Day 18: All Dressed Up in Hopes of Somewhere to Go

Yesterday I got to clean out the activities storage shed at work. It looked like an episode of hoarders crossed with a hurricane. It took me waaaaay many more hours than I am comfortable sharing to get it organized. I am stiff and sore and could do a really good impersonation of an Igor right now with my humped over walk. It’s a good thing Sunday’s are a day of rest. I will be surrounding myself with cozy blankets, scary movies and pumpkin everything.

While I was cleaning out the shed my mind drifted naturally to decorations. I was quite literally surrounded by the stuff. I found some of my missing fall things I had been looking for, and when I had lugged it all back to the building I realized that instead of hardly having any October stuff, I had oodles. Some of it may still get put up before the month is out.

But what really got my October thinking percolating was the box of costumes that I found. We get all dressed up for those we love, or hope to love. We dress to impress, we dress to make ourselves feel better, we dress for work and we dress to be comfortable. Halloween is the bestest holiday ever for playing dress up because for one night of the year we get to let our inner freak flag fly. We can wear whatever we  please, be it a French Maid, the killer from Scream, body paint, or the cute kitty. I love playing dress up (though you would never know it) and Halloween says, ok, go ahead, have fun.

I love the wigs the wands the fake bloody knives and axes. I love the wings and hair dye. It is all just too much fun. I can remember every costume that I have ever worn. I can also remember almost all the places that I have trick or treated at (but that is for another day). I have been a pumpkin (the cutest ever in the history of pumpkins) the Green M n M, Princess Amidala, a clown (oh how I HATED that costume...........still do......I wore it for EVER and a day), a flapper, a demented cheerleader, the Mad Hatter, a cheetah, a flapper and a nun just to name a few.

You would think in my 40 years that I would dress up more, but the problem was and is, I have nowhere to go most of the time and the other half..........well, I am just too picky. I don't want a crappy costume that looks like it came from a bag. I want something different, unusual, or at least well made. I have several costumes in my TO DO file and I keep looking for them to either be discounted or to find the right accessory that I am missing for it. I also have several costumes in the wings just waiting to be worn. I had grand plans for this year’s costume, but Covid has thrown a bit of a monkey and his wrench into my schemes. I have 2 new costumes ready to go but I am not thrilled about either of them. They are fine. They will work well with our precautions and my work environment but they aren’t super fantastic. I keep looking for something that has that wow factor but, maybe I will just have to save it for another year?   

So I might have digressed a bit there, but my point is, costumes are FUN!!! If you feel like it, post back and tell me some of your best costume moments, or some of the worst. The worst was the STUPID, WRETCHED clown costume. The mask suffocated me, it was ugly as sin, the jumper itched and I just plain hated it. I wore it for like 5 years or more. AHHHHHH.
The best was Queen Amidala. I rocked the face paint let me tell you. I actually had kids taking pictures with me.  Let me tell you, I could have gone on some sort of Star Wars tour. So there you have it, costumes in all their glory. I can't wait to hear your stories.

Day 31: HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Well, it’s finally here, the big day. The day we have been working toward all month. Hopefully pumpkins have been carved, candy stocked, and costumes planned. I was getting last minute candy on Monday and there were many, MANY people in the aisles with cranky children asking them what they wanted to be for Halloween. Last week there were options galore, this week there are T-shirts and onesies. It will be an interesting Halloween for some people. If they were really creative children they would pick a unicorn horn and tail, with panda paws, a cape (with a hole for the really cool tail), tiara, maybe a harlequin mask, a tutu, wacky patterned leggings and sparkly shoes. Ok, maybe the mask and cape are a bit much, but it would be kinda cool to make a totally wacky costume. Oooh, that should totally be a game-show. Contestants are given a set dollar amount and a cart and have to do a supermarket dash type thing but in the slim pickins aisle of the costume department. The person with the most creative costume wins. The only criteria is that it can’t look like anything we would recognize. Oooh, I’m trademarking this. I will make millions……or at least hundreds……maybe just enough to get me next year’s costume.

