Let's Play Dress Up!

The Book Tarts are delighted that one of our favorite guests is back today. Hank Ryan has a special offer for our commentators: Her team of accountants will choose the winners of her Charlie McNally totes. Stay tuned Monday when she'll announce your names in the comments section.  

Let's Play Dress Up!

By Hank Phillippi Ryan

All I wanted to be was a princess. A princess with one of those tall pointy hats, and with a long beautiful scarf floating from the tip. And maybe, a beautiful pink dress, floaty and gorgeous, just like in Cinderella but without the mice.

Luckily, I was about 6, and it was Halloween, and my mother had a wonderful imagination. She was not the best seamstress, but then my standards at the time were not that high.

So I remember she took a sheet of stiff silver poster paper, twisted it into a cone, then stapled it into place.  Then she unfolded a package of cheesecloth to the thinnest level, and poked that through the hole so it floated out of the top.  Somehow, she created a little rubber strap to put under my chin to hold the whole thing on my head.

For my dress, she got a thin pink shower curtain—you know the kind that was a little bit shiny, kind of with fish scales? She pulled it out of the box, then using the grommeted holes into two corners, threaded a pink ribbon through to make a cape.

She wrapped the shower curtain around my shoulders, and tied the ribbon so it would stay in place.   I remember the moment she placed that glorious princess hat on my head, the gorgeous “scarf” billowing out behind.

Who even needed to go trick or treating---it was such a treat just to wear that outfit. I still, deeply, remember how in love with it I was. (Of course I still hit the neighborhood for candy.  Not gonna turn down those candy bars that came in four sections, remember? One fudge, and one caramel, and one, ah, anyone remember? And what were those called? I loved Neccos and Pez and Pixy Stix, which I think were just colored sugar that you could apply directly to your teeth.)

Nowadays, a mom would not tie a ribbon around her daughter’s neck: you could CHOKE to death. The cheesecloth is flammable, no doubt, AND COULD CATCH FIRE on someone’s cigarette. And you could trip on the shower curtain and BREAK SOMETHING.  

Anyway, Halloween is coming again, and I’m considering a princess outfit.  There’s a huge Halloween party in a neighborhood near us, and it includes being able to sing with a real band, Three years ago, two other women and I sang “Don’t Hang Up” by the Orlons, and dressed accordingly in girl-group outfits.  Boas and sequins.  Lots of hairspray. 

Two years ago, my husband and I decided we wanted to match, so we were Mr. and Mrs. Ark:  Joan (of Arc), and Noah.  I thought it was hilarious, but I can’t tell you how many people were baffled.   

Last year, I was so busy with the books that I didn’t have time to come up with something new. So I wore my same Joan of Arc outfit but added a different flag to the fleur de lis banner, then added a bandana and a cowboy hat and went as Joan of Arkansas. Jonathan was Noah of Arkansas, but that’s not as funny. Or, maybe, it’s funnier.

(I’m in sometimes in disguise on non-Halloween nights in my job as an investigative reporter.  No boas or pointy hats, though. And Charlotte McNally spends many pages of my new mystery AIR TIME undercover, too—sneaking in to suburban “purse parties” and into off-limits places in the airport to track down counterfeit designer purses. As you might have realized from my article in the new Mystery Scene Magazine:  been there, done that.)

But Halloween is just around the corner . . . and we’re all undercover that night! What are you going to be? Or what’s your favorite costume memory?

****

Award-winning investigative reporter  Hank Phillippi Ryan is currently on the air at Boston's NBC affiliate. Along with her 26 EMMYs, Hank’s won also won dozens of other journalism honors.  
Hank's newest in the series is AIR TIME (MIRA Sept. 2009).  Her website is http://www.HankPhillippiRyan.com

Comments

[Gayle Carline]

Oh, golly! I remember a princess costume in my Halloween history. I think it came from my aunt, who was a really good seamstress. It was blue and gossamer, with a pointy hat and lots of scarves. I don't remember how old I was, except that I knocked a tooth out that day, biting down on a Tootsie Pop, and was afraid I was going to bleed on the costume.

My favorite costume, tho, was when my aunt made me a horse costume. I wish I could insert a picture here, but I don't think comments allow it. It was the best - evah. My aunt should've gotten an award.

