Post-Halloween Photos...

Photo credit: Marion Kirk at Friday Night Live (FNL) at a community Halloween event at Lynn Valley United Church with AddLibretto improv group singing about my "toothless gap"

Some of you have discovered my love of Halloween, dressing up for it that is! You may have discovered this through my post two days ago, All Hallows' Eve AKA Hallowe'en 2014: http://xpressyouressence.blogspot.ca/2014/10/all-hallows-eve-aka-halloween-2014.html
My love for dressing up started when I was a young girl and put on my mother's shoes walking down a few steps - don't know how! - at home to greet my Mom with my newfound discovery. I have no recollection of what my mother said though I got the dress-up bug since that day I swear!

Sometimes, it takes only one thing for me to get an inspirational hit for a costume idea. And sometimes even, I know the year before what my Halloween costume will be the following year! ;)

I wish I had my photos all digitalized as I have some great costumes over the years, though they are in hard copy format. (I would need to learn how to convert them just as the Punjabi suit I mentioned the other day that some of you wanted to see as well. One day, hopefully soon.)

On October 30, 2011 I posted one of my favourite Halloween costumes: http://xpressyouressence.blogspot.ca/2011/10/safe-and-happy-halloween.html. This costume was inspired by my head, my lack of hair that is as ...well, read the blog post and find out! ;)

This year's costume originated from a toothless gap as I had a dead, i.e., infected front (bottom) tooth extracted about 1-1/2 years ago. I had never been a witch for Halloween and the thought came to me to dress up as one. I didn't last year though as someone else at work was going to be dressing up as one and I didn't want to take away from their costume, nor mine for that matter!

I knew that I didn’t want to be any old witch though: read 'old' as ‘traditional.' I wanted to be different. I wanted to stand out. I wanted to be an original!

My plan was to somehow modernize my look but I wasn't quite sure how. Whilst shopping at a local Salvation Army thrift store, I discovered this somewhat fancy-looking dress that appealed to me. In fact, I actually thought it looked rather pirate-like; however, I prefer to use clothing – I don’t sew – that is multipurpose in nature so I purchased it for a great price.

That was the beginning piece of my to-be-witch outfit. Then followed a velvet, feathered brimmed hat – classy, snazzy, dressy – that matched the velvet top of the dress. Then later, I found a pair of laced gloves that matched the laced front top of the dress as well as my fishnet stockings. A patent-looking pair of boots matched by a patent purse – I did say ‘modern’ witch after all, didn’t I? - that I already owned, along with my raindrop umbrella (instead of a broom) as it was raining after all, completed the picture.

Oh almost. Actually, my long black wig along with the green foundation makeup - are you familiar with Elphaba from 'Wicked' the musical? - that kept interfering with the wig or vice versa, and black lipped and eyed features finished the look for me. The fake nails were a disaster and would not stay on. I should have painted my own nails as I had grown them long, long enough to showcase my long, witch-like fingers. ;)

I was deliberating using my coloured, burgundy hair and it would have been okay, though with the style of dress and in particular the hat, the long hair seemed to be more appropriate.

In the end, I think I was more of a hybrid witch, a touch traditional and more modern with Elphaba as my muse, the supposed wicked witch of the West based on the The Wizard of Oz. (May 31, 2012 ....http://xpressyouressence.blogspot.ca/2012/05/defying-gravity-so-no-one-can-steal.html) Check out this video of Idina Menzel singing "Defying Gravity," https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=q3CQhEEP-fU, one of the key songs that I blogged about in part.

Just a note that wigs and all-over face makeup do not get along very well at all! Till next Halloween…

I'm linking this to NaBloPoMo, WriteTribeBloggers, and UltraBlogChallenge.

All Hallows' Eve AKA Hallowe'en 2014

Photo I took from Solus, Vancouver BC

"Halloween is one of the oldest celebrations in the world, dating back over 2000 years to the time of the Celts who lived in Britain?" according to the weather network (www.theweathernetwork.com).

Here is some info on Halloween - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween - I need to keep this post relatively short as I'm busy preparing my costume for tomorrow ... ;)

And the following is the way in witch - I mean which ;) - Halloween is celebrated in various countries around the world: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_Halloween. Note that there are secular and religious-themed ways of celebrating.

I associate Halloween with (1) the colours black and orange (2) pumpkins and candy (3) an early dark night, usually cold and/or wet (4) dressing up in costume and (5) music like Enigma and more so Michael Jackson's 'Thriller', his album which I am listening to, right now in fact.

About two years ago, I had the opportunity to actually learn the dance moves from the Thriller track, only to end up sick on the day of the performance unfortunately. Below is a shortened version of the song on video, though it really demonstrates the moves well, don't you think? ;)



I have had inspirations for costumes from various sources. Here is one of my favourite Halloween costumes I came up with...read on what inspired it:
http://xpressyouressence.blogspot.ca/2011/10/safe-and-happy-halloween.html

It is interesting to note that the National Retail Federation cites the following as the most popular Halloween costumes for adults, in order as witch, pirate, vampire, cat, and clown.

My Halloween costume this year could have been two of those mentioned. I will have to show you later – tomorrow perhaps? – inspired by an outfit I purchased at a local 'Sally Ann' (Salvation Army) earlier this month. One costume I have never donned yet and was always curious about in terms of wearing it. Not sure why I never did. I’ll give you a hint: hahahahaha (evil laugh) ;) If you still can't guess, how about this one: which witch is which? ;)

For those of you who live in places where Halloween is celebrated, do take care, beware - be aware that is, and enjoy a safe and fun Halloween! That includes your pets too please as the loud explosion from fireworks really frightens and makes them nervous. You'll be doing your pets and you a favour!

I'm linking this post to writetribe and ultrablog and ultimateblogchallenge.

Happy Halloween!

As you can see (from the photos), I LOVE Halloween, at least 'dressing up' for it. This is one costume from a few years ago about two months after I had my head shaved (to donate my hair for a child with cancer). I wondered, "How could I use my short hair for a Halloween costume?" And voila, I came up with this. Actually, I think it was seeing a can of green spray that gave me the idea. I called myself a gothic punkster or punkster gothic, something to that effect.

There are some costumes I still think I should have won first prize for. This was one of them, without a question. After all, I barely rcognized myself in the mirror. Now, how cool is that, at least from a Halloween perspective?

I think my love for Halloween came from dressing up as a child. I remember walking down some steps at home to greet my mother in her shoes. I may have worn something else of hers - gloves perhaps? - but I do recall the shoes as they were way too big for me.

Similarly, Laurie Sluchinksi, owner of Boo La La (previously Carol's Costume Corner) in North Vancouver, dressed up as a child and loves dressing up for Halloween. Check her website (www.boolalacostumes.com) for more info and some great costumes!

I'd like to know, how do you express your creative essence at Halloween time? Feel free to share photos. I promise I won't do anything to them or with them. ... ah ha ha ha ha ha ...(think of Vincent Price's laugh on Michael Jackson's Thriller! ; ) ; ) (wink wink) I'm teasing. I wouldn't actually!