From a young age, Halloween was always a big deal in my family. My mom is quite adept with the sewing machine, plus she’s pretty damn creative. To this day, we still have a veliz (suitcase) under her bed full of old costumes. We recycle, let family friends borrow them and so on, so a costume like the scarecrow has a lot of life to it.

A selection of some of my costumes over the years (for a slideshow of other costumes, click here).

1985, kindergarten

At a young age I embraced the indigenous in me, and Danny embraced the mummy in him from our roots in Guanajuato (they have mummies there!). Later, that burlap sack I was wearing was recycled for a few more costumes for Lori.

1986, first grade

I look so miserable as Pippi Longstocking (the first time I made my hair a different color) for a few reasons:

1. I really wanted to be Rainbow Brite (my friend Karisa did get to go as Rainbow Brite)
2. In order to make my braids stick straight out, my mom braided wire from coat hangers into my hair. It didn’t really hurt, but later at the crowded Halloween fair at my elementary school, I kept poking kids. All I heard was “ow!”
3. I didn’t look like Pippi, nor did I know who she was. I would have rather gone as La Chilindrina.

1987, second grade

I got to be a witch, doesn’t everyone? I don’t know where my hat was when I took this picture, but I actually really like it since my hair looks that messy a lot these days, hence my self-imposed nickname, “la greñuda.”

1988, third grade

I also embraced the duality of gender at a young age. I still talk about this costume to this day, not only did it win me the blue ribbon in the annual costume contest (based on grade levels), but it was also extremely creative. The boxer, Pinnochio, and Cleopatra had nothing on me. The dress was recycled from my First Holy Communion dress — which was also my flower girl dress for my Tía Nelly’s wedding — and the suit belonged to my cousin Danny. My mom did all the cutting and sewing. I loved it.

Skipping a whole lot of years…

In those years I was a cat, clown, heart, and lots of other things. I know one year I wore a dress I used in foklórico dancing from the Mexican state of Jalisco and another year I wore the manta shirt and pants peasants wear with the viejito mask.

1996, 11th grade

Bananas, in pajamas are coming down the stairs… My mom made the gloves and headpiece out of yellow feltish material and she made a set of pajamas matching the doll I have pinned to me. I painted an old pair of sneakers yellow and went to school like this. I think some people thought the yellow headpiece resembled the white sheets of the klan too much. Oops.

1997, 12th grade

There I am with Julia as a sweet princess. Once again, I recycled the dress I wore for my quinceañera a couple of years before and made the cone shaped hat. I felt very pretty that day… and I know my crush noticed me at the Halloween fair.

Skipping two years…

Mom and Lori as scarecrows, early ’90s

I had to dress up my first year at UCLA (1998) ’cause I was in band and we needed costumes for our half time show at the Homecoming game. I dressed up as a scarecrow and performed at the Rose Bowl to “Thriller.” Oh yeah, the UCLA cheerleaders really liked my costume. They thought I looked cute (this costume is always a crowd pleaser).

2000, 3rd year

Due to lots of procrastination, my costume sucked this year. My friends Victor and Ralph held an ’80s theme Halloween party, so I tried to be Punky Brewster. I just looked like I didn’t match.

2001, 4th year

Someone suggested I go as Appolonia from Purple Rain or as one of the Disney princesses but the idea of dressing in lingerie or doing the cute princess thing again didn’t appeal to me. So, I went as La Adelita, or a soldadera from the Mexican Revolution circa 1910. I borrowed stuff from my mom, Tía Luisa, and bought the cartridges at a local costume shop. The baby I’m carrying was an added bonus thanks to Pato (Sally from The Nightmare Before Christmas). That year, all four of us in the apartment drssed up in good costumes for a friend’s party. Ome was a vampiress and Vane was Peter Pan (or was it Robin Hood?).

2003

I was working at the SRC at this time and the four other directors and I tried to do a theme costume. The only thing we could think of that came in groups of 5 was a basketball team and that wasn’t going to fly. Eventually, we decided we’d dress up and wear fancy coats that we’d never wear to our casual office. It worked out pretty well and we were just “too cool for the SRC.”

2004, 1st year in PhD program

Little Red Riding Hood. I carried a basket with candy and condoms — something for everyone.

2005, 2nd year in PhD program

My mom and I worked on my sunflower costume today. Adrian, the little brother, made fun of me wearing it, which is pretty understandable because I did look silly. I will post a picture, but for now you can get a picture of me in the boy’s Killa Bee costume, complete with Wu Tang Clan emblem. Fun times.