The Art of Halloween
Sometime around mid July is when my Halloween preparations begin.
Sure, you can go ahead and call me ludicrous if you want, but anyone who truly knows Halloween understands that it is not just a holiday- it is an art form. And as with any form of art, time and extensive preparation are very much necessary in order for it be perfected.
Time and preparation for what you ask?
Well the parties, the carving of the pumpkins, the purchasing of candy, but most importantly the costumes.
Oh yes, the costumes. What would halloween be without them?
A mere shadow of a holiday, that’s what.
Usually by August, I’ve got the idea for my costume down and construction is well underway.
However, this year, I am having a little bit of trouble.
You see my costumes do not come in the form of a slutty nurse or cat. My costumes are intricate and well thought out. They have to be relevant, clever and most importantly “un-basic-b*tch-like.” For me, dressing up is a daily thing. So, on Halloween, I have to go a step further. Need I mention 2012, when I was sixth grader and wore a silicon shower curtain, blonde wig, and a lobster on my head that was fully constructed from tin foil and wire in order to be Lady Gaga.
My ideas are written down one by one as a list and I cross each one off before eventually finding the winner. However, this year, there is no list. Not one idea worth sharing has come to my mind.
Why you ask?
Well for starters, according to my mother, my AP world class is more important than planning my Halloween in September blah blah blah.
But my mother is the biggest hypocrite because she is an even larger proponent of Halloween I am! Her planning begins in May for godssakes! Shall I bring up Halloween ‘08, when she wore a baby-blue suit, splattered herself in (fake) blood, then proceeded to glue 17 plastic crows to herself in order to be Tippi Hedren from Alfred Hichcock’s movie “The Birds”? How about ‘09 when, still sticking with the Hichcock theme, she wore nothing but a nude colored bodysuit and wrapped herself in a bloody shower curtain, insisting that my dad wear a granny-like night gown for them to literally dress up (and continue to embarrassingly imitate over and over again throughout the night) as the famous scene from “Psycho” ?
But I must say the most memorable costume of my mothers was that of last year, when she, a woman of a certain age that I cannot reveal in fear of her killing me, proceeded to go out in a handmade (as all her costumes are) exact replica of Miley Cyrus’s VMA get up- foam finger and all.
I hate to say it but she puts my costumes to shame.
However, the fact she is discouraging my Halloween preparations is very unlike her and frankly aggravating.
Another reason why I may be drawing blanks could be stemmed from the recent lack of interesting pop-culture.
No big movie franchises to draw inspiration from. No celebrity meltdowns to imitate. Nothing.
So what’s a girl to do?
Well, because my family is full of Halloween enthusiasts such as myself, we have an unlimited amount of costume props (of which include crazy sunglasses, masks, and tutus) lying around our house.
So, rather than be stuck brainstorming ideas, I decided to quite literally throw myself into the Halloween spirit by trying on these props everyday before I ultimately came up with an idea.
Upon doing this, I pulled out a pair of funky sunglasses (from God knows where) and followed them up a faux fur skirt. Next thing I knew, I had on an electric blue button down, knee high socks, and was out the door to school.
While I failed to find a costume, I did come across a pretty fun outfit for the day.
But that doesn’t mean I wont eventually be ready when October 31st comes rolling around.
I just need to focus more on Halloween and less on AP World…
Until next time xx
Courtney
