Last Saturday, after much preparation and beard glue, I hit the town for Highball Halloween, an annual all-out costume extravaganza held in the streets of Columbus. Since the theme this year was 'Electric Avenue', I worked with Nick Kneuper CMO of ElectricStyles.com to incorporate some real electricity into our costumes. Electricstyles.com specializes in Electro luminescent (EL) wire fashion. Or, as I like to call it, awesome light-up accessories!
My favorite piece that Nick sent for this late-night bash was the light-up white boa. This faux fur snake was perfect for draping over my sister as she played everyone's favorite incompetent housewife, Peggy Bundy of Married with Children. Here, she stirs a soup that most likely contains cigarette ashes while Al Bundy looks on in his matching Electric Styles light-up tie.
As my partner in crime... well her crime, anyway, Hot Wilkes Boothe also sported a light-up tie provided by Electric Styles. It was the perfect offset for her costume, really making her outfit stand out. We made her costume from scratch to look like it was straight out of the 1800's, so it was nice to have the pop of light against the bland colors of the time.
Our group also consisted of my own husband as Jay, along with our friend, Matt, as Silent Bob. The light-up snackback hat provided by Electric Styles was perfect for Silent Bob. It had wire piping that lit up bright green. For a quiet guy like Bob, it was nice that his hat could make a statement for him.
What I like about the Electric Styles pieces are that they are reusable; instead of wasting money and the environment on disposable glow sticks, we took part in an eco-friendly Halloween. That's something that is important to our crowd. If you'd like to give up wasteful glow sticks and get some brighter light, I suggest investing in Electro luminescent (EL) wire technology. EL Wire will last up to three years when stored out of direct sunlight.
I suggest that you store yours in the plastic sleeves that they come in to keep them from getting stained. Add a slip of cardboard to keep them from getting bent or crushed in storage.
Also, we used the pieces to visually pair costumes together and accent those that might need a boost of pizazz: Al & Peg Bundy matched in blue electric, Silent Bob got a mute boost up top, and Hot Wilkes Booth really stood out from the crowd.
Nick was super friendly to work with. For more glowing costume ideas, fan Electric Styles on Facebook or visit ElectricStyles.com.
(Need help? Ask Rain on Facebook.)
Fast DIY Jewelry:
Milk Tab Bracelet . Pop Tab Bracelet . Make Paper Jewelry . Toothbrush Bracelet . Microchip Earrings . Hemp Necklace . Pressed Penny Bracelet
Easy Bags, Hats, Scarves and More:
4 Ways to Tie a Tie . Make Glittery Heels . 5 Placemat Purses . Cassette Tape Wallet . Duct Tape Wallet . How-To Bags . Finger Knit a Scarf . Gloves and Wristbands . Easy Zippered Change Purse
Clothes you can Make:
10 Upcycled T-shirt Tutorials . Make Pants . Skirt Tutorials . Dye Your Clothes . Recycle Your Clothes . 10 Clothing Repairs You Should Know . Beginner Sewing Projects
Please Note: Photographs, patterns and illustrations contained in this article are copyrighted ©Rain Blanken and Getty Images, and licensed to About.com, Inc. Do not redistribute these photographs or illustrations in any form.