After finding this gorgeous homemade creation on Facebook Marketplace — and schlepping to Tinley Park for it — I decided to be a Furby for Halloween. Little did I know the costume has Chicagoland roots.
Vernon Hills-based Tiger Electronics created Furbies and merged with Hasbro in 1998, just before Furbies hit shelves. The robotic pets were a phenomenon! And despite Hasbro’s ownership, the local Tiger name stuck for years.
Even More Chicago Halloween Costumes
Unlike Furby, most of these you can pull together last minute:
- The Blues Brothers: It’s not cliché, it’s classic. This was my favorite childhood costume alongside my best friend Kieran. Jake and Elwood Blues were our superheroes.
- A Chicago Handshake: Dress old-timey — in an old style, if you will — and walk around with a bottle of Malört, shaking people’s hands.
- Dennis Rodman: You don’t even need a Bulls jersey for this one. Take drag inspo from Dennis Rodman’s gay ‘90s.
- A Ghost bus: Keep it simple: a single white sheet with eyes cut out. Then run around the room, going “Vroom, vroom!”
- The Morton Salt Girl: Thanks to Gina H. from Jefferson Park for this idea. Extra points if you walk around looking ticked off all night, like a true salty babe.
- A meter maid: Go French-maid style and pass out fake tickets. You can even accessorize with a bag of boots!
- A cursed billy goat: Get a creepy rubber animal mask, or just horns and a fake beard. The key is maintaining a menacing air. Maybe bleat out curse words?
- Mrs. O’Leary’s cow: A black-and-white get-up with a lantern. Simple, elegant. Extra points if you have cow print leftover from 2019. Add Mrs. O for a couple’s costume.
- Harry Caray Bradshaw: Big ol’ glasses on top, tutu skirt on the bottom. Holy cow! The merging of two icons!
- A Hot Dog University professor: Lean into the old-school Vienna vibe or go Hyde Park professorial. See our adventure through Hot Dog U for inspo.
- The Bean: Cover yourself in tin foil … and post up at the party in a sort-of downward dog pose?
- Babe Lincoln: It doesn’t take much to sexify this costume — he’s Illinois' daddy. This is actually my costume for Saturday, with eight-inch platforms. (Yes, I’m doing more than one costume.)
You’ll notice “The Bear” is missing from this list — I’m over it.
