Nest: DIY Lighting Strikes Twice Halloween Costume

We just had the best Halloween we've had in years! Our new neighborhood offered up exactly what I wanted, lots of adorable little humans dressed up in their most creative costumes, trick-or-treaters, decked-out Halloween displays, and a parade to see what everyone wore and show off our own costumes. BoCoCa (Boerum Hill, Cobble Hill, + Carrol Gardens) proves time and time again to be the perfect place for us. After ALL of the Halloween costumes and videos I've done through the years, the truth is I never know what I'm going to be until the last-minute. Here is how we created ours the day of and turned out a look that had ALL of the neighbors talking.

*SAFETY FIRST: This costume uses fire to create the look, which is dangerous. If you are 18 years or younger, please ask an adult for help. Adults be careful as well. To be safe: Wear a mask and hard sole shoes, have a hose and a large bowl of water nearby and ready. We had no issues or trouble, but safety always comes first!

SUPPLIES:

-Full outfits to wear of clothes you don't mind sacrificing to the Halloween Gods. If you've already purged any excess closet pieces, you can pick up a cheapo outfit from your local thrift store.

-Long matches

-Wood kindling (optional, but helps with adding ash)

-A lighter

-A hose + bowl of water nearby

-A mask to prevent inhaling fumes

-Grey eye shadow

-Fake blood or a little red make-up

-Hair spray

-A brush

-An old umbrella

In an outdoor area with a stone surface, lay your clothing out. Using your long match, start to fringe and burn the edges of your sleeves. Start gently so you can gauge how quickly your fabric will burn. Once you feel confident in your ability to quickly put out the flame, move on to more singeing and burning.

Take a match or lighter and create holes where the lightning would have struck you. As soon as the fabric ignites, stamp it out with your shoe.

Use the ash and soot the burn made to dirty up the clothing. Smush it around together and rub the black ash everywhere. The dirtier the better.

Burn the ends of your pants and be sure to get the back of your outfit as well. Leave no patch of clean, untouched fabric. The below photo is my sweatshirt hood. WAS my sweatshirt hood.

To finish off the look, tease your hair with a brush and spray it with hairspray. Use the gray eye shadow to create ash smudges all over your hands, face, and any exposed skin or clothing that needs it. Add a little fake blood coming out of your ears. Will found an old umbrella and singed it up, which really sealed the deal. I drew and cut out a lightning bolt with chalk on a large piece of felt and attached ribbon to it to tie around the dogs collars and tummies. This made the dogs lightning and us their sad, charred victims.