What's New at Costume Works

(Hint: I found his Baby Lion Costume on page 7)

Trick or Treat, Scary or Sweet

Did you ever wonder why we dress-up in Costumes for Halloween? What started it all ? If it started as a "dark" holiday, why are we now justified to dress in "Happy" Costumes? We dress in Costumes like "Clowns" or "Fairies".."Movie Stars" or "Cute Little Animals". "Monsters" and "Ghosts" are good too of course...but NOT the manditory thing... any more.

Halloween is one of our most beloved and fun Holidays. It has been with us through history, possibly longer than one might imagine. In the beginning the costumes were aLL...as necessary for certain purposes...rather on the SCARY side...most often to discourage evil spirits. Over the ages however, different religions, traditions, ideals, and ideas have blended together to the point that HALLOWEEN COSTUMES can be just about anything you'd LIKE. Keep in mind that humans seem to have a heartfelt and never-discouraged desire to take the edge off of almost anything sad, difficult, or truely SCARY ...Then do whatever we can in adjustment ...to make that situation cheery...if not, all-out FUN! That is exactly what has happened to an occasion that once was a time to mourn and appease the dead. It is now a night of Candied, Costumed, "Trick-or Treat" bliss for our youngins'...and possibly a Costumed,Partied, Mysterious, (maybe even "romantic"), night for Adults.
It all began like this:
(as near as I can tell through diligent research :-):
Approximately 2,000 years ago the Celts celebrated their New Year with a festival called Samhain (Sow-in). It was on November 1st which was the beginning of a long, dark, and cold winter in their part of the world, which is now the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Northern France. It was harvest time which one would THINK would be a time to celebrate..but the time was over-shadowed by the upcoming winter which was a season associated with darkness, sickness, and too often, death. It was thought that on the night before Samhain the boundries between the dead and the living were, for a time, opened up, allowing the dead to freely wander in our world. In order to avoid mischief by the spirits, the men would dress as ghosts or demons...or sometimes terrifying animal creatures..and wander the streets and alleyways, guarding children who, on that nite, had their own ritual to perform. The children would be out knocking on doors looking for sweet soul-cakes baked for the spirits. A deal could be made for the soul-cakes. In exchange for a soul-cake a child would say a prayer for the soul of a deceased loved one...the better to get that soul to Heaven. There it might finally rest in peace instead of coming back to haunt again NEXT Samhain. The children didn't yet dress in costume for this occasion that anyone is aware of...BUT..as you may note..the childrens ritual was a BIT like todays "trick-or-treat".
As change does occur, the Romans eventually conquered the Celts and took over their territory..bringing with them a few new festivals to combine with Samhain. One festival, on a day in late October, was pretty much the same as the Celt's Samhain,in that, it honored the passing of the dead. It was called Feralia. The other Occasion was one honoring the Roman Goddess of fruit and trees, Pomona. Pamonas symbol was the "apple" which was added to the celebration of Samhain. One might assume that this is where the modern day tradition of "Bobbing for Apples" came from. By this time, adults and children alike dressed in costume to suit which ever festival or affair they were attending. Now some of the costumes were of a gentler type to honor the Goddess Pomona. Nymph and Fairy Costumes came into play. Clowns and Jesters joined in to please the crowds in attendence.There were still those who dressed to stand guard against wandering spirits though, especially on Samhain's Eve. They dressed in Costumes of Ghouls and SCARY Animals.
   By the year 800, Christian influences had reached Celtic lands. The Pope, desiring Samhain be more of a "church oriented" occasion...deemed November 1st be "All Saints Day", a day to honor saints and martyrs. The celebration was also called "All-Hallowmas" which was Middle English for "All Saints Day". Eventually, as we know, the night before became "All Hallows Eve" and then "Halloween" as it is today.
NOW the Festival Costumes would include Angels and Saints.
As people began immigrating to America they brought their various Halloween traditions with them, but because of religous differences the Holdiay was kept stiffled for a time. Then the traditions of European ethnic groups and the American Indians began to blend together and Halloween became, once again, a celebration of the Harvest. The first American version included public events to celebrate the Harvest as a GOOD and HAPPY time. Neighbors still gathered and shared stories of the deceased ..More in a way to honor them than to be afraid of their deceased spirits though. This tells us of a maturity for mankind not before known. The people ALSO gathered to Tell Fortunes, Sing Songs and Dance. In the evening there were Ghost Stories and Games.
As the influx of immigrants continued in the second half of the 1800, taking from both Irish and English traditions, people began dressing up in Costumes and going from door- to-door ..asking for food or money. This is said to actually be where "trick-or-treat" originated. When some people were turned away, empty-handed, from a door...there would be a threat made to send evil spieits to haunt that household. By the late 1800's people wanted Halloween to be something different than what it had become. They decided to make it a time for "Community" rather than for the dead, ghosts, and pranks. They began having parties for adults and for children to celebrate Halloween as a fun time. GONE was most of the superstition and the connection with the church during this Holiday.
    Up until around the 1950s Halloween remained completely a Community project with parties and parades for all in every town or city. However..Vandalism began to break out at many of the celebrations so, again, changes were needed. Trick-or treating, focusing on the children, came back into the picture at last. It came back, Costumes and all and here it has stayed as an American Tradition ever since.
Thanks to the European and Celtic communities, who believed that if they dressed in a disguise or "Costume" ..on a certain SCARY night...they would not be recognised by ghosts or evil spirits.   And thanks to all of the people down through the ages that did not lose track of the wonderful idea of COSTUMES...Today we are able to dress-UP for the Event of "Halloween" and we can choose to be anything or anyBODY we wish to be.

