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Art Mann Proves that America Loves Costumes All Year Round

August 14, 2009 in Costume Adventures, Special Occasions by Lara Burke

Art Mann is the man! He hosts the show Art Mann Presents on HDNet.  As a huge fan of his show I love how he manages to find fabulous festivals across the U.S.A. that involve costumes, revelry and debauchery.  If someone is dressing up, drinking, partying, celebrating and then puking, Art Mann is there. He has demonstrated that grown-ups have a basic human need to look, feel and act silly once in a while.  My husband and I, like many others, live vicariously through Art Mann Presents.

 

Last night we watched Art Mann Presents as Art traveled to Reno for the Superhero Pub Crawl. For 3 years running, Reno has hosted The Superhero Put Crawl where visitors dress as superheroes, both popular and made-up, and drink their way from bar to bar in the name of charity. Yes, a good time was had by all. Remind me to go to Reno someday.

 

Some of the other episodes I have thoroughly enjoyed watching (and this is by no means a complete list) are:

 

  • The Gasparilla Pirate Fest – Tampa’s annual festival to celebrate the pirate invasion of Jose Gasparilla. For over 30 years, people dress as pirates and celebrate.
  • The Pimp and Ho Ball – sexy costumes and lingerie galore, not to mention all sorts or adult toys and naughty delights.
  • Halloween in Hollywood – Need we say more! Just imagine the craziness of Hollywood and an endless variety of Halloween costumes.
  • The Doo Dah Parade in Pasadena where marchers and spectators dress in costumes in honor of the arts, organized by the Light Bringer Project, a nonprofit Pasadena-based cultural arts organization.

 

I strongly suggest you check your local listings for the re-runs of these episodes on HDNet. For those of you who are more adventurous than me, I hope you have an opportunity to attend one of these events. If you do, be sure to get your costumes, accessories and props from Costume SuperCenter.  

 

Art Mann and the wonderful partiers of these great United States have proven that costumes are fun all year round. People just love the opportunity to step outside the box and do something fun and crazy. Dressing up in costumes just seems to go hand-in-hand with having a good time. The show is a great vehicle to showing us that it’s OK to let our hair down and it’s good for the soul, even it is does give you a hangover.


Costume of the Week, Week 4: The Elvis Costume

August 10, 2009 in Celebrity Costumes, Costume Adventures by Lara Burke

The end of this week, August 16th, marks the 32nd anniversary of Elvis Presley’s death. To honor the king, the costume of the week is the Elvis costumeelvis-r56238.  His white studded jumpsuit is the epitome of Vegas kitsch. You instantly feel a sense of showmanship when you put it on.  

 

Elvis’ career began more than half a century ago in 1954. His musical style broke racial barriers while his dance moves pushed the boundaries of censorship. He created a pathway for teen rebellion and self expression that is the hallmark of rock music. Now 3 decades after his death his name and likeness are still synonymous with rock and roll, sex appeal and cool.

 

His great music and die-hard fans have forever engrained him as The King of Rock and Roll. Today, there are over 500 Elvis fan clubs in the United States alone. Las Vegas is home to the Elvis Museum and is overflowing with Elvis impersonators. There is even a chapel where you can be married by an Elvis priest. In Memphis, the birthplace of Elvis, there is Graceland, his home and final resting place, where some 600,000 visitors come each year to tour the mansion and pay tribute to his life. Worldwide, there are innumerable annual Elvis Festivals proving his relevance is still strong.

 

Costume SuperCenter has dozens of Elvis costumes and Elvis-like costumes to choose from, including pet costumes. Celebrate Elvis Week with Elvis costumes for the entire family. Elvis Halloween costumes are always best sellers. Elvis is in the building!!!!! Visit www.costumesupercenter.com today.


Costume of the Week: Week 3, The Vampire

August 4, 2009 in Costume Adventures by Lara Burke

deluxe-vampire 

I woke up this morning exhausted, pale and pasty. The site of the sun in my eyes when I left for work made me wince. I knew with certainty that the costume of the week would be a vampire costume.  The vampire costume pretty much sums up how I am feeling today. Early allergies are giving me migraines that cause sensitivity to light. Lack of sleep recently has left me looking a bit ashy with dark circles under my eyes. I can wear any one of the many vampire costumes that Costume SuperCenter offers and I won’t even need makeup.

