Trick or...

Typically I don't "dress for" Halloween. It's not my husband's favorite holiday, and I'm not a big costume wearer myself. But this year some friends threw a costume party, so we decided to play. And I do believe that if you're in, you're in ALL the way. So without further ado:

A far cry from my own personal style, but SO much fun! Any costume I indulge in pretty much HAS to involve a wig (or a hat), since my fine, straight hair just doesn't do much. And platinum blonde is a complete switch from my dark hair. The shoes (Doc Maartens) are the only part of the costume that are actually mine; before I was more of a girly girl I had a brief flirtation with grunge-ish-ness in the '90's.

The pants probably should be a bit tighter, but I've found that ready-to-order costumes tend to run small, so I sized up to be safe. And I had to add a long sleeved tee under the top because it was chilly this weekend!

I didn't have any black lipstick so I used an eyeliner pencil instead, which worked out pretty well. A fairly matte face and some (okay, a LOT) of dark eye makeup and I was mostly set. No black nail polish either, but two quick coats of Essie's Sole Mate (a super-dark purple-y red; think Chanel Vamp) was close enough.

But the even BETTER getup was Mr. B! Feast your eyes on this:

Oh, yeah. And the best thing about it was that - unlike me - he already owned most of these items, including that crazy coat! He had it before I met him. We are both children of the Eighties and my guy truly loved (and still does) his glam metal music (Poison and Motley Crue are top favorites). The leopard leggings and the red leg tie are the only two pieces we purchased specifically for his costume.

The most fun was putting makeup on him. (Remember, if you're in, you're ALL in!) a little black eyeliner, glitter shadow, and mascara, plus a dark lip liner (which unfortunately didn't last long) and he was ready to go. I tried to convince him to wear glitter nail polish too, but he drew the line there. And for someone who doesn't like the whole holiday, I figured he was being a good sport so I didn't push it. :)

A grand time was had by all and we spent much of Sunday recuperating. Tonight we'll have fun with the trick-or-treaters! I can't wait to see what the kids are wearing this year!

A Giraffe Unlike Any Other, Plus Snakes and Unicorns

This is a repost from my other site. Original post date  8/31/11.

I have a fondness for animal-themed items. And in my fantasy shoe world, these would have to get worn at least once a week! In optimal weather, of course...no rain or mud for these lovelies:

these are from the Jak and Jill blog, and so awesome that I had to share them. The back ties, the rhinestoned legs, the glorious colors...I love seeing everyday things elevated to a work of art. By Louis Vuitton (surprise!).

My own animal-themed collection is small, but here it is (all jewelry pieces, of course):

Vintage Whiting and Davis mesh snake bracelet, circa 1950's:  

The piece that started it all. I've had this ring since my early twenties:

 Peacock ring:

 this is a better shot for the colored rhinestones:

Elephant ring. Not expensively made, but he is so cute and he's on elastic. I don't wear him often because I don't want the elastic to break, but he's good fun. :)

 it's hard to tell, but his ears as well as his eyes have rhinestones:

overexposed shot to show detail:

and finally, my zebra ring. I suspect he won't wear overly well either, as his blackening disappears a little bit with every wearing. But I could not resist him.

 headshot:

I hope to add more animal themed items over time. And just maybe, a pair of fanciful critter shoes!   :)