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October 30, 2006
Halloween Costumes of Yore - Redux
Just for laughs, allow me to describe some Halloween costumes I have donned in the past, sometimes requiring last minute preparations, since I was never much of a seamstress or one to spend a lot of money on something I would only wear once, including a wedding dress. Come to think of it, I should have worn my first wedding dress as a costume for Halloween - it qualified as hideous and macabre.
I tend to avoid anything ghoulish, bloody, vampiresque or political, and usually gravitate toward historical or culturally significant. One year in college I went as drug paraphernalia, something called a “Power Hitter,” which is a barrel-shaped pipe that you squeeze for extra smoke. Without the handmade sign indicating what I was (which drew quite a few laughs), I doubt most of the fellow revelers would have recognized it.
About an hour before a party one year, I dressed myself as a bag of jelly beans, using small, oval colored balloons enclosed in a clear dry cleaning bag, cinched at the neck with a ribbon. Beneath the bag I wore a navy long-sleeved leotard and tights, and taped a good resemblance of the purple and pink squared “Brachs” sign on the front of the bag. Throughout the night I had to avoid people threatening my beans with lit cigarettes (this was back when most people smoked), but it was a good, cheap costume that was easy to wear.
The most elaborate costume I ever created was the Human Dart Board. It took me weeks to construct; using a large sheet of thin sponge board, razor knives, silver contact paper I cut into dozens of narrow strips as faux wire, two jars of poster paint, and the final touch of a little plastic music light clipped to the top. I wore it like a one-sided sandwich board, which had to be removed in order for me to sit down. My date that night went as a Human Dart, and I made his costume with cardboard flights attached to a belt, and a paper party hat I put a #9 nail through the top covered with silver contact paper as the dart tip. He looked a little like the Tin Man with a strange skirt. Unfortunately, we were upstaged by the California Raisins and didn’t win the costume contest, since some of the voters confused my costume with Wheel of Fortune and kept asking where Vanna was.
My favorite last resort costume is Cleopatra, which is easy to make the afternoon before a party, and is worth it just to do the eye makeup. I have done the toga style (which is precarious), and a gold robe (recommended), with a cheap, thick gold collar necklace I never wear for any other purpose. I like to make the asp crown with a child's plastic headband, metallic gold cardboard, and stripped wire ties to give it a sinewy bend. Another fallback costume is the ever-popular elf, but I can only pull that off if I am on the skinny side that year. I have a two-piece emerald green short and top that I wear over tights and a Danskin, with a Peter Pan hat. With pixie cheeks and puppet eyes, it's a cute getup but not very warm.
One year I went to a Mardis Gras party dressed as a mime. One of my floor mates in the dorm who did the makeup for the college theatre did my costume and my face with perfect precision. Unfortunately, I only lasted fifteen minutes without speaking, so I think I violated some kind of mime code. My date went as a cowboy. There must be some metaphorical significance to this: Cowboy + Mime? Sounds like the Bushes.
These days, it’s all I can do to organize my children’s Halloween activities and make the Trick or Treat rounds dressed in a sweatshirt and jeans hiking up and down the neighborhood streets inspecting their loot and keeping them from cutting across lawns. It’s fun to see the parents who dress up with their kids or who have elaborate decorations on their porch with sound systems, movie projectors, creepy music and dry ice in cauldrons. I think Halloween is hilarious; it’s probably my favorite holiday.
Comments
hoo-hoo-hoo
ghosties are everwhere!
Posted by: meehatmahghosties | October 31, 2006 03:07 AM
Morning all!
Sadly, I have never celebrated Halloween before coming to the UK. November 5 was the night for us: Guy Fawkes.
It was basically a night of fireworks and burning effigies of Guy Fawkes on bonfires. No dressing up required.
I did win first prize as Marie Antoinette (my Dad's idea) on board ship, though. I was only 9 years old.
It took all morning to get ready, as my hair was long and very heavy. Getting it to stay 6" high on my head was a mission. Mainly because there were glittering broaches and bracelets draped all over it. Then it was sprayed silver and we were away.
My Dad and his big ideas...all he did was make the monocle, which was covered in tin foil. Lord knows how he managed to make it, though.
The rest was a petticoat bodice with layers of pale pink and white crepe paper for the skirt. Long white socks cut to make gloves with bare fingers. A few of my Mother's huge costume jewellery rings on my fingers to finish things off.
At the prize-giving I asked my mother to move my chair away from the table. She asked my why and my answer was "So I can go and get my prize!" LOL. Brazen little hussy!
My brother was very tall so my parents decided to dress him as the executioner.
Sorry for the length of this. I hope no-one nodded off half way through.
Posted by: Mgt | October 31, 2006 04:00 AM
Loretta, your description of your costumes made me laugh. Very industious and extremely funny.
So, nothing comfortable for you, then!
Posted by: Mgt | October 31, 2006 04:02 AM
That was a great story, Mgt. I was expecting you to tell your mother to pull out the chair for you because you were the Queen, of course!
Posted by: loretta | October 31, 2006 08:39 AM
Enjoy yourselves, everyone!
Ciao!
Posted by: Mgt | October 31, 2006 12:01 PM
Rove, you magnificent bastid! You got sKerry to pop off while he was drunk.