Gayle
http://gaylecarline.blogspot.com

[Kerry]

Always the tomboy, I never had aspirations to princess-hood. My all-time favorite Halloween costume was a cowboy outfit that featured a genuine bolo tie dug out of a box of items belonging to my mysterious Uncle Jack.

The romance of the costume was due in equal measure to it being the first time I was allowed to dress up "as a boy", its homage to the Lone Ranger, and to its ties to the uncle whom I had seen but once in my life, but whose box of mementos included not only the aforementioned bolo tie, but genuine conch shells from some unknown Pacific Island. The fact that no one ever spoke of Uncle Jack, or seemed to know where he was or what he did, only added to the magic and mystery.

Of course, the candy haul was even better. I was lucky in having sisters whose taste in candy was sufficiently different from my own that I could get rid of all those horrid soft orange-y peanut things in exchange for SweeTarts. A good deal all around.

[PhillySue]

Hank, those candy bars are Sky Bars and they still make them!

[hollygee]

I was an Asian lady (unspecified country) with a Chinese robe, a black crepe paper wig with knitting needles and flowers stuck in it and my flipflops nailed to plywood with two blocks to create Japanese footwear (I think I had real tabi).
As an adult, my favorite 'costume' was a painted third eye in the middle of my forehead. Same color iris as my own, a white spot of highlight for verisimilitude. It was startling. People didn't know where to look.

[Karen in Ohio]

Sky Bars, that's it! And didn't one section have marshmallow in it, and maybe another had nougat? Kerry, wasn't the Lone Ranger the best?

Halloween is my favorite; we have way more orange and black decorations than red and green ones, and we have a Halloween party about every two years, including this year. I've been deep into the planning now for the last three weeks. The last two times I served black pasta, orange pepper soup, and "mouldy bones" (refrigerator biscuits pulled into bone shapes) for supper, and we had black vodka cocktails. Awesome. This year I have found some chocolate wine (Mary!).

My sister and I used to dress our little brothers, usually as girls, and haul them around the neighborhood. I made a "wig" out of our mom's nylons tied to a headband. They still haven't forgiven us.

Some of my favorite costumes for myself: Charlie Chaplin, Karina the Gypsy wench, Fay Wray (to hubby's Great White Hunter, complete with pith helmets and safari jackets), and for my daughter one year I made her a Crayola crayon (long before they had the pattern in the fabric stores). My husband and I have together been a witch and a werewolf, Snow White and Dopey (he was way too convincing), and pirates. This year we will be cowpersons, mostly so I can show off my go-to-hell cowgirl boots.

Snow White is the closest I've gotten to being a princess myself, although my daughters were fairy princesses many times, since I had made a pair of wings. I also made one of them a stop sign costume (very cute, she was three), and one a Laura Ingalls Wilder apron and bonnet to go over her Christmas dress that had an eyelet petticoat.

Yeah, we live for Halloween here. Just a bunch of closet actors, I guess!

[Kathy Sweeney]

Hank! How great to see you here and may I say to all TLC readers - those bags are fantastic!! (In case you don't win one here, you can get one when you buy Hank's books at Mystery Lovers Bookshop).

Best Costume: I was our high school mascot. We were the Indians (before anyone decided that was more offensive than other meaningless team names.) One of my aunts was a seamstress and a favorite teacher was an artist. Since the official costume was made of heavy leather, it was great for football but not for any indoor sports. My aunt made me an outfit out of a light suede and the art teacher painted it. I was so sick of that thing I thought I'd never want to see it again, but it was the best costume for college Halloween parties.

[JodiL]

The Lone Ranger was the best. I actually hired him to come for a charity event I hosted years ago called WildWestFest. He, Clayton Moore, lived and breathed the character. And he told some fabulous stories about Tonto, Jay Silverheels, and kept the kids enthralled. He even had a one-on-one, kindred spirit conversation with the leader of the Hell's Angels who came to our event since the group was in town anyway. Don't ask! It's complicated but it worked. Just so you know the silver bullets, and they were really silver, in his holster were glued in cuz people kept trying to swipe 'em at his appearances

[Karen in Ohio]

Jodi, now I'm green with envy! I had such a crush on the Lone Ranger and Hopalong Cassidy (who my mother took me to see when I was about four).

