Posts filed under 'Costumes'
I was amazed at the variety of get-ups I saw last Halloween when I took my neice out trick-or-treating for a few hours. The kids can’t wait to get dressed up each year which is interesting, but I’m equally as interested in checking out all the fun and unique costumes you see when you’re out and about. This year a real stand out for me was a young lady wearing a cop costume. At first I thought she was the real thing, she had me completely fooled. I guess it comes down to the personality of the person wearing the costume and this lady’s personality really came out through her cop costume. She had everyone nervously obeying her every command. Even when they realised she was just another person dressed up for halloween, everyone still treated her with respect. That’s the sort of response I want to get out of my future costumes!
After talking to her for a while, she told me that it hadn’t all been fun and games. Earlier in the night she walked past the local high school wearing her cop costume and some young punks got smart to her and threw an empty plastic bottle at her. Funnily enough she pretended to radio for back up and then chase after them and they ran off, haha. Talk about gutsy. Or maybe the cop costume gave her some dutch courage.
It re-ignited an old passion of mine from my childhoold. I used to watch the cop show “CHiPs” with my family every week. At the time Ponch and John were the epitome of cool and I remember all the guys at school wanting be cops when they grew up, or at least trying to dress like them in the mean time. I never did find out where to get an authentic looking cop costume, so I asked the lady where she got hers from. It turns out she spent a lot of time browsing through online costume shops looking for a decent costume and ended up finding the perfect one. She did tell me what the website was where she found it, but after heading home I completely forgot!
Anyway, before next halloween I plan on getting a cop costume for myself - you never know, I may end up meeting that lady again and we can pretend we’re partners 
April 30th, 2007
I love fancy dress parties. They give me a chance to express myself and everyone is very competitive and wants to have the best of the fancy dress costumes. The only thing I don’t like is if someone turns up wearing their street clothes. It’s like saying it doesn’t apply to them, they are above such things and are important people who are too busy to bother with such trifles. It really annoys me when everyone else has put in the effort.
The best party I ever went to was a science fiction themed party. People really went to town, with mostly hand made fancy dress costumes that were completely bizarre. It was like a convention of aliens or that scene in Star Wars when they’re all sitting in the alien’s bar.“We all trooped in to the pub before going to the party and got a stunned reaction.” I have a friend who has one leg and he turned up in a costume that had four arms. No other fancy dress costumes could beat that! Best of all, he had gone to the party on the bus. We all trooped in to the pub before going to the party and got a stunned reaction. We were a bit of a fire hazard, having used so much hair spray trying to style our hair into wacky styles.
The most popular themed party at the moment seems to be pirates. This is because of the popular Pirates of the Caribbean movies. It’s a great excuse to wave a cutlass around and have a stuffed parrot glued to your shoulder. Men doing their Johnny Depp impressions in their fancy dress costumes can say the most outrageous things because they’re in character. That’s the terrific thing about fancy dress costumes, you can say and do things you wouldn’t dream of ordinarily. It’s like those old movies with the set piece of a masked ball. There is intrigue in spades because we are led to believe no one is recognized behind their flimsy mask!
I prefer more inventive fancy dress than the tired old subjects. It doesn’t take much imagination to throw a doctors and nurses or a cowboys and Indians party. There’s a good episode of Frasier in which Frasier hosts a party at which the guests are invited to come in the guise of their hero. He of course comes dressed as Sigmund Freud and is disgusted at Roz’s choice of Wonder Woman. I’ve thought about throwing a similar bash myself. It would certainly make for some bizarre fancy dress costumes. My hero however is Mahatma Gandhi, and I don’t really want to carry trays of nibbles round, wearing my loin cloth and wire rimmed glasses. My husband’s hero is Gandalf, the Wizard from Lord of the Rings. At least we’d have fireworks!
March 4th, 2007
There is a lot to love about Mardi Gras. There is music, celebration, drinking, and dancing. But the most important thing about Mardi Gras is the costume parade. The Mardi Gras masquerade is known all over the world. Brightly colored Mardi Gras feather masks are icon of the season. Basically, they symbolize a last hurrah before the solemn month of lent. Even if you’re not Catholic, wearing a Mardi Gras mask and dancing around in the street can be a blast.
Mardi Gras masks, however, can be expensive. Ceramic Mardi Gras masks can run you hundreds of dollars. If they are antiques, they can cost even more! Nonetheless, that is no reason to despair. In my opinion, the thing to do is to make your own costume. A good Mardi Gras costume is much better if you have made it yourself. Making costumes is a lot of fun! Why would you want to miss out on it by buying one from a store?