The above article is as "factual" as I can figure considering my research on the topic.
I have an imagination that tells me that "Costumes" began WAY before "Halloween" was even a thought. But that's a different story. :-)
See: Costume-Works.com
        "Articles by Coletta"
       "Costumes in History OR Cross-Dressing Cavemen" (below:-)

Article By: Coletta Daniel
Costume-Works.com

Costumes in History OR Cross-Dressing Cavemen

This evening I was standing at my kitchen sink, washing dishes and mulling over "life in general" . "Mulling" is something I often do when busy at a task so mesmerizing that it takes absolutely no thought what-so-ever. Let it be known that I havecome up with some of my most THRILLING ideas while involved in such meditative chores as washing the dinner dishes. I am certain that this process is just about the same for most of us of a "genius" mental caliber. But enough about my stature as an intellectual...let me share with you the thoughts that were mulling around in my extra-brilliant brain...once upon a dish-washing eve.

I was thinking about the topic of my website, "Costumes", and considering what a very OLD form of entertainment it is. From that thought, I somehow got to an idea that I should write an article about the "History of Costuming". It would be something that I could add to my web site...and it may even be an interesting read for anyone passing through.

That thought in mind, I headed from my kitchen sink to my computer....carrying with me the dumb-struck realization that I have not got a CLUE from where "Costumes" originated....or even WHEN in all actuality. THIS may not be as easy as I had first thought ...while standing at the sink in that mindlessly whimsical state when I am pretty sure that I AM, at LEAST, as smart as the average bear....and hopefully quite as capable. So now, as I began to research the topic a bit...I soon realized that it may not be a topic explainable "briefly" in an "article"...but that to cover the History of Costumes, and do it any justice at ALL, I would need to be willing to write a BOOK! A book WHICH, I might add, has already been written...and many more than ONE. NOT that writing a BOOK is something that I would ever even attempt. However I was NOT quite ready to abandon my original plan completely.

I continued to do some research on the Topic of Costume History and as far back as I could discover actual "Costuming" [COSTUMING as in.."Dressing as someone or something other than whom or what you are, either for the purpose of entertainment or for the purpose of fooling someone (or something) as being dressed in a "disguise" or "incognito".] documentation....was back to the days of the early Greeks and Romans. In Ancient Rome, Plays were put on during the time of the, more violent, Gladiator games. Male Slaves were the actors on the stage and they played all roles, even that of a female. This, as you may guess, was something requiring costuming. It was a time that a Slave was allowed to dress as a King. Bitter-sweet fun for the slaves no doubt, as they knew it was only "pretend" and only for a little while.

