Pretend - do you or don't you

Costumes, do you or don’t you? When it comes time for Halloween, do you have a costume? Do you make a costume? Do you even enjoy the costumes that trick or treat at your door? Do you buy a store bought costume? Do you just have fun at Halloween because of the parties you get invited to?

So many different viewpoints and so little time I say. If you do enjoy being in costume, then you are actually in the minority. Most people scoff at what they consider to be a “juvenile” activity. However, from my viewpoint, I have to say to all those people who have never done it, don’t knock it until you try it! There is a lot to be said for being in a costume, and more than ever when you are in a GREAT costume. Halloween is just one time that you get an opportunity to dress up if you so choose. You can go to a Comic convention and dress up as a comic book hero, heroine or bad guy. How about going to a sci fi convention? Well there, I have a ton of experience and I can tell you that it is a magnificent experience. While you walk through the halls in costume, you can be anybody you want to be in that costume, not “you” per se, just anyone. Make something up. Be someone else for an hour, a day, a weekend, a week depending upon the length of the convention. When you go to a convention and dress up, you feel like a movie star when you are in costume. Those of you who have never done so will ask why…those of you who have will just smile and nod their heads in the affirmative! LOL The reasoning is simple, everyone who is anyone wants to take pictures of all the people in costume. Not only do you feel great about being there and being able to “get out of your own skin” and be someone else, you get to feel like a movie star who gets their picture taken every 5 feet! Down the hallways, when you’re eating, it won’t matter. If you want to know what it feels like to deal with the Paparazzi, dress up in a great costume at a sci-fi convention and you will have zero doubt as to what they go through! If you are a female, the skimpier the costume, the more pictures people want to take. Ok, I really mean guys, but there are plenty of women out there TOO!

Not to mention how many different costumes can you come up with to do at these conventions? With Science fiction, there are so many conventions it is very hard to NOT come up with an idea. All of Star Wars, throw on a trek uniform, doesn’t matter what series and most people won’t even care if you don’t have any communicator pins (but if you do, you’d better have the right pin for the costume! LOL) on your costume, it will just be cool that you “participated”. How about Babylon 5 and all of their species choices? You can do any of the Stargate, even dress up as Rodney from Stargate Atlantis (one of my faves to watch! LOL). How about Lost in Space? Danger Will Robinson, Danger Will Robinson! How about all of the “goth” conventions that are out there? Dress dark, put some blue streaks in your hair and make yourself look like a vampire!

I have seen them all from really great ones made out of cardboard to store bought costumes and ones made from bathrobes! And what it all comes down to is FUN, FUN, FUN! And if you haven’t tried it, you surely are missing a ton of fun. Especially if you think you are too old to do something like that – think again! My mother dresses up at plenty of events and she’s in her 70’s and most people will tell you she lives her life having fun.

I need to take a sewing class and learn how to make my own. I can’t go in armor every time, I sure know how to do that from all my years hanging out with the 501st and the groups!

What costume would you pick if you were to go next week? Would you actually have one ready?

Thanks for listening…