Moore was quite a character, and he tried to never be seen without his mask, apparently. Love that.

[Pam aka SisterZip]

The Halloween after Dear Hubby & I got married we had a costume party. I was a box of birth control pills (Baby-B-Gone) and he was "Samuri Gynocologist". I took a sheet and made the robe. He made the shiny light thingy that old time doctors wore on their foreheads and a samuri sword. He also wore a stethoscope and carried a thing that looked like the torture instrument that the gyn uses for your yearly visit. Absolutely horrifying, gross, and totally vulgar by almost anyone's standards...but absolutely hilarious. Hey, we were in our early twenties.

[Glenda]

Hank what a great blog! Made me stop and think about how much I used to love going out trick or treating in my old neighborhood. I really can't remember any costumes except one that my mom had made for my sister when she was a mouse in a school play. My mom was an awesome seamstress and for years made all of my sister and my clothes so the mouse costume was very well done. I remember in particular that she'd made the tail using a wire coat hanger she'd threaded into a narrow "tube" out of the same brown (or was it gray?) cloth as the rest of the outfit and it was made jump suit style. This was over (WELL over) 50 years ago.
Thanks for jogging these memories!
Glenda

[Shannon]

We made our costumes every year and the one I remember the most is the year we somehow ended up with a bridal veil. My mom turned me in to the Bride of Frankenstein and my brother in to my faithful servant, Igor.

[Rita Scott]

When Zack was little Danyelle put him in a green hoodie & sweat pants, then safety pinned about 50 purple balloons to it. He was a cute bunch of grapes!
Lucky, my hubby wasn't a big guy and was thin in his motorcycle days. I can wear his black leather pants & jacket, do gray make-up w/ red eye liner and can be a haunted biker chick!

[Pam aka SisterZip]

I'd probably have to go as the Pilsbury Dough Boy these days, lol.

[storyteller Mary]

I love the Joan of Arkansas concept -- clever! Haven't dressed up in a while, but maybe this year.
Off to Camp Tuckaho to tell stories now!! (made it safely to and from Sullivan Elem. in Thursday evening's nonstop rain ;-)

[Darlene]

I too, was a tomboy, no princess get-ups for me. And the munchkin always preferred spookier costumes. Her favorite was three years ago when she was a mummy. I tore a white sheet into two inch strips and used a combination of tape, safety pins and needle and thread to wrap her from head to foot. Nobody warned me how hard it would be to unwind her at the end of the night!

[margaret]

Hi, Hank--

When I used to watch you on tv in Atlanta, I wanted to be you. So after college I earned a graduate degree in journalism (Radio-TV-Film.) But then I became a novelist. Now you're a novelist, too--does that mean you also wanted to be me? Hmmm.

(Now I live within the Boston ADI so I can still watch you on tv!)

My most successful dress-up effort came in the 80's when I went to a Halloween party as Cindy Lauper. (I look nothing like her.) I spray painted my hair a funky colour and threw together a very bright and weirdly haphazard outfit. I fashioned a side-of-my-head ponytail and threaded it through a 45 rpm vinyl record.

Everyone was very impressed. I didn't win the prize (it went to the hostess, which I thought was sort of unfair).

My early success proved inhibiting.

This year--maybe Lady Gaga? I'm just not sure my peeps even know who she is, though.

[Harley]

Hank, this is so weird: for DECADES I didn't care one whit about Halloween. Then I had kids and was forced to put some time and energy into it. Then . . . I dunno, I think someone put a spell on me.

Because I now have 2 storage closets devoted to Halloween decorations (which go up in September) and I'm slowly developing my witch costume, which I intend to wear every single year until I'm 6 feet under. Right now it's kind of ratty, but in 10 years I'm going to be fabulous!

[Peg H]

For thirty six years I've dressed up to hand out treats. The Elvira costume has morphed from Elvira, to vampire, to witch, back to Elvira, and to witch so many times that this year I went a whole new direction. I bought a Ghost Gal costume from Spirit Halloween online. I love it!