The part of the costumes that were most notable were the masks. They were made with cheek supports and had special chambers in them that acted as amplifiers to carry a voice. The wigs and clothing were, what we may refer to as, "color-coded" so that each player's character could be identified by gender as well as age. For instance, the actors portraying young men wore brightly colored costumes....while the actors playing older men wore only white. An actor in a red wig was playing a Slave..and of course an actor in "woman's" wig...was portraying a female.

I suppose I should say that Rome...or at least that TIMES of Ancient Rome, are the days in history that actually NOTE "Costumes" as an actual piece of Equipment, or Clothing, or Necessity to Entertainment. There was also the entertainment of Circus and Dance,,all made popular and most enjoyable due to the brightly colored costumes of the Belly Dancers of old Egypt and the Jesters and/or Clowns up to the Medieval/Renaissance days. Now...I could go on sharing what I learned in my research about "costumes" worn by "players" for the purpose of entertainment and the times set forth in books when the apparel was actually NAMED "Costumes". However, being the "thinking" person that I am, I must, in all fairness, give equal time to all of the Costuming occasions that likely came into play since the BEGINNING of man.

If you believe there were "Ancient Tribes or Clans of Man" then you may agree to the possibility of a man attempting to cheer an unhappy child. The Tribesman moves to a darkened portion of his dwelling and when he again comes out into the light he has rubbed red berry juice on his face and has a half of a gourd on top of his head. He has removed his own hide clothing and is wearing the child's mothers reed skirt. In his beard and hair he has stuck feathers from the mornings breakfast bird. As he comes to pose in front of the now GRINNING child he thinks, "Wow! COOL COSTUME! � ". or...."Eeeek! Oooga Boooga! � " ...whichever the case may be. � Sticking with the same tribe, we know that the hunters of a clan often wrap themselves in the hides of their prey, and sometimes even put antlers atop their heads, all the better to slip close to the game that will soon be roasting upon their evening fire. They do this partly to mask the human smell, that much is true, but they do it also as a "disguise"...To blend in and be mistakenly recognized as one of the herd. Whether the "herd" believes it is questionable..But our Hunters DO put on a good show and give their BEST effort..We will wish their hunt a successful one as they are so deserving. And as the Tribesman is toting home the dinner deer...he is thinking, "THIS best way to hunt food. Incognito. COOL COSTUME! �" or "Oooga Boooga! �" which works for me also!. �

We know that some time early on Man began worshiping Gods and fearing (or some worshiping) Demons. Costumed, fierce dancing was often a part of a worshipping ceremony. Mean and ugly masks and wild costumes were worn to scare away unwanted devils and demons. By the same token scary costumes and fierce masks or Face Paint (later known as "War Paint"...then "Make-up" � ) were worn to scare the enemy during War times amongst tribes also. It is a well known fact that Clans stole women from each other...Not only as a sign of power...but also to bring new bloodlines into the Clan. I have to think (as the thinking person that I am) that there were some times when a male or two posed/dressed as a female of their clan to dupe a male of the opposite clan into approaching "her" with the intention of carrying her off to join him in his cave. Once this poor fool approached the cross-dressed MAN..the trap was sprung and the proposed kidnapper soon became a prisoner or worse. The Kidnapper was caught due to good Costumry I'd say. Was Ancient man capable of such devious planning? I think they grew to be great problem solvers and to use what was at their disposal. Costumes certainly were a great tool for the times don't you think?

Just as it is today, I believe that in each Crowd, or Tribe or Clan, there had to be a funnyman (or woman)...a person who stood out and made us laugh. I'd just bet that there were occasions when this guy(or gal) would put on a mask and some strange form of clothing and go running through the camp, acting as crazy as could be...just begging for smiles or laughs..and likely succeeding very well. These ideas come to me NOT because I read about them, but simply because, in my humble opinion, they are things that HAD to have happened as a natural progression to get us to where we are today in our world...and for the sake of this article...the World of Costumes.

