Mack Iveli of my favorite costume store, “Costumes on Haight,” helped me answer some of your Halloween attire queries:
How do I make fake blood that will have a realistic looking splatter effect on my face?
Are you going for the gluey, coagulated effect, or do you want fluid, runny blood that will splatter not only all over your face but probably all over your clothes as well? If it’s the drippy look you seek, Mack suggests mixing together corn syrup and red food dye; it’ll work just as well as the stuff they sell at their store, which is only sold in large (and in my opinion, unnecessarily excessive, unless you want to splash fake blood on yourself on a regular basis) amounts. If you want more of a thick, pt-like consistency, you might want to buy some Ben Nye fake blood (five bucks).
Are there any nipple tassels/pasties out there that are good quality but cheap?
According to Mack, when it comes to pasties, you can’t have your cake and eat it, too: the more you pay, the higher the quality of the fabric covering your nipples. Costumes on Haight sells felt pasties in a variety of colors and shapes (red, white, and blue stars, black handprints, leopard hearts, red lips, etc) for $8.95, as well as fancier, sequined poker-themed pasties for about $30.
And finally, a question for the ages: How can one dress sexy while still staying warm on Halloween?
Mack suggests buying one of their Kill Bill suits: awesome, and warm ($30-$80). If you’re trying to save money, he recommends putting on some tights and a low cut sweater and dressing up as “Mrs. Santa Claus.”
Any other ideas, SF Appeal readers? Let me know in the comments.
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