Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Armchair Halloween

Dear Brucie has inspired Pretty Lady to issue a little Challenge of her own, although what with all the shipping boxes cluttering her hallway, she has no desire whatsoever to offer prizes, at least anything which requires dealing with the postal service. So your prizes will consist simply of the Joy of Sharing.

Pretty Lady's challenge: What was your favorite Halloween costume, ever?

Pretty Lady herself is divided between the time she went to the Castro as Humphrey Bogart, and the time she collected a bag full of mildly obnoxious tricks and went to a party as Puck. She is a firm believer in the Persona aspect of costume-creation--to her, a simple Concept is grossly inadequate. You will never catch Pretty Lady dressed as a Kleenex box, or a bunch of grapes. Her Puck character strolled past persons dressed as bunches of grapes, and strategically exploded firecrackers next to their silly little balloons.


One notes that Demeanor is at least as significant an element of this costume as the fact that Pretty Lady scoured the local Goodwill for as decent a suit as she could manage; indeed, the wingtips were remarkably comfortable, and serviceable for years afterward.

When creating a true Persona, it is advisable to plumb one's own soul and bone structure for elements which resonate with the desired target. In this circumstance Pretty Lady chose to emphasize both her equine jawline and a certain world-weary melancholy, inherent within her temperament. These served equally well a couple of years later, when her hair had grown out, she'd settled those perplexing gender-identity issues, and a passerby was overheard to mutter, "really does look like Scully."

But enough of that. Pretty Lady is dying to hear your stories; photos would not come amiss, either. This Halloween she is going to see Legally Blonde on Broadway, and most likely will skip the parties afterward.

8 comments:

Desert Cat said...

"equine jawline"?

Hmf. I wouldn't have described it so.

Pretty Lady said...

Well, it certainly isn't feline. ;-)

Anonymous said...

Hey Humphrey, ggod job!!!!I am impressed.

BoysMom said...

I was a Kachina doll one year . . .
Mom was always in favor of make-your-own costumes. I recollect being a book (difficult to sit in), a bat, and a tree.

Oh, and in college I was Euterpe once. That was fun. For a certain quality of non-family-friendly fun. The tuba studio at my alma matter puts on a Halloween 'concert' (the scary part was the department gave credit for attending). Most of the performers were drunk--well, it was the tuba studio, with assistance from percussion--and in costume, or not, as the case may be. I remember one tuba going as Adam. Tuba players tend to be remarkably good at playing while drunk, did you know? In fact, I think to attempt (sucessfully) Flght of the Bumble Bee it may have been an necessity. The tuba professor was younger than half his students and got fully into the swing of things.
They liked to make fun of the professors, each other, the rest of the music students, and current events. They included some music, but not much. They usually did a good job, and always had a packed to overflowing hall.
If you're ever in Moscow, ID, for Halloween, go to Tubaween. Just don't take the kids.

Chris Rywalt said...

My costumes have tended to be half-assed because I always leave them until the last minute. Dawn and I made my mother two really great costumes, though. She was a lunch lady -- she's retired from that now -- so we made her into an ear of corn one year and a Campbell's soup can the next (how Pop!). We made them out of canvas, Dawn did the sewing, and I did the drawing. We both did the painting.

Our son William's first costume was good, too. We made him into an orange M&M. The concept was Dawn's, I designed the costume, she sewed it, and I painted the M on.

A couple of years ago he said he wanted to go as Kratos, which I thought was awesome. I got as far as a prototype Blade of Chaos carved from foam, but he changed his mind and ended up going as Darth Vader. Blah.

This year he's Harry Potter. Easy costume, at least. Corinne is going as Molly, An American Girl. Another easy costume -- we got it from a previous year's dance competition team member -- aside from its tendency to make me throw up.

Desert Cat said...

I did a very good devil costume one year. Not the red face and pitchfork stereotype, but the classy charismatic image. I added a small extension to my nose with nose putty, fashioned two very realistic looking horns out of the same, added makeup to blend the nose extension into the rest of my face plus eyeliner/shadow, then put on my best suit together with a cape made for the occasion.

Scared the beejus out of my grandmother, because she did *not at all* recognize the peculiar stranger at her door.

Anonymous said...

My wife has an amusing story about one Halloween in college. She went to a Chemistry club party and one young man came costumed in a sock. He then proceeded to chat her up extensively, and she said she very carefully watched just his face.

Anonymous said...

I love the picture.
I have a good one from a party over ten years ago. The usual, I guess - I was a vampire. But my job was makeup artist and so were many of my friends, so we all looked fierce.

Since I actually have a house now, I await the trick-or-treaters. And still wear a sh*tload of makeup.

Eva