Tag Archives: 60s halloween

The Third Annual Creepy Cool Vintage Halloween Mask Tribute

A few year’s ago I was out shopping and wandered into the Halloween aisle. And I remember being totally horrified (and a little bummed out) by all the ultra creepy masks. There were freakish ghouls, the weirdo from the Saw movies, the Scream ghost, random slasher hockey masks. I thought to myself, “This is the end of childhood innocence! Where are the cute costumes?? Who lets their kid dress up as a crazy axe murderer??!” I shook my head, “It’s not like back in the day when we were kids!”

I have to say I stand corrected. While the costumes themselves were under the guise of more innocent characters, some of those old school Halloween masks are positively terrifying. Case in point:

The cheap plastic only adds to the horror/appeal. Of course I guess I secretly still love ’em all. (And frankly, they’re miles better than letting your child dress up as a murderer). Every year I like to round up some of my favorites. Here are some fabulous vintage kiddo Halloween pics….terrifyingly awesome.

OK, this next one….is that a bearded lady mask??? That poor child. (Love the paper bags too…looks like the sailor has a big ol bottle of booze in his.)

Aww. Woody Woodpecker is so charmingly rotund……but that weird Shaggy dog takes the cake. Leaving Woody to stare hungrily

Aw, it’s Kris Kristofferson and a Storm Trooper!

 

This poor child. I’m traumatized just looking at this photo…much less being the person IN the photo.

OK. So I picked this one because of Yoda, but I have to say ol Elton John jr. is stealing the show.

This next one isn’t scary, but the cardboard storm trooper was too funny not to include!

The polka dotted ghost in top hat is the winner!!  (Sorry baby….)

I posted this one last year but it gets me every time. That Dutch Boy looks like he’s been sniffing too much of his paint and the, er….”exotic” girl who looks like a Tretchikoff painting on acid. Yikes!

This is so SOOOO cute!!! And terrifying. George Harrison, in case you were wondering which one.

Aw I LOVE this hep cat!!!

Some snazzy group shots:

This last group is amazing. Smirking Zorro, Dwarf Ghoul, Super Girl, Mighty Mouse, Drunk Bear, Crazy Eye Duck, Little Pochahontas and uh……Zombie Pig???

And finally, these guys RULE. This is your future album cover, boys:

So there you have it. Wild, weird and wonderful…..ya just gotta love Halloween.

{To see last year’s selection, go here.}

images: vintage masks and costumes

Vintage Kiddo :: Creepy Cool Retro Halloween Costumes

So I was shopping the other day and wandered into the Halloween aisle. I was kind of bummed out and horrified by all the creepy masks—the weirdo from the Saw movies, the Scream ghoul, super slasher monsters. I thought to myself, “Where is the childhood innocence? Who lets their kid dress up as a crazy murderer?? These masks are terrifying!” I shook my head thinking, “It’s not like back in the day when we were kids!”

Um…..OK. So I’m not sure when you last looked at old school Halloween masks, but shut mah mouth because some of these are positively terrifying!!! The cheap plastic only adds to the appeal. Of course I still love ’em all. And frankly, they’re miles better than the Scream ghoul. Let’s take a look at come vintage kiddo Halloween pics. I swear each kid is better than the next:


Yes the clown is terrifying, but my heart belongs to the stressed out little Planet of the Apes dude on the end.


The vacant Snoopy. That draggy clown. The “phonin’ it in” Charlie Brown. All genius. Not sure what’s happening with the faceless Mr. Skelly. Is that kid just wearing a pulled down hat over his head??

OK. These little kiddos from 1951 are actually really cute.


I love that you can see her little dress in the reflection of the mirror. So sweet!

Here are the same happy kidlets one year later:

I’m amazed at this nonchalant baby…like it ain’t nuthin’ but a thang….If that devil child showed up at my door step I’d run screaming. I can’t imagine anything more terrifying.

Oh wait, that’s because this little creeper hadn’t showed up yet:


This poor child is like a Tretchikoff painting on acid.

I can’t stop starring at and giggling at this next kiddo:


That poor child….looks like a classic victim of the dreaded, “It’s freezing out there! You wear a coat under that costume or you’ll catch your death of cold!” I always hated when mom made us wear our coats under our costumes.

These guys are actually all pretty cute:

The Top Hat wearing ghost is oddly adorable. Wolfie would never have let me get away with that…

This next one kills me. Devils in a Red Granny Flannel Dress.


OK, check out the wig on the little nurse. Hee.

I love this one. What child decides that they want to be George Washington??

Count Chocula? Cheap Bear in a Micky Sweat shirt? Love these guys…

Mod Darth Vader looking suspiciously like an Ewok….

And finally, my favorite of the bunch:


The Colonel Sanders girl? I mean….c’mon now. Seriously, I can’t wait for Halloween.

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Don’t forget, there is still time to send me your Best and Worst Homemade Costume Photos! Check here for details! We’ll be posting the Costume Parade on Wednesday!!