COSTUMING, it would seem, (and please remember that this is NOT absolute fact, but my personal and most humble opinion..) MUST have began with FIRST man.

Although first man was not, by any means, a brainiac, he WAS capable of "thought" on an ever-developing,onward and upward scale. Out of his need to survive, he developed "problem-solving" skills..which, as I illustrated above, could have involved "cos tumes" as a tool in many cases. With growing self-awareness comes "Imagination", a "Sense of Humor", AND, I think, a need for FUN. ...Maybe better described as "Happiness". I believe that Costuming played a part in all of these things....Just as it took all of these things to create the IDEA of Costuming.

It just occurred to me that I have an Idea for a Costume. We've all seen the typical "Caveman" costumes at our yearly Halloween Party or Mardi Gras Parade. I think that the next Caveman Costume should have some added flairs. Be that Caveman who's the funnyman of his Tribe. If you are a CaveMAN, for example, try doing a "cross-dressing" routine. Dress up as a Caveman pretending to be a CaveWOMAN. Or...If that idea has too many moral under or over-tones for you...Maybe you can dress-up as a Caveman who is also the "Witch Doctor", which I forgot to mention above, but who's costumes would have been pretty awesome too. Thank you for mulling this subject through with me. I think that we can safely say that "Costuming" is another one of those things that lived and was a very important, functional, part of our history well before it had a name. ... Kind of like "Rotisserie Chicken" and "Fur Coats".

I believe that I can also safely say that my kitchen sink "mulling" session is once more a success as I've managed to work a spark of a thought into a flame of an idea that YOU might understand and perhaps agree with even though these writings aren't, for the most part, based on any "factual" materials I have read. Most of this is, as stated above, My Humble Opinion, to which you may agree or not agree as is your choice. In either case though I hope this has been an enjoyable read for you, as it HAS been an enjoyable "write" for me. I wish you Happy Costuming wherever and whenever you roam.

By Coletta Daniel
Costume Works
http://www.costume-works.com

Facts vs Fantasy or Myth in Medieval Times

The mention of Medieval Times brings about visions of Knights in Shining Armor, often saving a beautiful young Maiden from the flaming jaws of a great Dragon...Or possibly, a mentioning of the times brings about thoughts of beautiful Castles gleaming in the sun...while I just KNOW that in one of those tall towers dwells a Sleeping Princess..just waiting for the kiss of her true love to wake her. As the fairy tale would have it, the couple would then live "happily ever after" and the kingdom would flourish in the wake of such magical love and utter happiness.

Did I say "Fairy" tale? Oh YES! We dare NOT forget the Fairies of yore and folklore. There were Fairies of the forest who, I believe, were guardians of all things natural there. There were also Fairy Godmothers, or simply "good fairies", who, on occasion, were called forth to help a deserving human..usually in matters of the heart once again. Let me not leave out the Wizards and Witches of olden days also. It was all about MAGIC!...(or was it simply slight-of-hand and a few herbal remedies?)

It seems that the Middle Ages held just the right combination of romance and scientific knowledge...or "LACK OF".. to be a backdrop for the creatures of Imagination and Magic that we, today, have as treasures of legend and myth to keep forever.

Of course, many things that we assume are absolutely from the realm of fantasy, myth, or legend are based, some more loosely than others, on fact. Consider for a moment, the "dragon". It is becoming known, through scientific discovery, that there may indeed have been dragon-like, winged creatures, at least in prehistoric times. It is known definitely that there were VERY large, swimming serpents. The question is: If certain species had been left to evolve, would they...could they... have been the flying, dinosaurs that, in our minds, are the Dragons of Medieval Fantasy?

