a microphone with a little box around it that says "Channel 2 Storm Team".

When you talk to people, speak overly loudly and ask obvious questions about the rain.

Running shoes, obviously, to catch the ambulances.

Speak LOUDLY but INDISTINCTLY. Ask people you're conversing with to SPEAK UP.

Moousse hair sideways. For extra points, in the opposite direction of the tie. (yah, spelling, I KNOW)

Keep mentioning quantities of plywood and blue tarps in the immediate vicinity (blue tarps are KEY in hurricanes---my friends at NOAA had a "blue tarp on a roof tally" to count survivors during Katrina

I'm not sure how to go about the tie thing without worrying about stabbing or choking myself to death accidentally.

Lean forward all night

Obviously you will need to be soaking wet.

I think if you mousse or gel your hair enough, you'll not only be able to make it look like it's being blown away, but also that it's wet.

Raincoat/poncho would be good. Maybe galoshes? (I haven't seen many reporters in galoshes, but if you think you won't be able to stick with the raincoat, then the galoshes might convey the same idea without being quite so hot.)

I think the microphone with "storm team" would probably make it most recognizable.

But, most importantly: AWESOME COSTUME IDEA!

And I think you can avoid stabbing/strangling yourself if you use a clip-on tie.

The tie will work as a costume if you just pin or glue it to the outside of your jacket, maybe with a twist or two along the way.

A very thin plastic bag used as a poncho -- if not an actual poncho -- would work instead of a rain jacket.

Maybe some glasses and you have a spray bottle to constnatly spritz your face?

Hold a hand over your ear when talking (loudly) as if you're listening to the anchor or studio.

- An umbrella turned inside out, maybe torn and some broken bits

- Trench coat

- Nice shirt with fly-away tie, jeans and sneakers (because the viewer can't see the reporter from the waist down)

All great suggestions! Perhaps a piece of palm frond or other plant detritus stuck to you?

Finger in ear, definitely. I have a halfway decent Reporter Voice and when I'm in character I'll be sure to use it, slightly louder than needed, asking them to speak up, and maybe with a few seconds delay for the feed to reach me from the studio, while looking straight ahead at the person.

After dhartung's suggestion, I'm thinking put some cardboard or thin card stock in at least the bottom half of the tie, pin it to my shirt somewhere near below the collarbone region, so that way the end is loose and up in the air, flying over my rain jacket, but I'll also be able to remove the rain jacket without affecting the tie. I assume the jacket will come off because it will be hot inside and I will probably be dancin'. This way I can also remove the pin and have a completely normal looking tie if I want to.

Going with Specklet's suggestion, maybe a piece of newspaper stuck on/draped around my shin, blown by and kept there by high winds (can probably use pins for this again, maybe glue the paper to something sturdier like cardboard and pin that to my pants). If I can't get the right effect I'm going to ditch it though, I want to keep the costume as simple as possible.


Aside from the tie, I'm most concerned about the microphone. I don't know the best way to go about making one. I'm thinking maybe some PVC for the handle, black or in electrical tape. I'll probably be able to find a foam microphone cover at radio shack or something? Attach that to the handle. And then maybe construct a cardboard box around the mic and apply some studio logo. It'll be the toughest part of the costume to make.

CitrusFreak, check out the toy section in a dollar store for toy microphones. Or get a kid's jump rope and use one of the handles off that with a mike cover.

Wear an earbbud in just 1 ear. Many bonus points if you find some "scary storm music" to play. In white letters of the back of the jacket, the call letters of your station or affiliate. A press pass. Yes, this is so awesome I may have to steal it.

Lots of "We're going to cut to Samantha in Jacksonville for an update," wave height, storm surge and wind velocity reports. Clipboard?

Didn't WJAR used to publish a hurricane-tracker pamphlet thing? They have an online one now, but if most of your party-mates are native Ocean Staters, they might remember. Get one of those and stick it in the trenchcoat pocket, or at least a map of the North Atlantic covered with bright symbols and neon lines.