[Elaine Viets]

Hank, I love dress up. Don hates it. I wore my vampire teeth one year and poured fake blood on a white T-shirt. Don went as lunch.

[SusanB]

My favorite costume was a belly dancer costume that I wore a few times, the last one as a senior in HS. It was probably obnoxious to go trick or treating as a high school student, but we didn't know that at the time. And in our defense: we did dress up (ever get those older trick or treaters who didn't even bother to put on a costume), we didn't vandalize anyone, and our parents knew where we were (stayed in my neighborhood). A couple of adults asked if we weren't a bit old for trick or treating. I told them we were "regaining our youth"! (Senior HS year is a big, adult, scary year while you're in it - college decisions, leaving home, etc.) Ah, looking back, I don't whether to be embarassed or proud. I think I'm going to try for proud.

And one of those guys that trick or treated with me for the first time that year....I'm still to married to him today, 19 years later. He still fondly reminisces about the belly dancer costume sometimes. Apparently I was a hottie! If only I'd known at the time to enjoy it.

[Lynn]

The Mummy's Nurse. dressed up as a nurse, with a teddy bear wrapped up as a mummy.

[Laura (in PA)]

I'm not a big Halloween person, though I loved dressing up my daughter when she was little. We live in a development, so we get a lot of urchins at the door - I enjoy that too - they're so cute.

My daughter was a princess one year, though it was when I was a single Mom and poor. So I got a little sequin tiara and star wand at the dollar store, and put one of my nightshirts on her - it was purple satin, and she thought she was all that. I think she was about 3. Another year my sister's friend loaned me a costume for her, and it was my most favorite ever. A rag doll costume, with a multi-colored yarn wig, a dress and pinafore, and red and white striped stockings with black mary janes. I put a little triangle on her nose with lipstick, and big eyelashes with eyeliner.

My sweet tooth and I still love the candy that comes with Halloween. My daughter's too old to go out anymore, but luckily the people at work bring in their leftovers. :)

[Avis]

Skybars - fudge, marshmallow, caramel, and peanut butter! My favorite. I used to break the four sections apart, and eat them in order, least to most favorite (the above order).

The only Halloween costume I specifically remember (probably because I've seen pictures of it) was when I dressed up as a boy, put on a baseball cap backward, and my mom did freckles, missing teeth, and a very black eye with makeup.

[storyteller Mary]

Oh, Lynn, I love the Mummy's Nurse! Too clever. I did the princess or gypsy thing many years, but my last year of trick or treating, my Aunt Yoko loaned me a real kimono to wear. Now that I know how expensive they are, I'm amazed that she did so -- but I was very careful with it, and it made a memorable "last year."
For one Halloween party, a friend asked for help (cross)dressing for the occasion. He turned out so pretty that no one suspected until he asked me to sit on his lap . . .
Storytelling at Camp Tuckaho went well, and it was beautiful there!

[Pam aka SisterZip]

I would always sew my daughter's costumes. When she was a baby, she was a mouse. As she grew up she was: Dorothy (with my sister, my niece and me as the others), Charlie Chaplin, and a bum. One year she decided that she & the 8 kids (all between the ages of 12 & 9)in the neighborhood would be Cruella de Ville & the dalmation pups. One mom took while sweatsuits & painted spots on them. She took white knit caps and sewed felt ears on. They had their faces painted & had cute tails. My daughter was Cruella. We scoured the Goodwill & Salvation Army for anything that would work. We found two fake fur car coats and made the full length fur coat. We found the black dress, red shoes, and even a cigarette holder. We fixed up a fake b/w wig (because I waited too long to find one at the Halloween stores). Al 5 sets of parents walked with the kids. We had a Radio Flyer red wagon with a beer cooler (filled to the max with soda & beer.) and bags of candy to give out as we went. I think that was the most fun we had ever.