 

I may not feel my best but I still want to look good. I’m definitely not feeling sexy but more “professional.”  My vampire costume has a satin black cape with red lining, a velvet vest, white gloves and a vampire medallion.  I want to take that vampire cape and throw it over my head to shield my eyes, this time, not from the sun but from the harsh fluorescent lighting in my cubicle. If only my cubicle could double as a coffin, I could sink into the abyss of eternal darkness. Better yet I can choose the vampire costume that has the coffin built right in. Now that’s what I’m talking about.

 drac-in-a-box

It’s really not all bad, the aspirin has kicked in and I’m slowly able to emerge into the light.  I really do feel like a vampire today though. I better not look in any mirrors today. I’m afraid of what I might see…or not see.

 vampire-wig


Costumes Spark Your Child’s Imagination

July 30, 2009 in Costume Adventures by Lara Burke

Create your own story box

When I was a little kid there was a show on TV called the Magic Garden. I would race home from kindergarten and happily watch this show over milk and cookies. The two hosts, Carole and Paula would merrily guide you through the program with the aid of songs, games, silly jokes and stories.  The stories were improvised according to the contents inside the Story Box.  I loved to sing the story box song and eagerly waited to see what was inside.  They would sort through to items, decided which character each would play and then acted out a story. It was a great show.

 Recently, I was cleaning out the contents in my mother’s basement and came across an old box of dress-up clothes. It was filled with tutus, tiaras, old Halloween costumes and lots of beaded junk jewelry.  As kids, we spent hours making up stories and acting them out. Whenever a new item was added, a character was born and a new story began.

 One of the greatest things you can do for your child is foster their imagination. When I was a kid all we needed was a bucket of chalk and a rope and we could play all day. We would play hopscotch and jump rope. Then the rope would almost magically turn into a cowboy’s lasso, the reins on a horse’s bridle or a venomous snake. We drew squares on the street with chalk that became rooms for playing house, prison cells for captured outlaws and tag bases. An of course, there was the story box.  Kids today seem to spend their lives in front of TV or with their eyes and fingers fixed on a video game. Technology takes the imagination out of playing. When they do get off the couch it is usually to play organized team sports. The Millennials of today just don’t play pretend like the Baby Boomers and Gen Xers did when they were kids. They lack the spark that allows them to look at that jump rope and see it as so much more than a jump rope.   Kids today need a story box of their own to unleash their imaginations.

There are a wide variety of accessories that can be used to create hundreds of imaginary characters and scenarios. Encourage time away from the TV.  Praise their ability to pretend.  Fancy and elaborate costumes are fine if you want them but when it comes to fostering imagination a little should be able to go a long way. Here are some accessory ideas to get you started:

  •  A Black Cape can turn a child into a witch, magician, superhero, villain or sorcerer. It can double as a blanket or a fort cover.
  •  Wigs are a must have for your story box. With a few simple accessories and a little imagination a long black wig can turn a girl into a witch or a princess while for boys then can be transformed into a pirate or a rock star.
  • Hats – When playing pretend, a hat may be all you need to create a character. Hats are ideal for very young children because they can manage it themselves. They are easy on and easy off which suits their attention span. A police or fire hat is great for boys and girls alike. The hat says it all. Now where is that jump rope to use as a fire hose?

 Everything you need to make a story box for boy or girls is available at unbeatable prices at www.costumesupercenter.com.

By the way if you are out there Carole and Paula, you never said hello to “Lara” but I forgive you.


Costume of the Week #2 The Hot Trophy Wife

July 27, 2009 in Costume Adventures by Lara Burke

blonde babeLet me tell you about my husband’s friend’s new trophy wife.  My husband and I had a chance this weekend to get together with several friends we have not seen in quite awhile. Two years ago, our friend Bill left his wife, my friend Stacy, because he was having an affair with a much younger woman whom he met at an office picnic. A picnic he attended with his wife, mind you.  She was the beautiful, blonde, fresh out of college daughter of one of the company executives. Anyway, Bill announced that he found his soul mate and asked Stacy for a divorce. She happily obliged.  Stacy got the house, the dog and the Mercedes.  Bill got the Shore house and a big boobed, skinny, blonde haired new trophy wife named Jill. Yes, their names really go rhyme. By all means, you may vomit now. No wait – they married at the drive-thru chapel in Vegas – OK, now you may vomit.