“Mardi Gras masks all have brightly colored feathers, so this step is necessary…”
There are many different ways to make your own Mardi Gras masks. It really depends on how complicated he wants to make things. If you have access to a kiln, you can make a ceramic Mardi Gras mask. For most people, however, making one out of plaster or papier-mâché will be a much easier option. Making papier-mâché Mardi Gras masks is easy. You basically make the masks Mardi Gras by laying strip after strip of paper on your face. You have to remember to grease it first, of course, or else the mask can stick to you. That can be an uncomfortable mistake to make!
Once you are done and the papier-mâché has dried, all that is left to do is to decorate the Mardi Gras masks. This can be done in a number of ways. The most basic way to decorate them is to glue sequins and feathers on. Mardi Gras masks all have brightly colored feathers, so this step is necessary. However, more elaborate things can be done. You can make different additions to your Mardi Gras mask out of plaster or papier-mâché. Mardi Gras masks can have horns, fangs, over sized noses, or other strange facial features. The point is to let your imagination run wild! The strangest, most unusual, and most beautiful Mardi Gras masks are the best ones. There is no point to doing something mundane. Be as wild as you can be.
March 2nd, 2007
Two. One to do the work and one to tell her how Goth she is for it.
Are you curious about the Goth costume so favored by the young today? A Goth costume can be for fun and play, good on the Clubbing scene and a natural hit on Halloween. Whatever the occasion, strive for the traditional ghoulish look.
This offbeat fashion has its roots in the early 1900’s, when elaborately embellished clothing was a sign of wealth. Traditional designs of the Gothic Germanic tribes were commonly included in both home decor and fashion. Deep dark reds, velvet drapes and satin fabrics heavily embellished with intricate embroidery patterns were the “in” signature of the time.
So how does the Goth costume fit into today’s lifestyle? Look to Elvira or the famous duo of Thee Goth and Shee Goth for inspiration. Whatever dark pot you decide to dip your finger into, make sure that the costume you choose has some class.
One of the first rules of a convincing Goth costume is dark elegance. A good Goth costume has rich color, an interesting complex texture, and is heavy on embellishments. Fabric weight is also a factor. No honest to goodness Goth dresser would ever wear a lightweight jacket. Let’s say you’re going for a traditional vampire costume. Now, maybe Bella Lugosi was the first to embody the true vision of horror; but that look has been done to death, pun intended.
Try looking in vintage clothing stores. There you may find a treasure trove of estate period clothing.
Think of the rich and crotchety old man in the mansion down the road. What makes him so frightening? He was, believe it or not, young at one time. The crotchety old man had to die sometime, which means he left his frightening attire behind.
Lounge coats and robes were prolifically common wardrobe items at the time. Hopefully you’ll find one of these little gems. The Goth look did permeate these avenues of fashion apparel. The robes of that time were usually floor length. Typical fabrics were satins and silks. A little shimmer of cherry red threads made a very convincing look when sewn over a dark, densely woven crimson red, adding to the Gothic mystique. Lapels were usually made of high quality black satin, with upward-pointing edges.
Garments with lots of intricate embroidery patterns fit well with the high-fashion Goth costume.
When looking for women’s gowns suitable to the Goth costume look, the form-fitting floor length black gowns are the little black dress of Goth. For even more of the vampish look, get a corset to show off that tiny waist.
Whatever you choose, make sure no bloody little detail is left unattended! A ha ha ha!
January 9th, 2007
A. Once in a Blue moon.
Nowadays, it seems like many parents are too busy to really take the time to do the things that parents should do for their children. I’m not talking about driving them to school, going to parent teacher conferences, talking to them about drugs, or even making dinner. I’m talking about the things that go a little bit beyond that. With Halloween coming around, my thoughts turn to children’s Halloween costumes. My mom never knew how to make a costume for kids. She would buy us costumes that looked pretty sharp, but she would never take the time to really help us make them ourselves. I know that it is a small thing, but I’ve tried to be more involved in this aspect of my kids lives.
This year, I made my little daughter Stacey a Smurf costume. She had been listening to the Smurf theme song nonstop for a week. When I asked her what she wanted for her Halloween costume, she could not decide. She is a little bit too young, and sometimes indecisive. I told her I had the perfect idea, but would not tell her what it was. I started working on the Smurf costume that very day.
