Monday, September 22, 2008

Random Thoughts for a Monday (Mostly Rambling About Halloween)

I usually write, "Random (fill in the day of the week) Thoughts" but I realized as I was typing that out that the sentence structure is not correct! Although it may sometimes feel that way, the day of the week ITSELF is not random!
Anyway, here goes:
Ah, today is the first day of Fall, and it's a beauty of a day here in North Carolina. The weather report originally said it was going to be 80 or so today but I doubt it'll get that warm. Mid-70s, perhaps? Absolutely delightful weather!
In honor of Fall, I got out my Fall decor and placed it around the house. I didn't, however, bother to get out the Halloween Tree since we won't be here on Halloween this year. We'll be celebrating at the Welk resort in Escondido. My friend Peri was wondering if they had a costume party where everyone had to come dressed up like a "character" from the old Lawrence Welk TV show. And, would a bubble machine be set up? There would have to be bubbles!
Frankly, Halloween is not my favorite "holiday"; after I turned 12 or 13 and stopped Trick Or Treating, it sort of became a drag. Although, I will admit, I have gone to a few rocking Halloween parties.
Writing about Halloween has set me to trying to remember the various costumes I've had over the years. Hmmm. I know when I was a kid, I "went" as various princesses and fairies and the like. One year, I was a Genie (as in "I Dream of Jeannie",
not the big blue thing from the Disney movie "Aladdin" (which didn't even exist then, anyway).
I think I was likely a cat once, or a mouse. One year, lacking creative skills, I wore my Girl Scout uniform and went as, guess what? That was in 6th grade when we were living in Kentucky. I think just being in that state sapped my mental abilities.
As I grew older and into high school, it became quite important to go as something "cute". Sexy wasn't allowed, but cute was. So, one year I went as a little girl. Boy, I thought I was something.
Another year, I dressed up as Ace Freely (from Kiss) and, along with three other people, we went as, well, duh, Kiss! That was fun; I still remember my mom wrapping my boots in tin foil.
One year during college, my friend Peri had a costume party. This was the year that the movie "Mommie Dearest" (a rag on Joan Crawford's maternal abilities) came out. So, I dressed up in a 40s suit, pulled my (then very long hair) up into a very severe bun, slathered on a lot of heavy make-up and smeared bright red lip stick haphazardly around my mouth. I carried a baby doll in one hand and a wire coat hanger in the other and walked around the party beating the doll with it shrieking (in my best Joan Crawford/Faye Dunaway imitation), "No more wire hangers EVER!"
Another year, my ex husband and I plus two other girlfriends of mine dressed up like punk rockers and went to a party. Us three girls spent the entire night following him around, fawning sex slave/groupie attitudes. He ate it up, until some drunk guy told him he looked "queer". That ended our attendance at that party.
The last costume that I remember was going as Julia Roberts' character from "Pretty Woman" while my ex dressed up in a business suit and went as a lawyer. That was pretty funny.
Like I said, I don't really like Halloween and it's been ages since I've dressed up. But, if I ever did again, I'd want to go as Queen Elizabeth I.
Do y'all remember any of your costumes? Which was your favorite? I bet there will be a lot of Sarah Palin costumers at parties this year, or pigs with lip stick on, or Obama, or McCain. I hope, though, that people will figure out something a bit more original!
Mrs. B

3 comments:

Margot said...

When I was 12 I wore my mother's (old) long purple taffeta slip that she'd worn under long party dresses in the 30s, & 40s. A long necklace that she'd worn w/flapper clothes in the 20ies. (We never threw anything out!) Over my shoulders I wore a fox fur that one of our neighbors had pitched when she remodeled a winter coat. Lipstick & rouge (blush), of course, & I felt terribly elegant.

Jon said...

My favorite costume of all time was Davey Crockett. I wore that one multiple years. What is even better, Mom sewed the costume herself. Better memories and more nostalgia because it wasn't bought in the store.

Actually, I don't remember any store bought costumes (if there were any).

My least favorite costume was my last time trick-or-treating. I was 12 or 13 and wanted to be a "misplaced space alien that didn't quite get American fashion." Hard to imagine, I know, but my goal was funky clothes, strange hair, and weird make-up. After letting Mom apply lots of make-up, I ended up looking like Raggedy Andy.

I do remember Amy and Kathy as Kiss (Ace & Paul?). I thought it was very clever.

Mrs. B said...

I remember the Davey Crockett costume well!

BTW, Kathy was not part of the Kiss gang. It was me, Glenn as Peter Criss (of course), some guy named Dale as Gene Simmons and Rod Romo as Paul Stanley. I was in heaven!