 

The husbands gush over her Bill’s hot trophy wife and how Bill always seems to have a smile on his face. Of course, she looks perfect and doesn’t want kids. She is a 47 year old man’s wet dream. At 25 years old, she has never worked a day in her life. She went right from her rich daddy’s house to her rich sugar daddy’s house.

 

This weekend was our first opportunity to meet the trophy wife. Bill and Jill showed up at the house like two giddy high school kids. As my friends and I chased our kids around the pool and served food and drinks, Jill positioned herself like a princess in a lounge chair wearing a Brazilian cut bikini and high heels. Come on! Really?  At a family barbeque? All day, we listened to our “hospitable” husbands: “Jill, can I get you a cold drink?” “Isn’t Jill nice?” “Honey, Jill wants her salad with no dressing.” “Jill is really into yoga. She must be really flexible?” Give me a break!

 trophy

So today I choose to be a Trophy Wife too.  In the trophy wife costume, I will be the beautiful princess that the men drool over and the women envy. I will be tall, blond and have big, perky breasts.  Jill’s hair color and boobs aren’t real so it won’t matter if I fake it too.  I will be the sexual fantasy of every man. I will put on a blonde bombshell wig and stuff my shirt until it nearly bursts. I’ll practice the fine skills of hair flipping and sensual yet air-headed gazes. When walking around I will swivel my hips and hold my shoulders back and chest out. Let’s also not forget about the Trophy Wife laugh – you know the one. Later on, My husband will flaunt me around and show me off to his friends as if I’m a brand new car or a new set of clubs and I won’t even find it demeaning because I’m putting my brains away for the day.

 

This should be a good day.  As for Bill, he seems happy so to each their own. As for Jill, as long as she continues to get her allowance from Bill she will remain the perfect trophy wife. For me however, being a Trophy wife is a joke that is best displayed in the form of a costume.


Costume of the Week: I Want to be Above the Law Like a Cop

July 20, 2009 in Costume Adventures by Lara Burke

police-woman1

This week I have chosen to be a Cop. It never seizes to amaze me that so many cops feel that they are above the law. On my way to work this morning a police car passed me on the Garden State Parkway going at least 110 miles per hour. When I saw him in my rear view mirror I immediately slowed down from 85 to 65 and watched nervously, convinced I was going to get pulled over, and he proceeded to wiz by.   It turned out that I was the lucky one. Several miles up the road I saw a car pulled over, most likely for speeding.  I laughed to myself that it was probably the same cop who flew past me just a few minutes ago. What gives cops the right to speed but poor working folks like us get tickets, points and ultimately in even more trouble for being late for work. No one seems to go faster than the police and it makes me mad.  It seems logical that since there is no one to pull them over that they can do as they please. I want to do as I please too. If I see a cop doing 90, I should be able do 90 right beside him.  While we’re at it, I want to drive on the shoulder when there is traffic; and in the HOV lane when I’m by myself, too. Then when I’m done, I want to go to a donut shop and expect not to be charged for my coffee and cruller.   I wonder what it would be like to be above the law; to be a cop who can get away with things for which others get fined. For this week’s Costume of the Week, I choose cop. Definitely cop.

 

There are some many really great cop/police costumes in stock.  For today I’m feeling a bit conservative. Nothing too sexy; just sexy enough to get away with at a party that kids might be attending but still sexy enough for my husband to want me to keep it on for a while after we get home.  I chose the 7-piece woman’s Police Costume.  It includes a zipper front mini police dress, belt, hat, badge, handcuffs, baton and toy walkie-talkie. The material is comfortable and stretches so it is forgiving. One thing for sure is that is a short dress. Nice legs are recommended but I think tights with high boots would look hot with this costume as well. I love the hat and badge. They instantly make me feel official. As I begin to fiddle around with the handcuffs and baton it’s easy to see how one’s ego comes into play when in uniform. Everyone’s heart races a bit when the see the police, even if they know they are doing nothing wrong. Even though it is a costume and my weapons are toys it still give me the feeling of control and authority. Don’t mess with me. Now it’s time to go on patrol. 