[Michelle]

Funny, I was just wandering waaay back in time to costumes as a kid. I grew up on the Prairies in Canada, and Halloween could be a balmy evening, or really damn cold with snow. My Mom is very creative so she would work our winter snow clothes into the costume for those frosty Halloweens. My most memorable (and may have been my favourite as a kid, I think I remember really enjoying it) was a skunk. My one piece snowsuit that year was black. So Mom sewed ears on the hood, painted whiskers and a nose on my face, and then made this fabulous skunk tail out of a tail-shaped piece of cardboard so it would stand up on its own, and then covered it with black fabric with a white stripe, and put this fabulous fringe all over it so it looked like a fluffy skunk tail. I don't remember anyone's response to it, but I'm pretty sure I loved it. I was probably 5 or 6 at the time, and I'm 41 now, and I think that tail is still tucked away in my Mom's sewing room. I'm going home for a visit next week. I'll have to check. Maybe I don't have to think that hard about a Halloween costume after all.

[Hank Phillippi Ryan]

Wait--was this up today??I thought--tomorrow! Yikes..you all are HILARIOUS, anyway, and I'm so sorry I just got here.

Going back to read everything again..but Elaine? Don was: Lunch? Lunch?

Keeping the tote contest open through tomorrow. Puh-leeze.

[Hank Phillippi Ryan]

Gayle, I really do want to see the horse costume. Are you sure no one has a photo?
And Michelle..yes, go back and see what's up with the skunk outfit. And post a picture.

[Hank Phillippi Ryan]

Pam---you all are killing me here! Photos, photos! The 101 Dalmations array must have been a real showstopper.

Jodi--the actual real Lone Ranger? That's amazing.

HiI Kathy--glad you love the bags. Love love love to all at MLB. Who is coming to Bouchercon?

Okay--I'm off to let people know the blog is up...sigh.

[Hank Phillippi Ryan]

Margaret, we need to talk. The hostess winning the prize at her own party is just--tacky. So we need to let that go. I'm sure it made her happy, and that's nice.

And yes, definitely, I wanted to be you, too. How nicely this all turns out.. Should we be each
other this Halloween?

[Hank Phillippi Ryan]

Storyteller Mary--can you just tell me--what is Camp Tuckaho? I have an interesting reason for asking..
xo

[Hank Phillippi Ryan]

Okay, now it's SUnday, and I thought this was the day theblog woudl be up.

Hi everyone! I'll add another tote to the prize package--tell me more about your Halloween outfits! So--three winners!

Is tonight the "fall back" on the clocks night?

[jmartinlibrarian]

I remember being a hobo one year. My grandma made a really cute costume. I even had a bundle tied to the end of a stick. Sounds lame, but it was the best costume I ever had.

This year, I'm thinking about dressing up as a rock star. Maybe I'll be the 5th Beatle!

[JodiL]

Yep, Hank, the Real Lone Ranger. And yes, he was very careful about appearing in proper Lone Ranger attire and always adopted the persona in public. So protective of his Lone Ranger identity when in checking into his hotel for the event, he waited in the car while I did the paperwork so the hotel staff wouldn't see him out of character. They were so disappointed. But the voice was a dead giveaway when he was in civies.

[Karen in Ohio]

The year we were a witch and a werewolf was the only time we ever wore full face makeup (and maybe the last). My husband has a mustache so he's not easy to make up so that he's unrecognizable, but this time he was. However, his two good friends spotted him right away, from across the room, because of his walk! It didn't occur to either of us for him to get in character by walking differently.

Pam, I LOVE the 101 Dalmatians story! So creative your daughter is.

[William Simon]

Worn comfortable jeans, deck shoes, tropical shirt, sunglasses.... I'm going as Travis McGee this year....

[Lisa Richardson]

My mom took the easy (read smart here) way out and took old white sheets (we were army brats) and cut holes for eyes and all three of us went as ghosts for many a year! Yes, we tripped, dragged them in the mud, and generally made a mess, especially when the bottom of our paper bags tore open from dragging, lol. The best year was when my sister and I dressed our brother up as a woman, in high heels,nylons and a dress with full makeup. He was beautiful!! And he never let us do it again, but nobody knew who he was, and he swore to kill us if we told! He was prettier than us, darn it!

[Hank Phillippi Ryan]

Travis McGee, great idea! I once had a pal who went as Hunter S. Thompson--his costume was kind of the same. So may be next year, you could be Hunter!

[Vicki Lane]

Great post, Hank! Ah, the memories!