Wise Authors knew how to dress up a story of Good vs. Evil based almost solely on Fantasy and Myth. King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table for example. King Arthur himself is mainly a fictitious in Character...although a man named Arthur DID exist. Debating the good mans mere existence is something that still keeps historians quibbling. He was not a king, but may have actually been a chieftain living in Wales in the 6th Century. No matter though, the stories thrived like a living thing..they grew and they changed per each Authors personal ideas. A look at King Arthur's kingdom of Camelot might give us a hint as to why these legends are so popular, everlasting, and often accepted as truth. The many-towered Camelot, in it's essence, stood for values that we all hold dear, and that is that GOOD should always fight EVIL. "Might for Right", as described in one or the other of the stories. The Arthurian Tales of the Middle ages have been driven by romance and heartbreak, ongoing human conditions that we all can relate to. The stories are woven together with just the right touches of fantasy...beginning when Arthur was only a lad and he pulled Excalibur, the mighty sword, from it's stone...to the very end when, upon Arthur's demise, the creature "The Lady of the Lake" rises to retrieve Excalibur and return it to the safety of her arms at the bottom of the lake. The story, in most forms, also encases the search for the Holy Grail. Some see it as the search for God...others as the search for the Meaning of Life. In either case...I think it is very meaningful in most of our lives as we do our own searching.

It is especially in this part of the story of King Arthur that the use of Fantasy and Symbolism bring the stories idea across to us in a way that we can take from it what we wish.

A Myth is history that has been touched by emotion, and altered a bit in it's telling over time. I guess it's safe to say that it COULD be rather hard to get an absolutely accurate telling of stories passed down from the Middle Ages..it WAS quite a while ago and the stories have been told and REtold too many times to count.

One thing that I know as FACT is that people of today, who dress in Renaissance Period, Medieval Costumes, and attend the Festivals or Fairs of the same time period, have SO much fun that they will be chatting about it until they attend the NEXT one! It is a chance to live out a fantasy of your dreams. Not only are there things available to buy and see...but you can also participate in things like jousting, bow and arrow target shooting, or simply attending court. Be sure to check online for scheduled Renaissance Festivals and have your fantasy's come true.

I don't know about you, but at my age of 52, I prefer a little Fantasy with my Fact wherever and whenever I can get it.

Medieval Times is just NOT the same to me without it's Wizards, Tiny Fairies, and Dragons-Breath Fogs.

Although I used to believe the stories of the "little people" that my Grandmother from Ireland told me as a child, I now, as a "reasoning" adult, must believe it as just a story of "fantasy", although, between you and me, I'd rather NOT.

Coletta Daniel

2-2-06

Costume-Works

Coletta@Costume-Works.com

Snow in the Desert

It's not often anymore, in the busy noise of the world, that I get aquietness of mind that allows me to dwell on matters, and wonder about life in general. This morning , however, as I was standing at the kitchen sink, glancing out the window, I allowed myself one of those quiet moments to contemplate a rare vision that lay before me. Snow in the Desert.

   Now, mind you, I've lived in snow. When my home was in Colorado, thirty (or so) years ago, there was not much unusual about three to six feet of snow, and sub-zero temps cold enough to freeze the hairs in ones nose. Life went on. It was time to slip into your long-johns, your several layers of wool clothing, and your snowshoes. Some days required that chains be put on the tires to your vehicle which is no big deal. In snow country most people learn to put chains on when they learned to drive.
    There is, of course a little bit of extra work involved during the snow season. Shoveling snow is all a part of the beauty of living in a winter wonderland. People must, after all, be able to get from the front door to the driveway, or the street. Often times when company was expected it was necessary to take extra care when shoveling the front walkway. Aunt Alice often arrived for Holiday festivities having already "padded her nerves", as she said, with a few (or more) spiked Eggnogs. Thus, extra care was given to the front walkway to assure that any slipping incidents were not the fault of the household snow shoveler (me) nor the source of Aunt Alices "hospital horror stories" for years to come.
    Whether it is to go out to the barn to feed the cows, or to head down the road(roads usually cleared by city or state Snowplows then rock-salted to keep ice from forming) to whatever your place of employment is.... Life goes on. People in snow country do just about everything in the winter that they do in the summer. The difference might be that they do it with more clothes on.
    There are some minor nuisances during VERY heavy weather. There are power outages. It's just one more thing that snow people are prepared for just as if it were second nature for them to do things in the DARK...and to survive without watching TV or listening to the stereo. I'm just kidding of course...Snow people are prepared with Kerosene Lamps, Candles, and Battery and/or Generator operated lighting. As for entertainment? I've known them to read, play cards, sleep, and/or conversate. So, life DOES go on without electricity. The question remaining : Would we WANT it to? :-)
    Don't get me wrong, there are some wonderful things to do in the snow. There is sledding, snowboarding, skiing, ice skating, or a good ole fashioned Snowball Fight! And what about a "White Christmas"? Doesn't everybody think of SNOW when considering Christmas? I DO believe Santa Claus looks forward to snow at Christmas time...after all, from his Red Santa Suit, to his Black Snow boots, to the Beard to keep his face warm..he dresses for it!