 

I put on the hat and grabbed the sunglasses from my purse. I practiced my look in the mirror for a while; the straight face; the acknowledging head nod. This costume makes me feel powerful and sexy. I keep looking at my badge and hat wondering what would happen if I got into my car in this getup and sped down the road. I imagine it feels pretty good. I laugh when I imagine trying to show my play badge to a real cop. It’s a good thing I’m not curious about what it’s like to be in jail.

 

I find myself fiddling with these handcuffs. Slapping them on my wrist is fun as is cuffing myself to my chair.  They seem pretty sturdy for toy handcuffs but they look more like they are reserved for people who want to be handcuffed rather than need to be, if you know what I mean.

 

I want to feel more like a cop and try out my cop lingo by saying things like, “up against the wall and spead ’em!” and “put your hands behind your back!” but with this being a place of business and our HR director one office over I held back (sexual harassment and all). For now, “Freeze. You’re under arrest!” will have to do. That felt good enough. I flipped my badge, made an arrest for stealing from the supply room and accepted a bribe; this time is was candy from the employee next to me but next time who knows.

 

Being a cop was fun. Even though it was a costume you really do feel the sense of power that comes with the uniform. Did I feel above the law? No, and I don’t think I’ll ever get away with speeding. But it was fun to pretend. It’s strange how costumes can enable you to create persona and they really give you an understanding of how a real uniform makes its wearer feel powerful. Though, I still wish those dang cops would stop speeding for no reason other than they can.


Costume of the Week Coming Soon

July 16, 2009 in Costume Adventures by Lara Burke
flickr

image courtesy of flickr

To feature a new costume every week seemed to me like a good idea and a lot of fun. After all we are CostumeSupercenter.com. As a new employee here I have decided what better way to get to know the product and make my job fun than to choose costumes to blog about. I will approach all costumes with an open mind as well as a sense of humor. By “all” I mean men’s, women’s, children’s, pets, sexy, etc. I used to think that costumes were only something to think about once a year. I have quickly come to embrace the fact that costuming is something to be enjoyed all year long as it is not solely for Halloween and by no means just for children. I love Halloween as much as the next guy but costumes go far beyond this trick or treating, mischief making day. There are plays, productions and pageants; Christmas, Easter, Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, New Years, Valentines Day, Mardi Gras, Talk Like a Pirate Day, Dress like a Chicken Day and on and on. On top of that there are innumerable sexy role playing costumes that can fill every single day in between, turning any day of the year into a special occasion.

So being the theatrical and somewhat eccentric character I am I have decided to give everyone a detailed review of a different costume each week by imagining myself in different scenarios wearing the costume. I’ll embrace the persona of a costume, explain the costume in detail and express how it makes me feel. Some costumes will be a learning experience for me as well as you. Hopefully, by doing this, it will open the door for your comments and suggestions.

Since I won’t actually be wearing the costume no costume will be off limits no matter how risqué or for which sex or species it is meant for.

I look forward to your comments and I promise if you show me your comment love then I will show you mine.

 photo by flickr

 

 

 

 

I Spy Something…

June 23, 2009 in Costume Adventures by Mascarade Marla

Ever wonder what it would be like to be a secret agent? How fun would it be to be one for the day? What harm could it do; as long as you don’t break the law or put yourself in real danger? After all, you’re pretending, so your undercover work and spying needs to be as make believe as your day’s career.

Credit: Anonymous9000 (Flickr)

Credit: Anonymous9000 (Flickr)

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Baseball…UGH!

June 17, 2009 in Costume Adventures by Mascarade Marla

How do you get your man’s attention when he has a one track mind…baseball! Give me a break! This sport is on more than any other sport in existence!

Old Tyme Baseball Player Adult Costume

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Rodeo Days Bring Back Fond Memories of my Youth

June 11, 2009 in Costume Adventures by Ren Faire Reese

Last night I took a nostalgic trip back into the days of my youth where one memory stood out above all the others. My heart tugged with fondness as I thought about dear Mom. She loved the rodeo and she took us to the fair any time she could. Our family was simple country folks. Mom was more western than most, though she never traveled further than Ohio in those early years. The rodeo was born into my mother’s blood and I learned to love the show as much as Mom.

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