Halloween 2014 | WhyDid.com

Why Did You Wear That: The Odd Couple (Costume)

By admin|October 31st, 2014|Personal Style, Why Did You Wear That?|

As I mentioned, Halloween can be a bit like New Year’s Eve. Many people get very into their costumery and a lot of those people happen to be couples. Being someone who normally loves a theme, I can’t explicitly identify why I’m less than enthusiastic about this year’s Hallow’s Eve, but I am. Rather than race around gathering the ingredients for the world’s most clever costume, I’ve, instead, assembled items I already own and have let them begin to take on a lives of their own. I’m calling it, “interpretive dressing.” When people ask me what I’m going to “be” (and they ask a lot), I simply shrug and let them know that remains to be seen.

But, back to those poor fellows being forced into theme in order to appease their lady beloveds. A guy friend of mine, was informed that not only would he be hosting a Halloween soiree, he’d need a costume. I suggested he go as a wrecking ball and his girlfriend could be Miley Cyrus. When he vetoed that, my next suggestion was to go rogue and dress up as a bumper car so as to take out his aggression as party proprietor.

The best $8 dollars I ever spent was during a recent trip to Home Goods with a friend of mine. We were on the search for a throw pillow or a tissue holder or some other household item that you never knew you needed (and probably don’t), but when I stumbled upon a Smitty sized turtle costume, mission was temporarily aborted and costume was acquired. Not long after at a French themed dinner party with my girlfriends, I told them of my purchase and one exclaimed, “Please tell me you’re going as a rabbit!” I hadn’t thought about it, but once she said it, I thought it was a pretty solid suggestion. Oh… except for one thing… Smitty is a dog. Sure, it would make for cute photos (who the hell is going to take them?), but upon exiting my home, I’d just be some chick in a bunny costume. Truth be told, I’ve brought out stranger “props” than a living animal and if I would ever get around to registering Smit as a service dog this would be a non-issue. But alas, my little turtle must stay in his shell. It’s entirely possible that dressing your dog is the new “cat lady,” but offering him a peanut butter chewbone in return for his services seems like a bargain compared to dealing with a human beau. (Several reasons why here). And honestly, is dressing your dog any worse than dressing your boyfriend in a coordinating denim ensemble?

Oh, and if you’re looking to make your own ears, check out my DIY here.

xx,

WhyDid

Photos by Michael Stiegler

Setting the Mood: The Hunt for Halloween

By admin|October 28th, 2014|Setting the Mood|

As I sit here sorting out the sordid details for this upcoming Friday with friends amidst racking my brain for costume ideas that will prevent me from running around the city like a true life Halloween nightmare come Friday afternoon, it occurs to me that I have a real love/hate relationship with this so called “holiday.” While I love any excuse to dress up, craft a costume, and execute a theme, I loathe the overall emphasis placed on one sole evening. The sheer amount of pressure put upon crafting a costume that’s sexy but not slutty, creative but not crass, timeless but not trite can be downright daunting. Not to mention that the past several years for me have been the equivalent to not having a midnight kiss on New Year’s Eve (something I’m also all too familiar with). Last year, instead of spending the morning doing squats in anticipation of squeezing myself into spandex, I had a rather disruptive row with my then beau, but I probably did burn a few calories dodging inanimate objects and the crying left me looking like the walking dead. The year before that I had gotten dressed and even made it out the door before deciding to ditch after having spent twenty minutes in the unseasonable cold trying to catch a cab. And the year prior, I doused myself in fake blood to freak out the four trick or treaters who actually bothered to show up at our Silicon Valley doorstep. That’s why this year, rather than gunning for the blue ribbon for best in show, I’ll relegate the heavy lifting to creative accessories because heaven knows I own enough leotards, legwear, and lofty ideas to do just that. So, if you, too, are looking to avoid dropping dough on costumery crafted from potentially flammable fabric, try accenting something simple with bold accessories in the form of headbands, hats, or handbags. You could always make your very own lace bunny/cat/mouse ears (DIY tutorial here).