Care and Cleaning of Your Santa Stuff

Christmas is over, and the New Year is near.  It’s time to clean your Santa suit, wig and beard and store away till next season.  In this video, is a caveat about using heat on your wig and  beard, and specifically to the use of curling irons.  It may be OK for your hair, but not for Santa’s hair and whiskers.

Mrs. Santa

Does anyone ever give a second thought to Mrs. Santa?  After all, she and Santa have been married these many years, but no one knows her first name.  Edith, Margaret, Lucille?  Who knows. Has anyone ever seen her?

As a matter of fact, I have.  She’s a bit younger than Santa and has a very pretty, round face with glowing red cheeks and a huge smile.   Unlike a few characterizations of her where she looks like Santa’s granddaughter, all dolled up with a short skirt; Mrs. Santa dresses appropriately for her age and standing. She, like Santa, always wears red.  Mrs. Santa’s dress is floor length and has full-length sleeves trimmed in white fur around the cuffs and collar.  She might wear sneakers for all I know, as her shoes are never seen.  Her hair is white and upswept into a little knot at the top, sometimes with a little curl coming down over her left ear, not unlike a Colonial ladies hairstyle. But then again, she was around during that period of history too. Here comes Mrs. Santa Claus.  Here comes Mrs. Santa Claus.  Right down Mrs. Santa Claus’s lane…..as goes the song.

One last chance….

Written a year ago, but still applicable

Today is the last day of the Halloween costume season (from a costumer’s perspective) even though it’s October 30.  There may be a scattering of parties this Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, and even next Saturday but not as many as this evening.

Most wearers of costumes over the past few days were ‘trick-n-treaters’ and those so fortunate as to be able to dress in a Halloween costume at work.  

This evening, no matter what time your local costume shop closes, there will be somebody pounding at their door five or 10 minutes AFTER closing time, begging and pleading to get in to make a ‘quick’ last minute purchase (which usually took a half an hour or more when we did yield and let them in). 

Will that be you?

At this stage, you might want to just take an old sheet, cut a couple of eye holes in it and go as your favorite ghost. 

You might want to wrap that sheet around you, and go as a Roman senator or a Roman goddess.

It’s creative time.  As in earlier posts, put something, anything together and give it a name.  Remembering an earlier post…”if you can name it, you have a costume”.

If you have a party still coming up or you want to prepare for next year, just go back to previous articles on this site for some great ideas.

HORRIBLE HALLOWEEN !!!!!!

NOTE:  Next week we will provide you with a few tips so as to prepare for NEXT Halloween.  Also, we will start our Christmas and Santa Claus costume posts about mid-November….so please come back soon!  

It’s Almost Halloween Costume Party Time…

and OOPS! What About Footwear? 

It’s still a few days away, and most of the final touches have been made to your Halloween costume.  Maybe a tuck here or a minor adjustment there, but you are ready to go. 

OHMYGOSH!  (or use another expletive if you prefer)   You forgot about what shoes or footwear to use with your Halloween costume. 

Not a big problem if you are wearing a long gown or a witches robe, although you should try to match the colors up as best you can just in case someone gets a glance at your feet.  Black always works.  Maybe using a can of spray paint over some old, throwaway shoes might work as well.

 But a prima ballerina in sneakers leaves a lot to be desired.  In this case, not wearing any footwear at all might be the best option.

 Fake boots can be made easily out of a vinyl material and creating a boot cover (no soles or heels, just sides).  Perhaps attaching buckles to a pair of shoes might create a Louis XIV type of shoe wear.

No old throwaway shoes?  Perhaps a visit to the thrift store?

What’s in your closet?  

A Halloween costume, perhaps?

What Halloween Costume is in Your Closet.  You can create a terrific costume by using things you have in your closet with the addition of some make-up and accessories.  How easy is that?

Do you have an old graduation robe?  A tube of green make-up, a scraggly black wig, and a witch’s hat – Voila!  If you’re really feeling adventurous, add a fake nose & a wart or two.  Grab a broom & you’re ready to go.

Bridesmaid’s dresses are usually shoved to the back of the closet.  Bring them back out into the open!  Add a sash and some smeared mascara and you just became the loser in a beauty pageant!

Your torn, paint-splattered work clothes can turn you into a slasher victim.  Wrap some bandages around your body; add some fake blood and you are ready to go.  Word of warning: fake blood will stain clothing and skin – so don’t wear anything you don’t want ruined!

Make-up, wigs, and hats can turn the most basic wardrobe item into a costume.  Let your imagination run wild!

Makeup and Accessorize 

Paint on a mustache with a black greasepaint stick, add a pair of horn rimmed glasses and a cigar….and there you have it.  Groucho!   A short blond curly wig and a bicycle horn (a white or tan duster if you can find it).  And there you have Harpo.

A little makeup here, or a special hat there, or a cane or a pair of red suspenders.  It takes a little imagination, and not much money to come up with that perfect Halloween costume.

A trip to your local costume store?  Probably a great idea to get great ideas for makeup and accessories.  While you’re there, look at the makeup display case and see what you can see.

Nose putty?  You can build a new nose, or re-shape your nose, or just add a wart or two.  With an adhesive like spirit gum, you can even rebuild your chin.   Your new nose and chin will need some makeup to help blend it in with the rest of your face.  Green greasepaint or a water soluble cream makeup or pancake helps make a great witch or Frankenstein.

If you want to be a clown or a mime, then a tube of clown white will do the trick.  Put it only very lightly though, and suddenly you become very pale in appearance….almost Ghostly or Vampirish.  Clown White can be cream base or water base, each having its own advantages.  Some shops might also carry it in pancake.

Crepe hair is a well known product available at the full service costume shops; and can be used to make mustaches and beards, or even hairy faces like a werewolf.  If you are into monsters and vampires, then makeup is the best way to go about it.

For great makeup ideas, visit your local library and borrow a copy of Richard Corson’s “Stage Makeup”, one of the best makeup books ever published on makeup.   It is also for sale through our Amazon store or Barnes and Noble.  As you scan through this book, you will find numerous ideas that you may want to implement.  Then off to your local costumer.

‘Stage Makeup’ as shown above is available through our Amazon store, and many other booksellers. Earlier editions are also available.

<All makeup items above are available via our Amazon Halloween Store>

Cartoon Characters Costumes!

 I love cartoon character costumes.   Big, and baggy and goofy, and kids of all ages love them.  They are horribly uncomfortable but are usually the delight of any Halloween costume party.  Most of the famous cartoon characters that you see on TV, in the movies and even sometimes on a box of cereal are copyrighted and not available to rent or buy, at least for adults. 

 But at most all season costume shops, there likely will be a variety of really cute and funny characters.

 Cartoon animals, cartoon cute monsters and cartoon comic strip type characters are the most fun!

Although they can be ‘air conditioned’, most are stuffy and hot.  One way to reduce the heat is to put an ice pack or two into a bag and strap it over your shoulders so as to be a little lower than your arm pits. 

 Watch your shoes and feet.  The coverings are usually larger than your own shoes, and can cause havoc going up or down steps.  Many a character has been ‘tripped up’ by their own feet.

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