1980s Murder Mystery Costume

A short while back I posted about creating a costume for a Murder Mystery party that was set in the 1980s.  The game was amazing fun - some innocent playtime for grownups. The character I was given was super easy, a teen pop star who was launching her new perfume. Just as well as in the end I had to throw my costume together. 

The best bit was concocting a sample of the perfume which I brought in a spray bottle to spritz on paper samples as I mingled. With sickly sweet 80s scents in my head I had mixed some Spanish lavender cologne that was sitting in my bathroom forever (don't ask) with several drops of essential oils and a little too much precious vanilla essence from the kitchen cupboard. Lets just say the result was very heady...but worth the laugh and a good ice breaker at the start of the party.

As for the costume, there was a shocking pink, long, grandfather style shirt lurking in the top of my wardrobe (again, don't ask). I cinched it with a wide, black leather belt. I rolled up the ends of my jeans to mid calf and put on matching cerise socks reaching under the jeans, to look like I had on bright pink tights. Then I slipped into a pair of stilettos. 

After backcombing my hair, I tied a half ponytail on the top of my head. Pink eyeshadow with plenty of underbrow highlighter, a stripe of matching blusher, khol eyeliner and rosy lipstick completed my trip back in time.

I had hoped to make myself some 80s bling. Just as the cobblers kids have no shoes, I rarely do have time to make anything for myself. The knotted necklace you see is actually a strip of silver Christmas tree beading! The pearl 'bracelets' are a necklace that was the not quite the right length to look 80s.

 

I really would have loved to make big hoop earrings but I simply had too many other things to do that weekend. So I decided to retire these danglies from my Etsy shop, Handmade by Amo'r, as they are not my usual style at all and the listing was about to  expire. They were perfect for the 80s look.

 I have now decided to dismantle them and use the bottom half for a new pair of simpler earrings. It does mean cutting through the silver flowers however, but I have an alternative idea in mind ...tbc...

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Click here to see 1960s Murder Mystery Game costume
Click here to see 1940s Murder Mystery Game costume
Click here to see Bloomsday (1910) costume

Guess My 80s Character!

 

A bit of fun now. Early September I posted that I was going to another Murder Mystery party, this time set in the 80s.  All attendees were sent a profile of their 'character' in the game. The party is tonight and I'm putting my costume together right now. I can give you a hint as to whom my character is (rather loosely) based on because I think we're alone now ;-) Get it? Get it?

Bright & Cheerful 80s (Murder Mystery Costume Ideas)

This coming month I shall be attending another Murder Mystery Game, this time set in the 80s! What fun - giant shoulder pads, Lycra, leg warmers, big hair and bright accessories jump to mind! Oh let's not forget the midnight blue mascara! I can't wait to make some jewelry for the party!

from Pretty in Pink (ref You Tube)

Do I go all rebellious a la  Madonna, or ooooh, remember Molly Ringwald's original style in Pretty in Pink? Or why don't I play it cool in black like The Cure...I guess I will know when I'm given my 'character' this week....

So 80s cerise button pendant

Still, I can't help thinking about 80s jewellery. Growing up in the pre-grunge decade, too much was never enough when it came to  bright and colourful accessories. If it wasn't Miami Vice pastels it was blinding neons and let's not forget CERISE PINK....that wholesome fuscia phase fell somewhere between my retro rocker stint and a short (but sulky) dalliance with post-punk; when all-black was the new black, safety pins were jewelry and you couldn't see my chalky face under heavily kholled eyes and the long spiky-top version of the mullet. (Pah EMO kids listen up...we did it aaaaall before yiz....oh dear, I'm turning into my Mum., aren't I?)

Long pearl earrings, Handmade by Amo'r

At some point, I followed the trend for long strings of fake pearls, knotted in the middle. I had them in pastel shades of yellow, pink, blue, cream....and thought I was the business! These were teamed with long, faux pearl earrings and in true 80s excess, an armful of bangles and bracelets. The earrings shown above were inspired by recently remade Great Gatsby movie set in the 20s, but would not have been at all out of place in 1986.

It just so happens I recently made myself this bright, summer pendant for fun. (Big button purchased from my Etsy colleague, Hazel of The Irish Knitting Room.) The flower pendant may do nicely for the 80s party.

But yesterday one of my friends said something that hadn't occurred to me at all. What if my character is a man??!! (oh no, please let him be styled like Boy George or Phil Oakey so I can be creative...anything at all as long as it's not Don Johnson from the original Miami Vice! Sorry Don, but I'm not wearing a baby pink suit.)

