Ken Tanabe | Halloween 2007: Yellow Robot

Halloween 2007: Yellow Robot

This costume was inspired by the bright yellow Pumas I hadn’t been wearing enough (designed by Mihara Yasuhiro). I had also been eyeing dryer hoses as a costume material for a few years. Their flexibility allowed me to use part of the hoses to create large “horns.” I also attached the lower pair of “arms” to the upper pair with an invisible wire, so that all four arms would move convincingly.

MATERIALS:
Bought: Dryer hoses (2 x $9.99), pipe insulation ($2.48), hanging wire ($2.29), yellow spray paint ($3.27), foamcore boards ($12.49). Already owned: black pants and turtleneck, duct tape, wire coat hangers, Puma Mihara Yasuhiro sneakers.

Halloween Costumes

Halloween Rules

1. Make it yourself.
This is the best way to be original. A store bought costume is better than no costume, but you can do better than that!

2. Use your whole body.
If you wear your usual clothes and throw on a mask, is that really a costume? Go from head to toe.

3. Keep it cheap.
Anybody can spend a zillion dollars on a costume and look cool. The real challenge is making it happen on a budget.

4. Don’t rely on recognition.
Do not dress as a celebrity or a movie character. Standard characters like vampires are off-limits, too.

5. Don’t rely on sex.
Don’t get me wrong – being sexy is great and all. Just don’t rely on it to make your costume work.

6. Don’t rely on horror.
Sure, blood and guts are a Halloween tradition, but don’t feel limited. Take advantage of the day you can wear anything!

Do you make Halloween costumes that follow these rules? If so, contact me.