Top 5 Halloween Costume Tips

Post #87. Rosie’s Daughters: The “First Woman To” Generation Tells Its Story by Matilda Butler and Kendra Bonnett

Who will you be this Halloween?

October is here and that means Halloween will arrive soon. Thinking about your Halloween costume? We’ve got five Halloween costume tips for you:

Tip #1: Be sure your costume is comfortable. Some costumes look great when you are standing in front of the mirror, but what about when you are at work that day or going to a party in the evening, or walking with your children while they trick or treat?

Tip #2: Make sure you are safe in your costume. Some masks make it difficult to see and elaborate headdresses can hinder your ability to move around safely. Long costumes may get in the way when you climb steps or want to dance and long sleeves that hang down over your hands can be a problem when it is time to snack or eat a meal.

Tip #3: Let your costume help you make a statement. You want others to recognize your costume and know that it is a reflection of who you are and your values.

Tip #4: Consider how your costume might work with your group of friends or your children. Find something that can be appropriate for different ages.

Tip #5: Decide on a cost effective costume. How about a costume with elements you can incorporate into your wardrobe after Halloween is over? Avoid costumes made of cheap materials that just end up being thrown away or stashed forever in the back of your closet.

We’ve got a costume that meets all of these Halloween considerations. It’s our newly released ROSIE THE RIVETER HALLOWEEN COSTUME KIT.

[Click here to see our costume, available in our store on etsy.]

Meeting Tip #1: Rosie’s Costume Kit provides all the accessories for a definitely comfortable outfit. This is what Rosie and millions of working women wore to their jobs in factories during World War II.

Meeting Tip #2: Safety was critical during WW2 as well as today. Rosie the Riveter’s bandana was important to keep her hair away from machinery. She wore boots or workshoes. No high heels that may trip you up on a Halloween evening.

Meeting Tip #3: Halloween is a great time to make a statement about who you are and what matters to you. Rosie the Riveter is a symbol of strength, courage, and empowerment. That’s a fabulous message to share with friends, co-workers, family, and even strangers who see you in your “We Can Do It!” costume.

Meeting Tip #4: Group costume. Rosie and her colleagues all dressed similarly. You can do the same thing. You and a friend, or several friends, might all go as Rosie the Riveter. Or how about you and your daughter? We even have a great photo of a mother and son. It’s never too early to show respect for strong women.

Meeting Tip #5: Cost effectiveness. Some costumes have become quite expensive and are usually a one-time use garment. This year, consider a Rosie costume that has high quality elements that you can use over and over again.

Actually our Rosie Costume Kit (check it out here) is currently on sale and provides BIG savings. The individual items are a $70 value that we regularly sell for $59.97. As a HALLOWEEN SPECIAL, the Costume Kit is just $39.97 this month. However, we do sell the items individually and we’ve included those links below.

With our ROSIE THE RIVETER COSTUME KIT, all you need to add is a pair of blue jeans from your drawer and a blue workshirt from your closet. You’ll be a Rosie the Riveter just as she is shown in the “We Can Do It!” poster.

Here’s what our Rosie the Riveter Costume Kit includes:

ROSIE’S LEGACY BANDANA

• Full-size, 100% COTTON
• 27″ x 27″ (perfect for tying Rosie style, or for wearing around your neck anytime of the year)
• Same size as the bandanas MANDATED by Department of the Army in WWII for WOW (Women Ordnance Workers)
• Random polka dot pattern researched to be just like the one Rosie wore in the famous “We Can Do It” poster
• Fabric dyed just of us to be ULTRA SOFT…And a joy to wear all year long

If you want just the bandana without the entire kit, here you go.

ROSIE’S EMPLOYMENT BADGE/COLLAR PIN

• Made using 3-dimensional, molded and embossed metal
• Hand-colored using enamel cloisonné technology (each one is slightly different, part of the hand process)
• Designed with a photo-etched screen print of Rosie’s image covered with clear coating
• Sized with 1.25″ diameter (just like Rosie’s original)
• Attached with single post/butterfly clutch fastener
• Unique, historically accurate, retro Rosie collar pin designed using an actual Westinghouse Electric Service employment badge, just like the one Rosie would have worn to work each day
• No one else has anything like this. You’ll feel like a real Rosie wearing this employment badge
• And wear it on your work shirt for Halloween and on your dress, sweater, vest or jacket all year long

If you just want this historically accurate WWII pin, here you go.

BTW: We wear ours all the time on shirts, sweaters, jackets, vests. It’s a great conversation starter. Our local postal clerk has worn hers on her jacket everyday for the past two years.

ROSIE’S TOESIES (AKA ROSIE’S RED SOCKS)

• 80% combed cotton, 17% nylon and 3% spandex
• Women’s, Men’s, Toddlers/Youths sizes (you choose)
• Norman Rockwell’s famous Saturday Evening Post cover of May 29, 1943 shows Rosie the Riveter wearing red socks. That made socks a must-have accessory.
• We added a few polka dots, figuring these were her second pair and so much more fun to wear than plain red. These are a NEW item and no one else has anything like this.
• And these are perfect for wearing with your favorite slacks or skirt throughout the year

If you want to purchase just these socks, here you go.

Want to see a little video about these super cute Rosie’s Toesies? Check it out!

ROSIE’S POCKET ITEMS PACKED IN A DITTY BAG

These are totally authentic accessories–all things you can expect Rosies to have in their pockets during World War II: metal rivets, World War II ration tokens and a 1943 steel penny

If you are going to be Rosie, you definitely want these great authentic accessories:

• 3″x4″ Red and white polka dot organza drawstring bag
• Small handful of real machinist rivets (we’ve made our own mix of various sizes and grab a handful for each order). Plus Authentic 1943 steel penny (probably used during WW2 by a Rosie or her family) and ration tokens (necessary for purchases and handled by a Rosie during the war).
• Perfect to keep in your pocket and pull out when someone mentions your costume. Show them the rivets Rosie used, a steel penny only made in 1943, and a ration token given in change)
• Two Rosie the Riveter Temporary Tattoos! Fun, fun, fun.
• After Halloween, you might want to frame and display the 1943 penny and ration tokens…real World War 2 memorability.
• Descriptive card giving you a bit of historic information

We sell these separately as well as include them in your Rosie Costume Kit. Click here to order.

ROSIE THE RIVETER LEGACY COOKBOOK

• This is a fun little printed cookbook filled with recipes, history and pictures of WWII posters designed for the Homefront; we wrote and designed the cookbook.
• If you are giving a Halloween party, you’ll get ideas for your menu.
• If you are going to a Halloween party, you’ll find a dessert you can take with you to share.

[This item is not available separately. You can get a free ebook version by signing up in the column to the right.]