Behind the (Many) Mask(s)

I won't really be Halloweening it this year, or even dressing up, because, once again, I'll be en route to New Jersey, this time for my sister's birthday party. I've been on the go so much lately, I haven't had much time to think of a costume, anyway. (I did hear a rumor that there would be face painting at the party, though!)

But I think the drive will give me plenty of time to plan next year's costume. In the meantime, here is a list of my most memorable costumes... sadly, I only have a few photos. Such is the way of the pre-digital camera world. Or the I-was-partying-so-I-forgot-photos world. Or the I-was-partying-so-I-deleted-those-photos world.

1. The Queen of Hearts costume I mentioned on Becky's blog.

2. At 11, I took a cardboard box, a sheet, and some aluminum foil and turned my best friend into a pack of Bubble-Yum. I have no idea what my costume was, but I've always remembered hers.

3. Cruella de Vil, just before the news came out of the live-action version of 101 Dalmations. That costume was fabulous: a white fur coat (from a thrift store, I promise), a red silk purse, a slinky black dress, the perfect wig, and a cigarette holder to top it all off.


4. I turned myself into Daphne and my mother into Velma in 2000, two years before the Scooby-Doo movie (again with the uncanny cinematic timing), for my mom's Halloween birthday party about 8 years ago.

I was sewing that costume, which you can't even see in this photo, on the airplane from Philly to Reno, much to the amusement of my fellow passengers. But I was even prouder of my mom's costume -- those glasses are the perfect touch, no?


5. In 2003, I made a mask out of cardboard, paint, sequins and ribbons. Didn't really fit my face, but doesn't that just make it more mysterious? (Please say yes.) It hangs in my studio to this day.

And, to tell the truth, that blue cloak ends up as an element of my costumes on a regular basis.



6. And for years, I was Annie at every opportunity... Halloween, school photos, random Annie-ish occasions, so I could remind the sun to come out tomorrow.


7. And then I morphed into Laura Ingalls...

8. Actually... yeah... who needs Halloween?

My 12th birthday party.


Me in a production of The Pied Piper my cousins and I put on at my grandma's house.



I look like my Dad, don't I?



Many years in the Society for Creative Anachronism left me with a great wardrobe.

Which I continue to find reasons to wear.


How do I look as a blond? Me and some of my coworkers on Official Wear-a-Wig-to-Work day. Okay, so it's not a national holiday yet. It will be soon.


And if you don't have a wig, just improvise.



Oh, wait, this isn't really a costume, per se, but a uniform. I wore this to march in a parade at Disneyland and perform on the field at Angel Stadium during halftime of a USC game. Then I quit the band and joined crew instead. Where we also got cool clothes, but no flag.

Whatever you're wearing, I hope you have a very happy Halloween!