Sunday, October 18, 2009
Life, In this Issue..., Style
GHOULISH GUIDE: Haunt couture
We’ve got you covered for Halloween
Spark St. Jude
The ultimate local tie-in for a costume? Kim Zolciak!
By Alison Abbey
Finding the perfect Halloween costume can be downright scary.
Whether your haunted holiday plans include an evening at a swanky club where the Halloween-themed drinks are richer than Brach’s candy corn, or you intend to spend Beggar’s Night the traditional way—playing beer pong in your “This Is My Costume” T-shirt, natch—it’s always important to weigh the pros and cons of Halloween couture. Mixed-up masqueraders find themselves faced with a few perennial costume-selecting conundrums: Traditional vs. topical? Cost vs. aesthetic? Scary vs. skanky?
Finding the correct answers to these burning questions guarantees a ghoulishly good time. And since it’s become more than just a holiday about dressing up and being scary—it is, after all, a night that will forever be immortalized on Facebook, and, if done correctly, determines your default photo for at least a week or two—All Hallows Eve is not a night to leave in the hands of fate. Some careful planning is all you need to ensure an evening of treats instead of tricks. (Unless tricks are your thing.)
TRADITIONAL VS. TOPICAL:
TO BE OR NOT TO BE KIM FROM “THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF ATLANTA”
Land-lubbing Halloweeners wondering if they should dress like a conventional pirate or go for Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow in “Pirates of the Caribbean” aren’t alone. Deciding between a traditional costume and a topical one can be daunting. Selecting a topical costume dates your photographs (and your memories), but picking a traditional costume often leads to confusion amongst pop-culture obsessed partygoers. (There’s nothing more embarrassing than dressing like a jort-wearing country girl, only to be accused of showing up as Jessica Simpson’s version of Daisy Duke.)
“We are already hearing a lot of requests for pieces that can be used to dress up as movie characters and celebs,” says Lauren Goodburn, area manager for L5P’s Rag-O-Rama (www.ragorama.com). “I am betting we’ll see a lot of ‘Alan’ from ‘The Hangover’ and Lady Gaga this year.”
Buckhead’s Spirit Halloween (www.spirithalloween.com) store manager Allison Altman sees cinematic influences on a daily basis. “People come in and say, ‘I saw this, can you help me make it?’” she says. “We can. And if we don’t have that [pre-packaged] costume, we can find something to help you get there.”
While she points to a couple looking to dress as characters from “Saw” as some of the most creative shoppers, she also notes that the Midnight Romeo wig (read: the hair of “Twilight”’s Edward Cullen) is currently sold out.
And if topical isn’t your thing, there’s still hope. “We have a lot of customers wanting to dress up in the style of a particular decade,” adds Goodburn. “A flapper from the Roaring ’20s, a ’50s housewife, a ’70s hippie, ’80s new wave or a grunger from the ’90s.”
COST VS. AESTHETIC: MY GLOVES DON’T COST A THING
Everyone wants to show up in the hottest, flashiest costume, but not everyone can afford to spend three months’ salary on one night of masked mischief. Most costume shops understand this plight and offer many economically friendly options to help you find a costume that looks like a million bucks but costs quite a bit less.
One way to do this is to buy quality pieces that will last. “The one thing that customers seem to be concerned with more than ever is how economical they can be while still pulling off a great costume,” says Goodburn. “Customers are looking for pieces they will hold on to for later years, or ones they can incorporate into their regular wardrobe.”
Another option is to build on pieces you already have at home. “Some people already have part of a costume or just need accessories,” says Costumes, Etc. (www.costumes-etc.com) owner Jane Powell. “In this economy, everybody’s got a budget. We try to make it so they can come in and find pieces they can use with what they already own. Maybe you only need a wig to be Jessica Rabbit or Betty Boop. Maybe you only need a few accessories to be that character you want to be. You can keep your options open.”
SCARY VS. SKANKY: THE BATTLE
OF THE SEXES
As with so many things, the age-old Scary vs. Skanky question comes down
to gender.
“Our masks are popular with guys,” says Spirit Halloween’s Altman. “They usually want something more scary. The girls are usually looking for Leg Avenue.”
Leg Avenue, depending on whom you ask, is either the downfall of Halloween costumes or everything that’s right with them. A collection of sexy ensembles in a bag, the Leg Avenue costume series launched in 1999, and has since produced such best sellers as Dirty Deputy, Sexy Spartan and Sponge Babe.
But not all sexy costumes come pre-packaged. “Our sexier costumes for women are always at the top of the list,” says Goodburn. “They make the ladies look and feel great.”
For Costumes, Etc.’s Powell, it’s all about personal preference. “We have sexy, but also moderately sexy and not sexy at all,” she says. “You’ve got to have options for everybody. You just want people to feel good in whatever it is that they’re wearing.”
SPVAMP IT UP
Roy Wooly, makeup artist behind those murderous monsters at Netherworld Haunted House (www.fearworld.com), offers a few trick-or-treat-worthy tips for becoming a vampire—without getting bitten by one!
1
The skin should be pale, not blinding white, just a light even coat of grease paint that is lightly powdered to set. Don’t forget to do the back of your hands or any other flesh that is showing.
2
The eyes need to be outlined with either an eyeliner pencil or more greasepaint using a brush. Use the makeup to give the eyes a hollowed-out look by following the eye socket, then take a brush or makeup sponge to blend the edges. Don’t make it too dark or you will look like a raccoon. You should also hollow your cheeks using the same technique as the eyes.
3
Your lips can either be a pale pink, slightly bluish, or blood red, depending on your vampire type.
4
The most important part to any vampire is fangs. You can almost go without makeup if you have a good set of fangs and some blood. The cheap drugstore style can work in a pinch, but I would suggest tooth caps such as “Scarecrow” brand sold at costume shops.
5
Now my favorite part: the blood. It can be a trickle or you can cover yourself, depending on if you’re a nice vampire or a ferocious one. Corn syrup and food coloring is a good, fast way to make blood that is safe for the mouth. Another really neat look is to use food-coloring paste. Put a little on your tongue, and let the fun begin.