Well let me just start by saying that I love, love, love Halloween! It is absolutely without a doubt my favorite holiday. Every year when I feel that first cool crisp autumn breeze and begin to smell the vague scent of fall that lingers in the air. I then know that it is time once again to pull out the decorations and to get started on new ones, including my costume.
This year I had a theme that I was supposed to follow for work, circus freaks, but I just couldn’t get the idea of being a peacock out of my mind. I began to search online for ideas for a Peacock costume but I just couldn’t commit to one, until I came across a web page of old circus posters that included one of a peacock lady. Hooray! I get to be what I wanted) so I went online and begin to look for feathers. After all, you can’t have a peacock without the feathers. I found a place to purchase my feathers www.ostich.com where I ordered 400 peacock feathers of various sizes. I knew it probably cost me a pretty penny but I didn’t care, I wanted to make this costume and besides I could wear again if I wanted to.
So now I have my feathers now what? I needed something to attach them to. I knew exactly what I wanted; I just had to hunt one down. I needed one of those big oriental wall fans. I began my search at Goodwill, Salvation Army, thrift stores and nothing! Oh no what do I do? What any girl does, I called my mom. After all, she is the thrift store queen. Well as luck would have it she didn’t need to go very far at all to help me, she had one hanging on her wall over her hot tub. I must say I did feel very guilty for taking it but who am I to argue with my mother? Not like I could win anyway. So I now have feathers, a fan, I need the clothing part.
I knew exactly where to go for that. Fredrick’s of Hollywood of course! They always have many different corsets to choose from and this year I lucked out, they just happened to have the perfect color turquoise corset and matching skirt. After a few quick trips to Jo-Ann fabrics and Michaels arts and craft store to pick up a few little extras the headpiece I wore in my hair. I spray painted the fan an opaque green and let it dry for a few days. Then the pain staking task of hot gluing the feathers to the fan began, it took me almost two weeks of staying up late and a two day all nighter to get them finished. I actually finished my Peacock costume the day I needed to wear it.
All the time and effort paid off. I got so many compliments on the costume. It now hangs on a wall in my home, anxiously awaiting for its next night out on the town, after all being a peacock is all about being flashy and showing off!
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So how much did it end up costing for the Feathers and did you use all 400. It looks great, you did a good job!!!
I actually ended up using 350 of the feathers. Thank you for the compliment. : ) I should have put up a picture of the back, it is actually the prettier side of the fan.
Well done it really looks beautiful. The tail must have been really heavy. I was wondering what you used to mount it to your back without it falling off or wobbling?
i am wondering the same! was it heavy? and how did you secure the fan on?
My daughter wants to be a peacock for Halloween this year. Can you tell me how you ‘wore’ the fan? How did you secure it? And where did you find your peacock feathers? I’m finding some on eBay, but it’s going to cost a small fortune if I need 300 or more! LOL Thanks!!
The fan actually had slits in it, so I simply strapped it on with a belt and hid it under my corset. The feathers were pretty expensive but if you can get away with using a smaller fan you may be able to save some money. I tend to go over the top with things that I do.
It wasn’t really all that heavy, just a bit awkward because it really does have a huge span and people will tend to walk into you, I spent most of my evening with my back towards walls so people wouldn’t destroy my costume. Which was kinda sad because the back of the costume was actually very, very beautiful. Good luck to all of you and have a safe and Happy Halloween! : )
I just stumbled upon your picture while trying to plan my own peacock costume for Halloween 2010, a very very important Halloween for me, because it is also when I will be celebrating my 30th birthday. So you know I want something show stoppingly fabulous that feels fabulous to wear. And I’ve been actually mulling this over since LAST Halloween, which is when I first got the fancy to be a peacock.
Well, you set the bar ridiculously high, girl. What an AMAZING creation. I can’t even imagine what other costumes you’ve come up with for yourself over the years.
I am a Halloween girl, too, and I jump at any excuse to dress in a costume. What, it’s just a bathrobe oarty? Well, I’ll wear a floral shower cap and make a purse out of a towel, and wear a necklace of rubber duckies. I just made that up just now, but that in itself is a statement to my readiness to go the distance!
In any case, I digress. I just want you to know that I have been feeling really frustrated about how to make this peacock costume come about – I never even have a clear vision in my head really – but you have inspired me and shown me what is possible.
Not only that, I know that, after seeing all the other awesome examples here, I have the opportunity to do some really cool stuff! A peacock is a really fantastic costume to create, any way you do it!