I will be back with photos of my eventual costume later on in the month. In the meantime if you are looking for costume ideas here are my blog posts about previous Murder Mystery parties I've been to:

1960S COSTUMES
1940S COSTUMES
or 1900s for Bloomsday:
BLOOMSDAY COSTUME

1960s Murder Mystery Game Costumes

A couple of weeks ago I posted about costume ideas for murder mystery games (40s and 60s.) Since then I've attended the swinging sixties murder mystery party and as promised, have photos to share.

My character. Kate Killer, was supposed to be a journalist who was more famous than the rich celebrities she interviewed. She had a penchant for dressing all in black and liked black or red wigs. I decided to use Brigitte Bardot and Jane Asher as my inspiration.

I foolishly bought a 1960s 'Starlet' wig online, which turned out to be a hairy monster that grew and grew and bore no resemblance to the photo at all.

So I got a box of volumising hair props for  €2 in a cheapo accessory shop but didn't have time to learn how to use them properly.  

I ended up throwing two of them into my hair kind of following the instructions, but I exaggerated the bump to make a more dramatic (and funny) beehive. Here I am looking a bit more Marge Simpson than hip and cool.

The top was a John Rosha tunic I had recently bought. I just tucked the capped slieves in to hide them and pinned them to create a more 60s tunic style.

I teamed them with black skinny trousers and knee high suede boots. On top I wore my black trench coat, a neck scarf and big sunglasses I already had. I looked a bit more spy than journalist, and coincidentally, as the story unfolded it turned out that my character was actually a secret agent so by pure chance, my costume was spot on!

I had little time to search for 6os style, pop-art jewellery so I wore a bright button pendant I had made. (Click here for my button jewellery line on Etsy) 

 I purchased this bag from a vintage shop at a market for €18 last year. (the Spanish citrine charm is available in my shop)

 I did get my hands on a hat like Jane Asher's above, but didn't wear it until the party was nearly over and I didn't care anymore if the beehive got toppled.

Twiggy was the inspiration for one of my friend's costume.

Miss Wiggy

These shoes are actually 90s but looked perfect for the sixties.

Another friend purchased these plastic boot covers at a joke/costume shop.

I have to go check if I have my other friends' permission to show their costumes/faces before posting or maybe I can fuzz out the faces....but you so have to see the effort that everyone went to make it a fun night. The style was really groovy baby.

Murder Mystery Game Costume Inspirations

One of my friends is hosting a murder mystery party for her birthday next weekend. The story is set in the swinging 60s in the UK. Last year she did the same, but the theme was 1940s.

It was so much fun getting to play dress up like kids, then acting our parts for the night. We laughed so much that we cried. For most of us, using whatever resources we had to create a suitable costume proved challenging but was just as much fun as the night itself. I let my imagination loose and didn't need to buy a single prop or piece of clothing, though one or two of my friends found charity shops a very useful resource.

my effort at 1940s costume

I had no pencil skirt, so I wore a narrow black slip with a petticoat underneath to make it less see-through and did my best to roll my hair up following instructions on You-tube. The hair went fairly wonky, but that just made it funnier. I made a fake cigarette and long holder out of cardboard. I even drew a black 'stocking seam' up the back of my legs using liquid eyeliner, as they did in the 40s if they couldn't afford real stockings. 

 I got to wear the same costume again when I took part in the Fancy dress Mingle Market last summer. (Now re-opened on Thomas Street, Dublin 8)

This time round, my 1960s character is a famous journalist and I'm meant to dress all in black with a dash of red lipstick. (If you know this particular mystery game, please say nothing...don't give the game away but do please feel free to share your costume ideas!)

I was searching the net for inspiration and as it's down to what I've got to hand, I think I've come to an idea for a look halfway between sixties style icons, Brigitte Bardot (after all her middle name was Anne-Marie!) Click here for Google images, and Jane Asher,  who interviewed the Beatles, something my journalist character might have done.  Click here for Google images

 

I have my costume almost sorted and if turns out OK I will share any decent photos here next week.

I haven't yet got the hang of the beehive, even with those little hidden hair props you can buy. So I ordered what was meant to be a 60s style wig from a cotume shop in Cavan.....it arrived today and it's not a wig. It's a monster that seems to be growing more hair each time I look at it. It is nothing like it's sleek photo on the website.

It will not tame but as I have nothing else, I may wear it anyway for its comedic value. Perhaps a big hairband or bandeau like Bardot's will sort it out. I'll let you know........