My Thing

I love costumes.

I think it is a left over from the days of playing dress-up as a very small child. I remember opening up my mom or one of my grandmas jewellery boxes always made me curious and the smell of their closets was amazing. Even my great grandmothers closets were full of mystery and opportunity.

My great grandmother was born in 1901 and her closet was filled with fur coats, fitted suits, a few flapper costumes and every pair of shoes had a matching bag. OH! And she had dozens of pairs of gloves. To this day the style of the suits and the ladies wearing gloves and hats, matching shoes and handbag. A bit of fur draped around her shoulders, is class. I love to dress up in this style and any style really.

My grandma's were both around the same age but both were so very different. Both born in the 30's into an impoverished nation they learned from birth never to throw anything out.

My paternal grandmother, did not ever sew when I knew her although she mended umpteen pairs of socks and underwear. She was an artist trapped in a farm wife's life. No one knew her artist potential until she was in her 70's and she only had 12 years to paint until she went blind. She had a very starched closet. Her clothes were mostly cotton and everything hung on a line to dry and was ironed. She had sturdy shoes and sturdy bags, she bought everything for durability and nothing for it's beauty or comfort. The one thing she had was fur. Living on the prairies she had 8 fur coats. She never tolerated the cold very well and my grandpa bought her mink, beaver, ermine, reindeer, and something that looked like tiger but couldn't have been. I remember playing in her closet and feeling the soft furs.

My maternal grandmother was another artist. She was the main supporter of the family as my grandfathers career was as a musician, and while he was good he was no Louis Armstrong or Count Bassie! Her art was clothing. She worked selling Singer sewing machines almost her entire life and she would sew anything. From elaborate costumes to the most perfect A-line skirt you could imagine. Her closet was so enticing and she was very careful with her treasure trove of clothing. She would wash my hands before she would allow me entrance to her wardrobe. But what treasures! Everything from the softest silks and satins to rough tweeds and everything imaginable in between. I will never forget the day she allowed me to try on her fur lined suit from the 50's. I was 12 and while I knew it was far out of fashion I stood mesmerized as the silk suit jacket was buttoned up around me. She placed a hat on my head and I stepped into a pair of heels. It was amazing and I felt beautiful!

My mother worked in a retail department store most of my life, selling shoes which to this day is what she does. You have to Nordstroms only a smidge smaller and about 3 times the price. Her closet was amazing. She had shoes that were so beautiful you would want to cry. The leather was so supple and they were all heels at least 3 inches high. She had suits and dresses that were breathtaking. I loved trying on her dresses and parading around in front of mirrors. She also had an extensive lingerie collection and when she would tire of something she would give it to me. Hoping to stop me from being such a Tom Boy I suppose. She also sewed and if she couldn't afford what she wanted she would make a duplicate so awesome no one could tell the difference. She was famous for her furs as well.

Costuming was something all 4 of these women took very seriously. My mother would start asking us in January what we wanted to be for Halloween and we always had the best costumes. I won many prizes for the innovation of our costumes. I had everything from a cowgirl outfit, complete with boots, to a rabbit costume that was made of the softest fun fur they could find. I even had a Michael Jackson costume, two in fact. And the cutest Pocahontas costume where my mom even made my cabbage patch doll into a papoosa.

So with a history of so much dress up is it surprising how much I love costumes? Not really.

Being vegan I have no fur in my closet and very little leather other than shoes. It is by design that I veer away from such items.

It is almost time for Halloween and I am planning on adding 4 new costumes to my ever growing collection. I can see no reason at all why I shouldn't, and every reason why I should! For me Halloween lasts all year long and I am not above zipping myself into a costume any darn time I like it!

I also am hoping to attend no less than 4 Halloween events this year. I am so excited that my toes are curling!

So if you see a girl in a Minnie Mouse costume in the middle of January? That's probably me, enjoying my closet and loving every minute of my playtime!