Anyway, I hope you have enjoyed the wonderful month of October. I hope you have drank or eaten your body weight in pumpkin spiced things. I hope you visited a corn maze or three. I hope you have fun plans for the evening or day or both. I hope these rambling have broadened your October horizons and given you some joy along the way. If not, I hope they made you seem saner in comparison to me ;) I have a host of plans for the day. Main plans, back up plans, plans for if those plans take a detour. I know at the end of the night, this Cinderella will kick off her glass slippers, find an easy chair and put her feet up. I will listen to my spooky Sounds of Halloween tape one last time before bed and then drift off to sweet candy corn colored dreams. In the morning will come the bleak November, but perhaps some of the bright lights and sweet treats from October will linger.

Happy Halloween everyone! Till next year.

Day 17: Dressing It UP

I am not a girlyl girl. I don't like dresses and I’m not overly fond of skirts, though they are growing on me. I will take an action film over a romance any day. I can't use make up in a convincing fashion and my only hair styles are up, down or in a hat. That said, I LOVE to play dress up, or as I like to call it, make believe. Some little girls wanted to be a princess when they were growing up. I wanted to be a pirate...or Indiana Jones. My heroes were Mr. T, Hulk Hogan, Batman and Fragles. My poor mother had to be on constant alert lest I attempt to tear my shirt down the middle whilst shouting "I pity the fool."

When I was growing up, there weren't very many worthwhile costumes for girls. I could either be Barbie (too much pink), Strawberry Shortcake (too frilly), a princess (ugh yuck no), or a ballerina (too much like a princess). What I really wanted to be, they never had costumes for. No Neverending Story (and how does one dress up like the Nothing anyway). No Dark Crystal (ask for a Gelfling costume and people look at you funny). Mom wasn't really into me being a Ninja Turtle, so for years I settled for being a really hideous clown. I am ashamed to even admit it. I hated that costume. I still do in fact. I think I inherited it from my older cousin. It was itchy, came with a truly vile mask that I really couldn't see out of and it made my face sweat.

I don't remember what happened to the costume. I'd like to say I took it out back one dark evening and buried it, but it probably got donated to Goodwill. Poor kids. I pity the fool. The hideous clown was replaced by a leopard unitard that came with a snap on head piece and already affixed tail. It was my favorite costume of my childhood. Mostly because I had a tail to twirl and the fact that I felt compelled to make the cutest growling noises known to man while wearing the costume. I did it so much in fact that dad had to threaten to take my candy away to make me stop. It was no use telling him that the suit was making me do it. I wore that costume until I couldn't squeeze into it anymore. At some point my head got too big for the hood and the leggings that used to go to my ankles started to reside somewhere past my knees. It was a good run and a great costume. Plus I really enjoyed having whiskers drawn on with eyebrow pencil.

Costumery in our house was pretty low key until I started going to college. Then I could choose my own costume. My favorite college costume was Queen Amidala from Star Wars. I did the full make up and everything. I looked so convincing in fact that at my part time job (where they encouraged us to wear costumes on the day) little kids kept coming up to me to get their picture taken. It was a blast. 

I love costumes. I love that now there are so many more things to choose from, in a way. But it is still hard finding things to my exacting specifications. For years I have wanted to be Charlie Chaplin, but I can't quite find the right bits. One can't simply stick on dark pants, a hat and a fake mustache and call it good. They have to be the right corduroy pants with a black bowler, a rounded cane and big, slightly clownish black shoes.

I also don't like to settle for mainstream. Why be Katniss Everdeen when I can go as Charlotte from Making Fiends. I like elaborate or quirky, or a combination of both. I can't wait to find a good steam punk costume. As soon as Halloween is done and I have had time to appreciate the month, I start searching for next year’s costume. Sometimes I buy two or three out of season just so I have options if it comes down to the wire and I still haven't found "the one"?

