Uplevel Your Costume (or Find Your Idea)

I have been a costume nerd for over 25 years. This includes spending much of my free time over the last decade being a part of Risk of Change, a sacred mummer ambiance troupe that wow’s at Oregon Country Fair and at paid gigs around Portland. 

Despite closets full of costume options, I still sometimes get that last minute anxious panic as to what I am going to be for Halloween. Luckily, I love the creative journey that this panic takes me on, and I want to offer you some ways to access or enhance your own perfect costume this year. 

Here is a tips and tricks variety package:

Monsters: As I have written a longer post about before, one of the most powerful ways to make the most of this holiday is to meditate on the inner monster you are ready to release this year. 

When I had eczema, I did an itchy character. When my feminist self needed to express the societal shadow, I became a creepy old guy. 

Consider journaling or meditating on what irks you the most right now and needs expression, and then go thrifting to find the parts. 

Mimicry: I bet you can do a pretty great impersonation of one of your parents or siblings. Take it to a next level and go full caricature of their archetype. Or, go classic celebrity and enjoy the night in character. I loved being Björk all night long, and mish-mashed my own silly mess of colors and jewelry that I think capture her weird. 

Reverse Engineer: Rather than have an idea and seek it out, go into your closet and pull out anything that sparkles your sense of character until you find the costume that makes you laugh the most. 

Gender Play: My troupe is quite queer, and I love trying out my drag king. Allow yourself to fully own it. Relish the stockings or your new mustache. Welcome your inner feminine or masculine to be present. Please don’t use this outfit to mock those who found their truth in a different gender than they were assigned. That is so pre-RuPaul gauche. Instead experience exploring another aspect of yourself. You contain multitudes!

Twins: Anytime two people wear the same thing on purpose, a costume is born. There is also safety in numbers. If you want to do something that strikes the edge of your comfort zone, get a friend to join you and bravery becomes play. This is also easy to reverse engineer if you hit the off-price department chains with your buddy to find a matching outfit.

Go Full Scary: Freak people out playfully. Do something that makes people’s skin crawl. Bring the spooky. Be grody.  

(Note: you can do this and STILL be consensual and stay safe. If you go into Jackass prank territory, you might get consequences you don’t want but perhaps deserve. You can walk the line without being a jerk).

Improve a Basic Costume: Go dig out some old item you once wore and consider how you can add a layer to it with creative accoutrements. Make a mash up or a portmanteau. Bring a character to the clothes.

Honor the Dead: Which dead celebrity do you want to represent? My friend had a Paul Reubens party the year he passed (Rest in Play, PeeWee). I went for a deep cut as his 30 Rock character, Prince Gerhardt. That party was one of the highlights of my whole year, as everyone brought such great effort to their outfits.

i am pretty darn booked through Samhain, so we will have to wait until November on a personal tarot reading to help you look at your own inner demons.

Bring that twin with you to a Tarot Together session sometime.

Tis the season for some inward explorations that an intuition coaching session is all about.

Snazz up your party when you hire a tarot or palm reader from Portlandia Fortune Tellers. I am excited to say that we are nearly all booked up for two major party nights this year!

Have a safe and fun Halloween! Feel free to send me photos of your costume! I love seeing the ideas people come up with. 

Get Spooky,

Jenna Lynne Roberts

Present Path Tarot

Portlandia Fortune Tellers