Posted by: Vet4Bush | October 31, 2006 02:05 PM
Loretta, your past costumes were truly inspired, especially the Human Dart Board. I can't believe the CA raisins won over that. I mean sure, they were cute, but come on!
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some of the voters confused my costume with Wheel of Fortune and kept asking where Vanna was.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dang, if boyfriend had only put on an evening gown and sparkly earrings!
Posted by: Nadine | October 31, 2006 02:11 PM
Vet4Bush, did you actually listen to what Kerry said, or did you watch the Fox News spin and come on here to spout your talking points? See, I was actually at the rally at Pasadena City College and I know exactly what Kerry meant by his remark. And drunk? Hardly my friend! He was surely firing on all cylinders. Kerry actually understands that most of the people that join the military are those trying to start on a better life path, but they have no other options because of the circumstances into which they were born. And yes, those kids are now STUCK in Iraq. Taken advantage of by the sick, sick, sick people they had trusted would make wise decisions about war. And if they HAD to go to war, then they would make sure that they had a good plan and that the troops were sufficiently armed. You're a Vet for Bush after all this? That makes me feel very sorry for you. Obviously you have the same level of intellectual curiosity as our President.
Posted by: Lex | October 31, 2006 03:24 PM
Kerry was either drunk or off his rocker. His handlers said it was a joke that went south. Perhaps it was a little slurred speech from too much scotch. Or am I getting him mixed up with Ted Kennedy, or Patrick Kennedy? All those MA Dimwit politicians appear to be elite drunks who lie about their service and driving ability.
Posted by: Vet4Bush | October 31, 2006 04:05 PM
Oh I get it. You don't have the facts on your side so you resort to smear. What a good little Republican you are.
Loretta, I'm sorry if we are supposed to ignore this troll, but I am fed up with the lies and distortion. People are dying because of it.
Posted by: Lex | October 31, 2006 04:16 PM
Lex, these are the talking points of a failing administration led by an idiot who didn't sober up until he was 40 and still plays fart jokes in the White House.
Posted by: CountryGal | October 31, 2006 04:27 PM
That is if you believe he is sober, CountryGal. I'm not so sure.
Posted by: Lex | October 31, 2006 04:31 PM
Scarborough asks: Is Bush an Idiot?
Good Jon Stewart clip too.
Posted by: CountryGal | October 31, 2006 04:54 PM
Maybe sKerry still believes that there is a draft, and if the students get failing grades, they will lose their draft deferments and end up in Iraq.
Posted by: Vet4Bush | October 31, 2006 05:24 PM
Looks like Bush knocked back a few before this speech.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFcYn_QcwmM
Posted by: Nadine | October 31, 2006 09:31 PM
He really ought to give up trying to run the country and just do stand up comedy.
Posted by: Nadine | October 31, 2006 11:00 PM
This pulls up an enormous past histoire of moi and the sistoire. I will write it to you privee. merdealors times 9.
Posted by: meehatmahghosties | November 1, 2006 01:25 AM
Good morning all!
It is bitterly cold today. Forewarned was definitely forearmed, this morning.
Surprisingly quiet in the neighbourhood last night. Which means we have to chomp our way through a few candy apples. Oh well!
Posted by: Mgt | November 1, 2006 03:38 AM
I hope the weather has warmed up.
Ciao, everybody.
Posted by: Mgt | November 1, 2006 11:37 AM
Oh, good gawd, this is really disturbing:
I went to the League of Women Voters site for Cuyahoga County and supposedly, Ohio has a paper readout when you are done voting. I'm going to double check it.
Posted by: loretta | November 1, 2006 08:06 PM
Touchscreen Trouble in Texas
http://www.alternet.org/blogs/peek/43758/
Posted by: Nadine | November 1, 2006 10:05 PM
There's no way I'd use a touchscreen for voting.
It's interesting to note that all the "errors" I've heard of are all in favor of the Republicans.
Just one more thing that makes you go, "hmm".
Posted by: Nadine | November 1, 2006 11:02 PM
So, no Republicans are defaulting to Democrat, then.
That just confirms a lot of suspicions, doesn't it. Poor Al Gore! JMHO.
We need Superman to turn back time. All those soldiers and Iraqis would be alive.
Good morning (I think), from a bright and freezing Scotland.
Posted by: Mgt | November 2, 2006 03:53 AM
Just a little bit of rain here so far. Nothing to panic about.
NOTE: Anyone voting absentee needs to get their ballots in the mail by tomorrow! Otherwise you've got to take them to a voting precinct, which sort of defeats the whole absentee idea.
Posted by: Nadine | November 2, 2006 02:07 PM
Good idea on the costumes! Last yr I was Pochahontas. I love dressing up and going to work. ( I forwarn my clients I am dressed up). My all time favorite and EASIEST.. Ms. Ghostie. White sheet & face paint and there you go!
Posted by: Pamela | November 3, 2006 09:47 AM
It was really cold this morning. Worse than yesterday.
It isn't even Winter, yet! Brrr
Posted by: Mgt | November 3, 2006 11:11 AM
Just in time for the elections? Politicizing the 9/11 events?
The CITGO gas station video showed .... ready?....wait for it....
no plane.
Posted by: loretta | November 3, 2006 02:27 PM