Picking a fancy dress costume - Clubhouse

Two-Stroke Tart

03/10/2011 at 14:57

So, I got a place in the VLM! It'll be my first one and as I'm a plodder anyway I thought it would be good to have a bit of fun with it, be part of the atmosphere and do it in fancy dress. I don't want to run round in some huge Spongebob type costume, but equally I want to make a bit more effort than wearing a tutu over my running kit and pretending to be a fairy.

Anyone ever done a marathon in fancy dress? Anyone got any tips for good or bad costumes?

Nam

03/10/2011 at 15:09

Rio did her last VLM (FLM then) in a massive "Little Miss" outfit... Now you need to bear in mind that you have to do at least some of you training runs in your outfit. Sharing the pavement with her in a 3ft wide purple round face with lil sticky out arms is something that will make me laugh to this day.

Reactions from small children, elderly folk and dogs were priceless!!

mrs. hog - mousey

03/10/2011 at 15:12

I have never run a marathon in fancy dress but I have dressed up for races. Normally christmas ones where I dress in something very sparkly.

If you want to do it then wear lycra - look at dance costumes. They will be flexible allowing you to move yet provide all the qualities that you would expect from running kit.

Don't wear anything that will chaff or be too hot or too cold or too heavy. Even a water bottle can become heavy over 26 miles.

The superman / super women costumes work well, though I would find something that fitted your bodyshape and personality.

mrs. hog - mousey

03/10/2011 at 15:13

Oh - how about bike gear, tight fitting leathers, that would be easy to do in lycra.

Dress as your forum name.

Nam

03/10/2011 at 15:15

http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/images/40009000/jpg/_40009215_mrmen200.jpg

This isn't her but that's the outfit. Because she's a lot shorter her centre of gravity was interesting...

Just a hint... once you find yourself on your back it such fun watching you try to get back up...

Cinders

03/10/2011 at 15:21

I've run as Supergirl, Mother Christmas and a sunflower and also the gorilla run.

Agree with the others, nothing too hot/cold or bulky. I don't like anything on my head either

Have fun

PhilPub

03/10/2011 at 15:37

Go for something aerodynamic.

http://peripateticbone.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/purple-man.jpg

xine267

03/10/2011 at 16:10

Imelda Mouse wrote (see)

If you want to do it then wear lycra - look at dance costumes. They will be flexible allowing you to move yet provide all the qualities that you would expect from running kit.

I've run a couple of short races in 'proper' fancy dress (the Nun Run) and polyester fancy dress costumes are the most horrible things to run in, especially if the weather is even slightly warm.

When I did Marathon du Medoc (the circus theme year), I bought my acrobat costume from a dancewear shop - it wasn't as much fun as some of the other costumes but it was comfortable and didn't chafe, ride up or make me feel like I was being broiled alive!

Saffy Sweety Pea

03/10/2011 at 16:13

PhilPub wrote (see)

Go for something aerodynamic.

There actually were 4 people dressed like that doing the GNR

Cinders

03/10/2011 at 16:19

Did they have eye holes? Doesn't look like it!

Saffy Sweety Pea

03/10/2011 at 16:23

Nope, no eye, nose or mouth holes !

Soup Dragon

03/10/2011 at 16:24

Hiya TST. My husband is an avid fancy dress runner and has tried all sorts of costumes. Deffo something lightweight, without a mask and something that will dry quickly if it gets wet. He goes to the high street fancy dress/party shops and just looks what takes his fancy. Most of them aren't too expensive so he has a "dressing up box" now.

Something that the crowd will recognise is helpful so you get plenty of shouts.

Two-Stroke Tart

03/10/2011 at 16:39

*waves* Hi Soupy!!

Hmm, some things to think about there! I am a bit worried that the cheaper fancy dress things off the internet will be all nylon which would be hot and not pleasant to wear. I've also found that they generally look nothing like they show on the packet and look very cheap and nasty! Maybe I need to go hunt around the fancy dress shops locally and see what they have to buy. I had thought about doing it as a playboy bunny (which ties in with being called a gym bunny elsewhere) but apparently that is not very pc these days and I don't want abuse shouted at me on the run.

@ Nam - can imagine it's hilarious watching someone trying to get up in the Little Miss costume! Bit too large for me as a fancy dress novice though and rather hot I would imagine.

@ Imelda Mouse - good thinking about the dance costumes! I shall have a look and see what I can find.

xine267

03/10/2011 at 16:59

What about actually going as a gym bunny? (with a playboy bunny influence) With towelling wrist and headbands, legwarmers, leotard and rabbit ears & tail?

Edited: 03/10/2011 at 17:00

Two-Stroke Tart

03/10/2011 at 17:04

Ah, you may be onto something there xine

Me and Mr TST have been trying to come up with something that instantly says Gym Bunny, but couldn't really think of way of doing it.

Nessie

03/10/2011 at 17:07

PhilPub wrote (see)

Go for something aerodynamic.

I think you'd need to be in pretty good physical shape to get away with that outfit. Doesn't leave a huge amount to the imagination.....................

kittenkat

pirate

03/10/2011 at 17:18

Birthday suit?

Two-Stroke Tart

04/10/2011 at 09:48

Well I was thinking more of something that wouldn't frighten small children and dogs

Plus I think there would be a large chance of getting a black eye if my boobs were bouncing around unrestrained!

Nam

04/10/2011 at 09:56

Two-Stroke Tart wrote (see)

@ Nam - can imagine it's hilarious watching someone trying to get up in the Little Miss costume! Bit too large for me as a fancy dress novice though and rather hot I would imagine.

I put it on for a laugh once and in all honestly thought how the f*ck do you run in this???? It was awkward, heavy, claustrophobic... I had such huge respect for Rio for hurling this thing around the course in 2009(?) for charity in the pishing rain. It became all water logged and must have weighed a ton!!

Nam

04/10/2011 at 09:58

Two-Stroke Tart wrote (see)

Well I was thinking more of something that wouldn't frighten small children and dogs

Vampire? They're all the vogue now aren't they? Easily done too... outfit easily done, some waterproof make up, maybe a wig?

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