I still have the gypsy dress my grandmother made for me when I was five or six. Can that have been sixty years ago, alas! The skirt was strips of various bright fabrics and lots of rick rack. I adored it and wore it for several Halloweens.

And I had Elizabeth, my protagonist, make one just like it for her little daughter in one of my books.

[Hank Phillippi Ryan]

OH,Vicki, that's adorable. A twirly skirt is a great treasure.

I love answering the door for trick or treaters. And, forgive me, we give CANDY. This year, maybe Skybars!

[Laurie Moore]

We weren't allowed to go Trick-or-Treeting so there was no need for a costume. I'm envious of the kids in Pam's neighborhood. But I got to play "dress-up" while working undercover in law enforcement. You don't want to know...

[Hank Phillippi Ryan]

Well, Laurie, next time you go undercover, maybe the princess thing can work for you...! I wish I had my pointy hat for you.

[Lynn]

then there was the year my daughter wore her father's wedding outfit. Orange pants and a brown and orange paisley shirt. what can I say, we got married in the 70's.

[Hank Phillippi Ryan]

So, Lynn, who did your daughter say she was? Sonny? That guy on Mod Squad? Hey. It was cool at the time.

[laura]

Nowadays its not allowed to be HALLOWEEN, it's HARVEST FEST!!! That's what happened at my kids' school a few years ago. I kid you not! And heaven forbid a child wear a 'scary' outfit! I'm so glad my kids are now grown because I can't stand all of these new rules! I, for one, have so many wonderful Halloween memories I won't even begin to try to list them. And I still love to dress up. This year my fiance and I are going as German Bar Maids and if you could see Hans' huge german legs, you'd see why this is going to be fun!

[Pam aka SisterZip]

I'll have to dig through the 'picture box' and find that picture of the dalmation gang. The neighborhood loved it.

My daughter is very creative. Remind me sometime to tell you the story of her phone call to the police to say her husband had been brutally murdered. Yeah, a laugh a minute that child was,lol.

[Debby]

Sorry I am late....I was helping the marine corps league with their fundraiser on Saturday, and Sunday I was just zoning.

My favorite childhood costume was when my grandmother went to Hawaii and came home with a chinese silk outfit for me. I felt so exotic at six.

As a teenager, and no longer receiving but giving, I stole a pale blue flannel sheet from my brother, powdered my face and hands with baby powder (heavily due to complection), and then sat still on a chair outside the door. Kids thought I was just a figure until I moved to stand behind them. *shreik*

In my twenties, my dad bought me a grim reaper costume to wear at one of his friends parties. I didn't know anybody, so just stood there quietly. Until somebody poked me thinking that I was a statue! I actually won the scariest, and didn't do anything.

My niece has decided that her favorite for me is as the fairy godmother. I used a mideival costume, and she found me a crown and wand.

[Hank Phillippi Ryan]

WINNERS! Of a Charlotte McNAlly tote bag--OR a copy of PRIME TIME!

Just email me through my website
http://www.HankPhillippiRyan.com

and tell me Book or bag! And thank you so much for chatting..there were only supposed to be two prizes, but how can I resist? I just found out AIR TIME and FACE TIME are BOTH on the IMBA bestseller list! So we can all celebrate.

Jodi L
Karen in Ohio
Margaret
Pam AKA Sister Zip

[Leighann Garber]

When I was little, I went to a Christian school, and we weren't allowed to trick or treat. But we had "harvest parties". They had a theme each year, like things God created, or story book characters. One year I was a tree...Mom put green netting around me in layers, with fake birds in different places. It was kind of cool. One year I was a Raggedy Ann doll, and so was my mom. And my dad was Raggedy Andy.

My son got to go trick-or-treating a few times in the States. He was supposed to be an elephant the first year, but the slinky nose I made for him was too heavy, so we changed it into a mouse. He was mario, a dragon, a dungeon keeper, on other years. This year we are in France, and weren't expecting do Halloween. But at the last minute we got invited to a parade/fair for halloween. So I looked around and found the only thing I have (we're flat broke, car doesn't start, and I have no extra sheets to even do a ghost. First aid kit bandages = instant mummy.