Making Smurf costumes is a little bit tricky. You would think a Smurf costume would be an easy thing, until you really start on the work. It is much more than a blue outfit with white shoes and white hands. Of course, you can make it recognizable as a Smurf costume without putting in that much effort, but if you want to really make a bang up costume, it takes a lot of work. I actually had to make her a whole papier-mâché mask! It took me hours and hours to make the puffy hands, the puffy feet, and the little round blue belly. Finally, however, I had it done!
Needless to say, she was ecstatic about the Smurf costume. Not only did she wear it on Halloween, but she wore it the next day, and the day after that. She was so proud of it that she would’ve worn that Smurf costume for the whole weekend if I had not stopped her. I made her a deal that she could wear it when she got home from school. I did not want the other kids to be jealous of her, so I would not let her keep wearing it in school. After all, it was a great Smurf costume.
January 9th, 2007
I love this autumn season. The air is brisk and clean; the colorful leaves are drifting to the ground, and the heat and humidity are nowhere to be found. Okay, that didn’t rhyme on purpose. I just want you to know that. Now, are you prepared for what this outstanding season is about to bring? Because if you’re not, then you had better hit up the local drug and grocery stores for some serious candy. You will need it when all those little trick-or-treators come around. Trust me; they will be itching for some heavy duty sugar. I can’t guarantee what they will do to you if you’re lacking. Therefore, you need that candy supply! Oh, and don’t forget an awesome costume. Whether it be a superman, clown, batman, vampire, mummy, or Frankenstein costume is irrelevant. Just have one on. This occasion requires a little spirit.
Halloween Express is everywhere now. We have three locations near our home. This is probably one of the best stores to visit for Halloween costumes and props. My daughter and I were in there the other day. She wanted to try on a Frankenstein costume. I told her if she wore it that everyone would assume she’s a boy. Ah, she didn’t care. That’s the way to be. Wear whatever it is you really want to wear. The important part is that you’re happy, excited and having a blast. I know we always do on Halloween night. A couple years back I took my family to a costume party. It was a work thing. Yeah, you know; one of those. Nevertheless, it was a fun and memorable experience. I saw a Frankenstein costume there that practically blew everyone else’s get-up away. This thing looked so realistic. Just to be clear, I’m talking about Frankenstein’s monster here. Not Victor himself. Many people make this mistake. Anyway, the high-end Frankenstein costume was outstanding. I had to wonder who did this guy’s make-up. It must have cost him a fortune. Now that is what Halloween is all about. He’s in the zone.
Ah, which costume to buy this year? No worries! If there are two you really like, just go with one this year and one the next. That always works for me. Oh, and be sure you check out that Halloween Express near you. Who knows; maybe you’ll want a Frankenstein costume.
January 9th, 2007
What happened to the King of pop? No, I’m not talking about Justin Timberlake. He’s hardly the king of anything. I am referring to Michael Jackson. Remember back in the day? I mean way back in the day when that fellow was totally on top and looked normal? I know it has been a while, but can you recall the glory days. To make it simple, let’s call it the 80s. After this era, the guy pretty much went down hill. At this point he has to reminisce on the “Thriller” days quite often. Back when he actually strutted his stuff as a good looking black man. Only God knows what has happened since then. One thing is for certain; you can find a Michael Jackson costume for Halloween or any special occasion online whenever you please.
He has been reduced to the punch line of oh so many jokes. He’s the one, the only, Michael Jackson. Think back to the film “Scary Movie 3.” The Michael Jackson costume in this flick is phenomenal. I had to do a double-take just to see if I was looking at the real Michael Jackson or not. For those of you, who haven’t seen this film, check it out and you’ll see what I mean. I wish I had that state of the art Michael Jackson costume to wear next Halloween. Then again, it would probably frighten small children, and possibly even some parents. After all the trash we’ve heard about this pop star, it’s rather difficult to know what’s valid and what’s not. If it’s true, I wouldn’t be surprised, and if it’s all false, I feel really bad for the guy. At least he is still famous in foreign lands.
Not even one Michael Jackson costume did I spot last October 31st. For some reason I assumed this would be a craze, like the Harry Potter or Crow costumes were. Apparently no one wants to go out dressed as a has-been pop star for trick-or-treating. In all honesty, it could affect the amount of candy they bring home. Regardless, there have to be a few folks out there craving a funky Michael Jackson costume for some quirky Halloween party or bash. Toss one on and see what it feels like to have had five different nose jobs and bleached skin. Okay, that’s a little harsh. Then again, it’s what we all hear.
January 9th, 2007
