Death, Age 17

My mom made me another (bigger, and even more detailed) skeleton suit (and cape), whilst my dad made a scythe. Accented with glow-in-the-dark paint of course, making my grim reaper even more grim (or disco-fabulous).

Next couple of these sketches will be more experimentative.

Night...Ball...Lady...Person..., Age 14

High-school is often the time where people go through many awkward stages. I had already started my awkward stage back in grade 3, and had long ago decided that I wasn’t going to try to be “cool.” But even still, Halloween during my first few years at high school confused me. My trick’r'treatin’ years were done (my height made candy-givers suspect of my age), I’m not a party gal, and I wasn’t impressed with the costume scene at the school’s Halloween dances. I wore this…stuff…in grade 9, to a friend’s party, I think, then sadly hid away from Halloween for a few years, not showing my true love for the holiday until my last high school year when I finally went to class in full costume, and relished handing out candy to little kids (and scaring the odd one).

Bride of Frankenstein, Age 13

Clearly I won a costume prize at the grade 8 dance for my high social status, good looks, natural charm and devotion to Halloween. Never-mind the fact that I was like the only one who wore a costume.

Ukrainian Dancer, Age 11

I told you it would get worse.

Spanish Dancer, Age 10

…so…my sister went as a Spanish Dancer the year before, and I thought she was really pretty, and I decided to have a go at it.

Oh don’t worry. It gets worse. Much much worse.

Phantom of the Opera, Age 9

After seeing The Phantom of the Opera in Toronto (with Colm Wilkinson, eeeeEEEEeeee) I just *had* to go as The Phantom for Halloween. I even wore a bald cap and had makeup on my face under the mask.

Geisha Girl, Age 8

I had this beautiful and heart-warming story about the creation of this costume but eeek I am just too busy with this year’s Halloween costume(s) so it’ll have to wait until later!

Edit: Alrighty – time to type! I was (am) a fan of The Mikado, and badly wanted to go as one of the characters. Initially I wanted to be Katisha, but her hairstyle was just a bit too much to rock. So Yum Yum it was! I remember the extensive planning my mom went through to make this costume; we went to the library and she checked out a bunch of clothing and costume books, she watched, paused and made notes about different sections of The Mikado movie, and somehow she made a geisha hairstyle out of an old witches wig (that had to be greatly altered).

I think I wore blueish-purple gloves when I went out at night. All of our Halloween costumes were made big enough to accompany snowsuits underneath, as most Halloweens in Ontario were cold and/or snowy.

Darth Vader, Age 7

A long, long time ago, in a galaxy far far away, before there was Star Wars I-III, digital re-mastery or the idea that you can show the same film in theatres again and again year after year, I loved Star Wars, and loved Darth Vader. I’ll still always love the original movies, where the main special effects were done with models and puppets and you see a final Rebel celebration on a moon of Endor (and not throughout the entire galaxy). When I dressed up as Darth in grade 2, none of the kids knew who I was, but all the grown-ups did. My uncle did a great job making my helmet. This costume was based on Vader from Star Wars IV, so the helmet eyes were slightly tinted red, as was seen in the movie (I think the helmet eyes always had a bit of a red tint, but it’s most noticeable in the lighting conditions in IV).