Failure

The good news is that I looked absolutely amazing and I have something that I can return and I had a great time at the party. The bad news is that I went way overboard. Way, way, way overboard.

The damage started when I found a great wig for only $25, which is a great deal if you are getting a wig that is realistic looking and it was a very full wig and looked awesome and felt more like hair and not like barbie hair, but it is a bit more than I should have spent. Also got a wig cap for $3.

Next came the great idea that I should add snakes and spiders to the wig to make it creepy and scary, but the individual things ended up not looking as good as the ones in the package and they were in bulk so way less than the individual rubber vermin; in the end I spent $10 on the package of 48 snakes/lizards/frogs and $3.15 on individual spiders and snakes at only 35 cents a piece. At least I can put the 3 snakes I used back in the package and return it. I think I'm stuck with the individual rubber creepy crawlies.

Elaborating on my cool idea, I wanted some sweet bones and body parts hanging off of me to make me look like a witch doctor, dangerous and creepy, but sexy none the less. So I spent $10 on a set of zombie hands and feet, $4 on a great skull, $4 on misc smallish plastic bones, and $5 on a set of great looking severed fingers. Using a bit of elbow-grease and imagination, I was able to make a skull hat with feathers (peacock side feathers that I already had in my crafting stash), a necklace of bones and fingers with a jawbone focal point, and a belt of zombie hands (using a belt I got for free from work and had been wanting to use for something cool). Well, those accessories only cost me $23, which would have been fine if that was all I had bought.

Lastly, I got a cheap set of vampire fangs for $6 and a makeup kit for $8, both of which I am going to return along with the bulk reptile pack.

Overall, my trip to the costume store cost me $83.60 and I'm going to return $24 of stuff. Also, my receipt was very long, which really made my spending hit home. I hope they can put my return back on my card or give me cash, I really don't want to be stuck with store credit when I am hurting for funds. This was a more expensive trip than I could really afford and still I had ended up restricting what I spent. There was a fabulous boa of raven feathers that would have looked amazing, but was $20 that I didn't really have for things that weren't for my Halloween costume. There was also a bag of apple sized skulls that I passed on and a bag of bloody eyeballs that I had to skip. It is silly, but I still feel like these items could have added a lot to my costume, but I know that as it was I went a little crazy on my costume.

Have to remember my weakness for Halloween stores and stay away until I can actually afford to shop again. Returning those items will be a test of willpower.