Costume in my Closet: Gender Bender Hopper from “Stranger Things”

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Happy "Stranger Things" Day! For today - and today only - I'm turning my year-round Halloween blog into a Jim Hopper fan blog because y'all...I've got the biggest fangirl crush on him.

(And, uh, David Harbour, the man who plays him, but that’s a blog post for another day…)

But I’m getting ahead of myself.

First, we have to talk about “Stranger Things” Day because unless you’re a die-hard like me…you’re probably scratching your head wondering what I’m talking about and what makes today “Stranger Things” Day.

The answer comes from the opening shot of the Netflix series:

 

 

We began our journey with the residents of Hawkins, Indiana and the Upside Down on November 6, 1983, so each year fans celebrate it as “Stranger Things” Day!

And after season three, I’m included in that die-hard category because I love this story so so much. I lovingly refer to it as my new “Harry Potter” because it has that same epic feeling, and I’m along for the ride no matter where we go.

As a reader and viewer, I always have a soft spot for the characters with the biggest flaws. In the “Stranger Things” universe, that title definitely goes to Jim Hopper.

I won’t spoil anything, but if you’ve seen season three then you know why he’s my favorite…so when the Hopper shirt started popping up at retailers late this summer, I knew I had to have one for, well, LIFE.

 

 

I mean, no one can wear that shirt quite like David Harbour, but the rest of us mere mortals will try…including me. After getting mine, I decided to make Hopper my own by pulling together a gender bender costume from my closet.

I present…Lady Hop (as my friend Rhiannon keeps calling it, which I love!):

 

 

I wore this our final day at sea on our Halloween cruise…and was just a touch disappointed no one recognized the shirt. (Yet, later that night, a guy my dad’s age recognized my Scoops Ahoy dress. Go figure!)

Here’s how to put together your own gender-bender Hopper look:

 

 

First, you’ll need the iconic shirt. Spirit Halloween still has them available online, and they had the best price around. Get one here.

 

 

If you’re going the gender bender route, grab a light denim skirt or pair of shirts. (Since I wanted to be Lady Hop, I opted for a skirt.)

 

 

I’ll be the first to admit, my loafers (okay, fine – they’re slippers…) are not an exact match to what Hopper wears on screen, but costumes from your closet are about using what you have, not being screen perfect.

I already had these for the three days of winter we get here in Texas, so I used them. These would be a slightly better match.

 

 

This one’s optional, but when I was looking at the stills from season three, I noticed Hopper wearing a silver watch very similar to one I remember my dad wearing when I was a kid.

It doesn’t work anymore, but my dad still had the watch…so he mailed it to me to wear with my costume. It was such a fun detail to add!

 

 

Everything you need to be Lady Hop! How did it turn out? Well…

 

 

 

Mornings are for coffee and contemplation, always.

 

 

But sometimes they’re also for getting stood up by Joyce Byers for high tea. 🤷‍♀️

 

 

Just for fun, Sheila joined me by wearing Eleven’s crazy romper. No one on board recognized either of us, but we still had fun with a bit of lowkey cosplay.

 

 

 

WHAT COSTUMES ARE LURKING IN YOUR CLOSET?

I’m betting you can find something amazing hiding in the clothing you already own. If you need a little inspiration, be sure to check out my Aunt Hilda or Sabrina Spellman from “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina”, as well as my Rita Skeeter from “Harry Potter”.

 

Happy Stranger Things Day,

 

 

Miranda | Spooky Little Halloween

Miranda is the Houston-based writer, blogger, and Halloween lover behind Spooky Little Halloween, the blog celebrating October 31st all year long. Her favorite Halloween things include pumpkin guts, chocolate bars in her trick-or-treat pail, real haunted houses (including the one she lives in!), and historic cemeteries.

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