Entertainment - Shiftless when idle: All decked out

Here’s a list of my favorite recent costumes.

2002 – The costume: David Bowie

Background: I wanted to go as a chic, swaggering rock star, so who better than Bowie?

The materials: A red button-up collared shirt with suede tribal patterns on the sleeves, a black belt with ‘vintage rock’ spelled out in studs, black pleather pants and black heeled boots. The pants and boots were purchased in the women’s section at Wal-Mart; this would not be my last trip there.

The highlight: My eye make-up, which my ex-girlfriend, Ashley, spent roughly a half hour doing. I received compliments on it all day.

The payoff: An employee at an independently-owned video store, I was working on Halloween night when one of the regular customers took a look at my costume and asked me in all seriousness if I usually dressed like that.

2003 – The costume: Captain Jack Sparrow

Background: “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl” was a massive surprise hit that summer. I’d been a big fan of Johnny Depp since the first time I saw “Edward Scissorhands” back in the early 90s.

The materials: Gray pants, a pricey but fantastic white puffy pirate shirt, a black suede vest, a black wig, a red bandana, the black heeled boots I’d previously used for the Bowie costume, boot tops, an antique looking wooden gun and a plastic sword. This was the most expensive costume I’ve ever made.

The highlight: My facial hair, which looked very close to Sparrow’s.

The payoff: I worked in costume at the video store again and got a lot of kudos from customers. One woman even said I looked better than Depp. I won best costume at my friend Erica’s Halloween party.

2005 – The costume: The Scarecrow

Background: “Batman Begins,” the best Batman film ever, came out in June. Cillian Murphy played Dr. Jonathan Crane alias The Scarecrow.

The materials: Red long-sleeved shirt, tan corduroy pants, thin red ribbon, twine and a brown oversized oilskin hat.

The highlight: Although it was hot and itchy to wear, the mask I made out of burlap looked really terrifying.

The payoff: As good as my outfit was, my fiancée, Jen, stole the show at all three of the Halloween parties we attended with her homemade Harley Quinn costume.

2006 – The costume: Jack White

Background: The White Stripes, probably the best band of the past decade, released their fifth studio album, “Get Behind Me Satan,” in June.

The materials: Black T-shirt, red shirt from Bowie costume, black vest from Sparrow costume, black preacher’s hat and a toy electric guitar.

The highlight: Since I couldn’t find pants that looked the way I wanted, I made my own by hot gluing strips of red felt to a pair of women’s black corduroy pants.

The payoff: Folks at the Dresden Dolls concert and the Halloween party Jen and I went to thought we made an excellent Jack and Meg White.

2007 – The costume: Emo Peter Parker (Pictured above)

A special thanks to Marcie Krout of Tangles for flat ironing my hair.

Resolution update:

Weight: 148 (-12)