But why do I like costumes so much? I think it is because I live more in my imagination than most people. Getting to wear a costume is a way to express that after a fashion. How cool to suspend disbelief for just one night and pretend you really can fly, because you are Peter Pan or Tinker Bell. For one night you can be a princess if you want (ugh yuck). You can be a mummy without the nasty side effects of being dead for years. You can be a dashing pirate or a super hero. You can walk around shouting "I'm Batman" and people will only think you are a little crazy.

In one of my favorite TV shows, the characters dress up for Halloween and due to a little magic snafu, find themselves stuck as their costume for the night. When picking a costume I always have that idea floating around the back of my head. Sure, I want to be a Twister game board. How funny. But what happens if I get stuck this way?  It is an interesting idea to think of. Maybe this year I will go as rain. Not quite sure how to pull that concept off. Maybe paint myself blue and stick clear beads all over to show moisture.

Whatever I choose to be, I know I will have fun doing it. What is your favorite costume past, present or future?

Day 30: Puttin' on the Ritz

I have been procrastinating this October. I haven't read most of my holiday magazines, I haven't carved my main pumpkin. I didn't wear most of my holiday socks and I still have some October movies to watch. I think it is because I want my favorite month to last longer. When you are smack in the middle of January or even November, October seems so far away. But now that it is here and almost done, I just want to stretch the days out. I have already decided to keep my decor up into November. Sorry turkeys and pilgrims, you will just have to deal with a few bats, headless horseman and vampires. You will just have to learn to get along.
Which in a way brings me to my almost final thought, costumes. What other month can you see pilgrims, bats and headless horseman walking down the street and not think it's weird, or that you are having some sort of mental break. And since it is October there isn't just one day that you are allowed to dress up. As I was waiting in a drive thru line last week I saw a family of red devils all gussied up and out for a stroll. It wasn't even Halloween yet, but clearly they had someplace to go. It made me smile. There was a momma devil and a few kid devils and even a baby devil with wings. They had red face paint and sparkly tops. They could have been a singing troupe for all I knew, but it was awesome!

I LOVE dressing up for Halloween. I love picking out my costume. I love the paints and colors, masks and wigs. I love everything about it and the more outrageous and creative the better. I am constantly amazed by peoples creativity. It really gives you insight into a person seeing which costume they choose.

I am particularly jealous of kid costumes. Kids have such an abundance of awesome things to choose from. Not to say that adults don't, but as you get older, at least for ladies, the costumes either border on brothel dweller or unimaginative potato sack. I can't stand it. But it does mean that I get to be more creative.

One of the best things about wearing a costume is traveling in said costume. On numerous occasions I have been driving in costume and had people honk and wave. It is funny to be waiting at a stop light and watch people do a double take. I just smile and wave. I have had people get their pictures taken with me and I have scared small children. A really good costume is a treat, and not just for the wearer.

But around this time of year, one almost always runs into the great costume/weather debate. Especially if you are trick or treating, how do you show off the awesomeness of your costume without either freezing to death or getting soaked? If you are going as Iron Man, you can't wear a coat. It just ruins the effect. When I was little my mother and I went round and round about the great coat debate. We finally reached a compromise. I would wear the coat when I wasn't knocking on a door, but once I was on final approach, I would shed the coat and she would have to hold it. It was quite frustrating but in the end both parties were happy, sort of.

I wish there were more holidays were we were encouraged to dress up. I don't mean in fancy holiday party type clothes either. I think Valentines Day should have some sort of costume component. It might make the day more palatable. And what about Thanksgiving or even President's Day. We totally need to dress up for Presidents day. See, I'm even having fun just thinking about it. I really love this month.