   So now, here I was, looking out the window at what must have been an inch and a half of quickly melting snow. It had actually been snowing on and off for two days. The snow would fall, then melt, then repeat itself. Realizing that it has been MANY years since I've lived in snow country I still had to laugh at my self over my own response to a very little snow blizzard.
   When I first discovered the snow it was about five-thirty in the AM...and...as it should be at any sane household on a Saturday morning...everyone was still sound asleep. Not for LONG though! Upon my figuring out what that white substance was that was covering everything outside my front door....I went around the house poking everyone excitedly and te lling them that SOMEBODY ( Not ME of course.... it was too COLD out there! ) needed to get out there and take some pictures for me.   When I think back on it...I probably DID appear to have "lost my mind", as accused of at a saner time, sometime later in the day.
One thing that really struck me as strange, and it wasn't only ME being strange this time, is the way that everything seemed to STOP during the snow storm (if it can be called that). It seemed that nobody went anywhere. People stayed in their homes, perhaps to snuggle by the fire (if they have a fireplace..which isn't a MUST HAVE here in the desert), together cozily against the storm....or just because they were a bit terrified about driving in such unfamiliar conditions. Speaking of driving...there were even some road closures due to the small bit of weather we had. I suppose whomever makes those types of decisions felt that there are too few experienced snow drivers to take a risk in two inches of slushy snow...especially since it is doubtful that many of the good desert folks around here keep snow chains in their trunks or garages. And now, speaking of Snow Chains: Believe it or NOT I heard a commercial on the radio : one of the Auto Supply Stores has Snow Chains on sale. You have to admit...That IS funny! Would you go purchase some snow chains due to the fact that it snowed an inch or two...for a day or two...every year or two? I wouldn't, but I just bet that someone WILL!
   Yesterday the power went out and the phones went down. I was proud of myself as I did have some candles handy just in case of something like this( or so my story goes :-). I have no Kerosene Lamps but I did come up with two flashlights. By the time I had everything lit and in order the power went back on. All I can remember thinking was "Oh Thank you God!" because I swear I don't know WHAT I would do without my TV and/or my Computer! I was very happy that I wasn't going to be left to figure out something to DO for entertainment for myself...and possibly others too.

As I look out the window now, I see that the snow is almost gone. The desert sun has melted it into the barren dirt surface. The badly needed moisture will likely put to sprouting and blooming some beautiful desert wildflowers. For now though, It's making MUD.
Snow in the desert sure is pretty....But I think I prefer it WHERE and WHEN it is expected. Keep it in the high country, or in cowboy country like Colorado. Keep it up on that peak that I can also see from my kitchen window. Maybe some day I will pull my long-johns out of storage, put them on, and go VISIT the snow. I'm not sure I like it when the snow visits me....Not here....in the Desert.

by Coletta Daniel

Costume-Works.com

Coletta@Costume-Works.com

Thank you for visiting my Article Page, Hope you got a few smiles or gained a glimmer of how my MUSE works. When the muse again jumps upon my shoulder, I will sit and write again. If anybody would like to hear my ideas on any certain subject, you may write to me at the above E-Mail addy and I will, at least, attempt to oblige in this ARTICLE format.


	Menu Home About Coletta What's New Costume Articles Costume Contest Shop For Costumes Contact Coletta