STORY TELLERS
We invite readers to share thoughts, anecdotes, views or stories on a particular subject. Last week we asked you to tell us about best Halloween costume.
A page for readers to share their thoughts, views and stories.
I am not someone who is big on theme parties; I do not particularly like having my wardrobe choices limited and restricted when I want to just relax and unwind. That is why Halloween is a stressful time for me, with the pressure of having to come up with creative costumes and the dissatisfaction of not finding one that is just right. The days and hours leading up to Halloween 2013 was a similar scene, with my room and bed fast piling up with clothes discarded in a frenzied huff.
Ready to tear my hair out and close to cancelling my plans for the evening, I chanced upon an old black full-length dress at the back of my cupboard that I had not worn in so many years; I had forgotten I even owned it. All of a sudden, everything fell into place. I had hair that reached my lower back at the time, which I straightened; I put together all the grey-toned makeup I had, which a friend helped me apply to make my skin look ashen in contrast to a dark red lipstick… and voila! There was Morticia Addams. looking back at me from the mirror, with almost negligible effort on my part.
That alone, however, is not what makes this costume the best one in recent years. It is the fact that when I arrived at the party, there were two other members of The Addams Family present – Wednesday and Gomez! We did not have Lurch (the butler) but we did have someone who came as a zombie chef, which was good enough for us to have a fun impromptu dramatic photoshoot for a family portrait that remains one of my favourite pictures to date. Mehvash Peerbhoy
My best and the only costume I have worn for Halloween was in high school. We (the kids) decided to come to school in costumes to celebrate Halloween. On D -day, I became a witch. I am talking about black dress, broom, a pointy hat, green make-up on with a big fat mole to go with it. I was pretty proud of myself until I reach school to find out nobody was in a costume. Apparently, they had cancelled the plan and forgot to mention it to me. Anita Grover
I was at a Halloween party dressed as Batman, of course, as the night ended and the lights came I was still in a deep and meaningful conversation with a good friend (dressed as a burglar) that I hadn’t seen for ages. So engrossed in our conversation we decided to skip the taxi line and walk home. Without thinking we started the short walk home. Suddenly I was surrounded by other partygoers wanting selfies, stopping to shake my hand, cars were beeping, people were shouting ‘Batman please save us’. I stopped to get water and the shop owner said in a very serious voice ‘Batman, I insist this is on the house!’ Daniel Williams
The best costume I’ve worn on Halloween? Oh my gosh, I’ve had just so many it’s a struggle to choose one. But the one that I really enjoyed wearing and scaring the daylights out of unsuspecting friends was the Day of the Dead costume I sported on Halloween two years ago. I purchased the costume online and I must say I nearly startled myself when I looked into the mirror. Going trick or treating in the costume was such fun because just about everyone in the neighbourhood had an Oh my! expression when they opened the door for us. Dennis Johnson
The best costumes, in my experience, come together in a frantic few hours before a fancy dress party. There’s nothing like a looming deadline to spur creativity. By best, I clearly don’t mean the most beautifully put together – the make-up is often thickly applied – but I’m not a cosplayer, only a civilian. The clothes are usually back-of-the-closet castoffs – the pink minidress that must have been purchased whilst wearing sunglasses instantly turns the wearer into Anna Nicole Smith; a far more innocent blue and white summer-dress, teamed with an Alice band results in, well, Alice in Wonderland. Work with what you have: For my favourite impromptu costume, I happened, at the time, to have curly hair and a tutu. Add a simple cotton vest and heels (sadly, not Manolos), and you’ve got Carrie Bradshaw. Rachel Moore