Getting Our Zamunda On
Okay, so the family decided we needed a group costume theme this year. We tossed around a few ideas, but kept coming back to ‘Coming to America’. It’s just one of those movies we all love, you know? Seemed like fun. So, first things first, we had to figure out who was going to be who.
Naturally, I put myself down for Prince Akeem. Someone’s gotta be the prince, right? My wife decided she’d rock the Lisa McDowell look – she was excited about the big 80s hair potential. We figured our oldest could pull off Semmi, always trailing behind and looking slightly put-upon. That felt about right. For the younger one, we thought maybe one of the rose bearers, or just some general Zamundan flair.
The Hunt Begins
Alright, assignments locked in. Next step: the actual costumes. This wasn’t gonna be an off-the-shelf job, no way. We wanted it to look, well, homemade but recognizable.
- Akeem: I needed that iconic look. Started digging through thrift stores for a dark suit jacket I could mess with. The big win was finding a cheap, fake fur scarf thing that looked vaguely like leopard print. Score! For the hat, that took some doing. Ended up getting a basic black beanie and planning to attach some gold ribbon and maybe a little fake jewel I could pry off some old costume jewelry. Found a decent gold chain thingy too.
- Lisa: My wife hit the jackpot at a vintage shop. Found this bright, kinda power-suit-looking jacket that screamed late 80s. Needed shoulder pads, obviously. We decided to pair it with a simple black skirt she already had. The main thing was gonna be the hair and makeup.
- Semmi: This was easier. Found some slightly ill-fitting trousers and a plain button-down shirt at the back of my closet. The key was the attitude, really. Oh, and we needed a little cap for him, found a simple flat cap online.
- Zamundan Flair: For the little one, we found a brightly colored dashiki-style shirt online. Added some gold ribbon trim we bought at the craft store around the collar and cuffs. Simple, but effective.
Putting It All Together
This is where the real work started. My wife is handier with the sewing machine than I am, thankfully. She helped add some gold trim I bought onto the lapels of my thrift store jacket. It looked surprisingly regal, if I do say so myself.
My stuff: Gluing the ‘jewel’ onto the beanie was fiddly. Used way too much hot glue at first, had to peel it off and start again. Looked okay in the end, though. The fake fur scarf just needed to be draped dramatically. Pinned it to the shoulder of the jacket so it wouldn’t keep slipping off. Easy peasy.
Lisa’s look: My wife went full 80s glam. Lots of hairspray involved. Teased her hair up big time. Found some chunky gold earrings. The jacket already had shoulder pads, which was great. She looked perfect.
Semmi’s outfit: Not much assembly here. Just needed to make sure the clothes looked suitably… subservient? We practiced his slightly annoyed facial expression. He nailed it.
Little Zamundan: My wife quickly stitched the gold ribbon onto the kid’s shirt. Took maybe 15 minutes. Added a little beaded necklace we had lying around.
The Grand Reveal
We did a little dress rehearsal in the living room. Honestly, it came together better than I expected! Seeing us all lined up, it was pretty funny. The fake fur shed a bit, and Semmi kept complaining his trousers were itchy, but it totally worked. We got the vibe right.
When we actually wore the costumes out, people got it right away. Lots of “Sexual Chocolate!” shouts, people asking Akeem for money, the whole deal. It was a blast. Definitely worth the effort of digging through thrift stores and messing with hot glue. Good times, good family project.
