I graduated high school back in 2004 and at the time my school still allowed students to dress up for Halloween. I got my first sewing machine at 17 years old in 2003. The “Lord of the Rings” movies were big at that time with the third and final part coming out that December. I remember watching all the behind the scenes specials I could and one in particular focused on the creation of the Ringwraith’s costumes, and that is where the inspiration to create this costume came from.
Very first time I wore my grim reaper costume all put together. My mom snapped this picture that morning before I went to school on an old disposable camera. It’s pretty beat up, but the negatives were lost long ago. (October 2003)
My older sister enjoys photography as a hobby. We have done a summer and fall shoot in the forest. This one is from the end of summer, 2019. We had planned to do winter and spring in 2020 but COVID got in the way of that.
Most people who see my costume at this point are impressed at where it is. I do extensive face painting. I have specific clothing I have altered or created to wear under so absolutely no skin can be seen. I have a real scythe I purchased at Smiley’s Flea Market for $20 in 2004 that I have taken care of. Many people are unaware of the process many costumers go through. Not everyone can afford to get the best supplies. But then again even having the best supplies isn’t going to help the lack of experience. That all takes time, research and practice.
Like many people who create extensive costumes I don’t just dress up as the character, I become the character. I speak as if I am the grim reaper, just visiting the area for a bit. I have a way of changing my voice to sound harsher and creepy:
This costume gets a variety of mixed reactions. Especially when we are in Pisgah and Dupont forests hiking to various locations my sister wants to shoot at. Nobody is expecting to run into the grim reaper while on their way back from viewing waterfalls in August. Some people love it and ask to have their photo taken with me as proof because “nobody is going to believe this”.
