hallowe'ening


I've always been a wee bit too fond of the dressing up- I have fond memories from childhood of reading around the house decked out in a Prince Caspian costume, or trying out a thifted ascot and blazer for a riding lesson (somewhat oblivious to the sweatshirts and rubber boots of the other kids), while wincing slightly at memories of the 5th grade sweater-vest debacle (when my  school uniform fetish led several times to my arriving at school in the exact same red sweater-vest and plaid tie as my male teacher...oh dear...I was so inspired by the preppy plaids in my sister's Seventeen magazine!) ).

So yes, Halloween is a time of flurry and excitement as I chase down some costume element that I've decided I can whip up in my down time.  This usually means some form of crazed all-nighter near the end .

This year we were invited to a fairy-tale murder mystery party, and I thought it would be fun to put together a Rapunzel costume, with a super long hair piece as the main feature.  I've had a lot of fun putting together an image based on the illustrations of Aubrey Beardsley- when I was a kid it seemed like a lot of the fairy tale illustrations looked (rightly) to period 18th-century costumes for setting, though I can't seem to find many examples of it now!  I love the whimsical grotesque of his late-19th-century deco sensibility, and er...my costume aspires more to the whimsical side than the grotesque!

There has also been a lot of interesting hair art recently- I picked up a few images for further inspiration.  The costume itself?  Well, yesterday was a last-minute rush to get to the party that involved some stapling and  strapping, but I will have to put it all together again for a family gathering to give out treats tonight so photos are pending!

Louis IXV, by Hyacinthe Rigaud,1701
Marisol studio, cul-de-sac hair wigs

Nick Cave Sound suits
Nick Cave sound suits

Miwa Yanagi, Rapunzel 2005

Dancer Maud Allen, 1908

Alice Anderson, Rapunzel 2001
Norma Shearer as Marie-Antoinette

unknown source
Whether the costume should attain the image in my head is well, uncertain, but I've certainly become more adept at braiding twenty-foot lengths of wool recently...!

Comments

  1. Fun post! Norma Shearer looks fabulous. Also, love the Beardsley illustrations. I've got a book of his art, and it's fun to page through. Hard to believe that it's from the late 1800's. He can be a bit risque, to put it mildly.

    Look forward to seeing photos of you in your Rapunzel costume!

    Happy Halloween

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