bought spray paint for $4, but you could also wrap the bar in duct tape and the handle in electrical tape that you have at home for free. The PVC pipe itself was $1.95 and the elbows were 40 cents each.
With a red sweatshirt from Goodwill for $6, and a basket for $2 that makes my rendition less than $15!!
Do you have any pics of the handle bars? How did you attach them?
In all I spent less than $15 and 2 hours. $5 for the hoodie at Goodwill, $4 for the crate at Fleet Farm, ~$3 for the handlebars at Home Depot and $1.50 for E.T.’s face. I had a red bike light for his heart and a white towel to wrap him in. I used a small rectangular pillow for his body.
Where did you get the photo of E.T.?
Where did you get the photo of E.T.?
How big did you enlarge the photo of E.T.?
How big did you enlarge the photo of E.T.?
how big is the picture of ET and how much did it cost?
how big is the picture of ET and how much did it cost?
Can you describe and if possible maybe show how you did the heart?
Can you describe and if possible maybe show how you did the heart?