Costume Edition: Paul Bunyan and his Blue Ox Babe

As many of you are preparing for costume parties, I thought I’d share one that my husband and I wore to a fairytale-themed anniversary party. Long, long ago in a faraway land, we went as Paul Bunyan and his blue ox, Babe. Here are the details of our costumes.

Paul Bunyan 

My husband wore a flannel shirt, tucked into blue jeans. He also wore a black beanie and some old work boots. We bought suspenders from Party City and made a huge cartoon ax out of cardboard and paint. He loved that he got to keep his scruffy beard and I loved what a natural fit it was to him.

I've got you, Babe!

I looked online for inspiration and found it! Then I went completely DIY and made a trip to Joanne’s fabric store. I was able to find a bright blue stretchy fabric that would be forgiving of my not-so-great sewing skills. I stuffed the tail with cotton and made the "headdress" by covering an old baseball cap, then stuffing it with plastic bags. I'm afraid I can't tell you much more about it because I basically poked a threaded needle here and there until I thought it looked good. 

To accessorize, I wore black ankle boots which helped me mimic the sound and rhythm of hooves. I also wore a cowbell because, well, who doesn't love “more cowbell?” 

"I've got a fever, and the only prescription is more cowbell!"

I made the costume girly by wearing a bright pink lipstick and added a little extra bronzer to make my skin look dewy and fairytale-like. I loved the go-go boot style of the leggings because it gave a peek-a-boo of skin to save me from getting lost in all of the fabric.

All in all, the project took me one day to complete, not including the day I spent shopping for fabric. One long day, spread out all over my living room.  Of course... I did everything the day before the party. Sometimes the last minute is the only minute. And... sometimes you just procrastinated.

Me and Daisy Girl

Visit Daisy Girl for more on the anniversary party.

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