After guessing several times, friends of Puget Sound student Ashleigh Howard told Ashleigh and The Flail that while her costume was both creative and interesting, they had no idea she had dressed up for Halloween or anything at all.
Citing reasons like her ironic personality, nonconformist attitude and love for Goodwill clothing, Ashleigh’s friends then went on to defend their position, stating that aesthetically there was no difference between Ashleigh walking to class in the morning and her Halloween costume of the popular Game of Thrones character Daenerys Targaryen.
“At one point she even told us that she didn’t wash her hair for a week so the costume would look exactly like that HBO show. But when she first showed me her costume, I thought she was just going to work,” Ashleigh’s best friend Derek reported.
Students at that one big Halloween party that apparently happens every year also expressed similar views to Derek’s and stated that if Ashleigh hadn’t explicitly told them about her costume, they would have thought she was in her normal weekend attire.
“Literally everyone in the room thought she had just bought a new sweater until she signed up for the costume contest,” senior Misty Catchum stated.
After losing the costume contest, Ashleigh reportedly left the big Halloween party everyone thought was part of The Rail, expressing hostility and frustration towards other people’s opinions, the winning costume, society and the indecision in Congress.
“It’s just like, you work so hard on an idea and get so passionate about it and it doesn’t matter! They always still vote for some girl in skimpy clothing they think is cute,” Ashleigh told some freshman looking for The Rail.
The freshman, while sympathizing with Ashleigh’s efforts, reported that he really didn’t want to get involved in the situation and was just asking for directions to that cul-de-sac party everyone talks about but never actually happens.
“I mean, I feel bad for her but what was she expecting? No offense, but even after her long rant, I would have still voted for Baberaham Lincoln,” the freshman said.
Ironically, Rebecca Candy, creator of the wildly praised Baberaham Lincoln costume and the winner of the costume contest, seemed to be the only one that actually took Ashleigh’s costume seriously.
“I really liked it! I love the show and let’s be honest, she really pulled it off well. She had my vote!” Rebecca told The Flail.
Since the party, Ashleigh and Rebecca have made up but tensions remain high between her and the freshman.
“Losing unfairly to some dirty cheater isn’t worth holding a grudge for. So I took the high road and forgave Rebecca,” Ashleigh said.
“However,” she added, “I really don’t want to talk to anyone who thinks just because there are four parties on parents’ weekend, it’s The Rail.”
“I mean come on, it will be ticketed like two years ago,” Ashleigh quipped.
“At least I got a great sweater out of the whole thing.”
