We always made our own costumes when I was a kid, and I made them for my kids when they were growing up. One of the best ones my son thought up was an old plaid shirt, pants and jacket with the pockets turned inside out, and a “What Me Worry?” rubber mask from the Party store. He had a sign on his back that said “Chrysler Executive”. It was during the 70s when Chrysler was facing bankrupcy. He won first prize at the skating rink with that one.
My daughters were witches with taffeta gowns made out of one of my old cocktail dresses from college, Betsy Ross one year, Indian maidens and Geisha girls other years, etc.
One of the best costumes I remember when I was a kid was a person — rather tall and skinny — who showed up at a Jr. High dance in a long, slim black dress and a rubber mask and wild wig of an old crone. This individual had a crooked walking stick and slipped into the party all hunched over. Nobody knew who it was until the unmasking. It turned out to be a male classmate in his mother’s dress. Nobody had guessed. He won first prize.
Best costumes in Florida;
http://www.tdpri.com/forum/bad-dog-cafe/592008-best-halloween-costumes-florida.html
“We always made our own costumes when I was a kid”
ditto, but we boys were always pirates, hobos, or ghosts (sheet with two eye holes), and the girls were ballerinas, princesses, or witches (and of course the ubiquitous “ghosts”).