Dressing It Up: OT Day 23

I am not a girlyl girl. I don't like dresses and I’m not overly fond of skirts. I will take an action film over a romance any day. I can't use make up in a convincing fashion and my only hair styles are up, down or in a hat. That said, I LOVE to play dress up, or as I like to call it, make believe. Some little girls wanted to be a princess when they were growing up. I wanted to be a pirate...or Indiana Jones. My heroes were Mr. T, Hulk Hogan, Batman and Fragles. My poor mother had to be on constant alert lest I attempt to tear my shirt down the middle whilst shouting "I pity the fool."
When I was growing up, there weren't very many worthwhile costumes for girls. I could either be Barbie (too much pink), Strawberry Shortcake (too frilly), a princess (ugh yuck no), or a ballerina (too much like a princess). What I really wanted to be, they never had costumes for. No Neverending Story (and how does one dress up like the Nothing anyway). No Dark Crystal (ask for a Gelfling costume and people look at you funny). Mom wasn't really into me being a Ninja Turtle, so for years I settled for being a really hideous clown. I am ashamed to even admit it. I hated that costume. I still do in fact. I think I inherited it from my older cousin. It was itchy, came with a hideous mask that I really couldn't see out of and it made my face sweat.

I don't remember what happened to the costume. I'd like to say I took it out back one dark evening and buried it, but it probably got donated to Goodwill. Poor kids. I pity the fool. The hideous clown was replaced by a leopard unitard that came with a snap on head piece and already affixed tail. It was my favorite costume of my childhood. Mostly because I had a tail to twirl and the fact that I felt compelled to make the cutest growling noises known to man while wearing the costume. I did it so much in fact that dad had to threaten to take my candy away to make me stop. It was no use telling him that the suit was making me do it. I wore that costume until I couldn't squeeze into it anymore. At some point my head got to big for the hood and the leggings that used to go to my ankles It resided somewhere past my knees. It was a good run and a great costume. Plus I really enjoyed having whiskers drawn on with eyebrow pencil.

Costumery in our house was pretty low key until I started going to college. Then I could choose my own costume. My favorite college costume was Queen Amidala from Star Wars. I did the full make up and everything. I looked so convincing in fact that at my part time job (where they encouraged us to wear costumes on the day) little kids kept coming up to me to get their picture taken. It was a blast.

I love costumes. I love that now there are so many more things to choose from, in a way. But it is still hard finding things to my exacting specifications. For years I have wanted to be Charlie Chaplin, but I can't quite find the right bits. One can't simply stick on dark pants, a hat and a fake mustache and call it good. They have to be the right corduroy pants with a black bowler, a rounded cane and big, slightly clownish black shoes.

I also don't like to settle for mainstream. Why be Katniss Everdeen when I can go as Charlotte from Making Fiends. I like elaborate or quirky, or combination of both. I can't wait to find a good steam punk costume. As soon as Halloween is done and I have had time to appreciate the month, I start searching for next years costume. Sometimes I buy two or three out of season just so I have options if it comes down to the wire and I still haven't found "the one"?

But why do I like costumes so much? I think it is because I live more in my imagination than most people. Getting to wear a costume is a way to express that after a fashion. How cool to suspend disbelief for just one night and pretend you really can fly, because you are Peter Pan or Tinker Bell. For one night you can be a princess if you want. You can be a mummy without the nasty side effects of being dead for years. You can be a dashing pirate or a super hero. You can walk around shouting "I'm Batman" and people will only think you are a little crazy.

In one of my favorite TV shows, the characters dress up for Halloween and due to a little magic snafu, find themselves stuck as their costume for the night. When picking a costume I always have that idea floating around the back of my head. Sure, I want to be a Twister game board. How funny. But what happens if I get stuck this way. It is an interesting idea to think of. Maybe this year I will go as rain. Not quite sure how to pull that concept off. Maybe paint myself blue and stick clear beads all over to show moisture.

Whatever I choose to be, I know I will have fun doing it. What is your favorite costume past, present or future?