#i love how costume designers went all in on hats and hair accessories

[crouching-fandom]

Chinese New Year's promo for the currently filming drama Shui Long Yin | video source

[melodiesofblueroses]

𝘊𝘰𝘶𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘴𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘺

→ 𝘔𝘢𝘮𝘮𝘰𝘯 𝘹 𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳

୨୧ 𝘚𝘶𝘮𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘺: Mammon would do anything (MC) asks of him, even when it ends up with the two of them as in cosplay while his brothers poke fun at them.

୨୧ 𝘎𝘦𝘯𝘳𝘦: Fluff

୨୧ 𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵: 2.4k

୨୧ 𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘴 𝘶𝘱: f!reader

“Come on, don’t be so stubborn! Just try it on.” (MC) sighed a bit, clutching the homemade costume that she made specifically for Mammon.  It took a few weeks for her to perfect it, often having Mammon come over to her room as she took measurements to tailor the suit to fit his physique. But, now that it was finished, Mammon didn’t want it. And after she worked so hard on it! The audacity of this demon she had fallen for! “Mammon, you have to wear it. It’s the counterpart to my cosplay.” 

“Yeah, but I’ll look so dorky. Besides, I’m not even into that anime stuff like Levi.” As much as Mammon refused her gift, she could see the tints of red on the tips of his ears and how his face turned a light shade of pink. Maybe he was trying to keep up his tough-guy act and just need a bit more push. (MC) puffed out her cheeks. 

“But I made this suit specifically for you. Also, you’re a model! You’ll look good in anything.” (MC) smirked quite victoriously when she saw the second eldest begin to stutter and flail around. Ok, her advances were working. I just need a bit more, and he’ll comply. 

“O-Of course the Great Mammon looks good in anything. Ya don’t need ta make me wear a suit ta prove it. But I can’t believe ya made somethin’ only for me.” The last bit was muttered underneath his breath, trying to make sure (MC) wouldn’t hear it but to no avail. Nothing could escape her prying ears. She saw a bit of hesitance, knowing that he appreciated the fact that she made him something. A handmade gift was exactly the thing that would make Mammon instantly melt and go soft. I mean, it showed that someone truly did appreciate him. Plus, (MC) was the one that made it for him. Him!! She could’ve chosen any other brother, but she specifically decided on him. It made Mammon’s heart skip a beat, and a soft smile graced his lips.

“Mammon, please.” It was time to pull out the puppy dog eyes, the ultimate weapon against him. Having to live with Mammon for months, (MC) practically knew every one of his weaknesses. She knew that Mammon craved her attention. He was greedy for it, more so than money it seemed at times, and (MC) would happily give it to him. She knew how harsh his brothers could be on him, and (MC) wanted to make sure that Mammon felt loved. However, this also could be used to her advantage. Since Mammon was greedy for her attention, he also got a bit jealous if she acted the same towards anyone else. So if (MC) begged him enough, Mammon would eventually give in. It was the perfect plan, although it made her feel a bit guilty that she was playing with his feelings. “Everyone will think that we’re a couple, and we’ll have so much fun! But if you really don’t want to, I can just ask Levi.” She pushed out her outer lip to form a pout and played a bit with her hands. It gave a cutesy act, one that reminded her of those shy anime girls that were nervous to confess to their crush. But she also knew that Mammon was weak for anything that made her seem cute, so it was a win in her book. 

His ears immediately perked up, and Mammon’s face was practically red by this time. Ah, she did look utterly adorable when she was pouting like that, especially in her cosplay. (MC) smirked underneath her breath, going unnoticed by Mammon. She had scored the goal. He was for sure to accept it now. 

“S-Since you’re practically begging me, sure. I am the Great Mammon after all, and it is my job to look after ya.” He coughed and covered his mouth with his hand, averting his eyes in an attempt to hide the furious blush that would not go away anytime soon. Mammon had desperately wanted to confess to (MC) but backed away each time he tried. Now here lay a chance for him to look like he was in a relationship with (MC), right in front of his eyes pleading for him to take the opportunity. Of course he would say yes! Anything to get closer with (MC). Maybe they could even hold hands, and if he was lucky, he could kiss her cheek. Ah, just the thought of doing couple things with (MC) made him go so soft. 

“Great! Here, change into this, and I’ll go grab the accessories.” (MC) was practically jumping up and down, unable to withhold her excitement. She had planned this for weeks, and her fantasy was finally going to become a reality. Rather than doing it for fun, it would be the perfect chance to indirectly tell Mammon that she liked him and hoped for a more intimate relationship.  

~

“What are the two of you wearing?” Satan was the first one to come across their couple cosplay as he sat in the living room, deep into a mystery novel that had caught his attention a few days prior. Normally, he would’ve ignored their presence, but it was rather difficult to do that when (MC) and Mammon were dressed rather flashy. 

“It’s a cosplay,” (MC) explained, intertwining her fingers with Mammon who blushed and looked away. 

“And what exactly are you dressed up as?” Although he didn’t want to admit it, Satan appreciated the immaculate detail (MC) had put into the designs. He could see the amount of time and effort she had poured into the costumes and loved how they turned out. They were rather cute, although he wasn’t into fashion, unlike Asmodeus. 

“Can’t you tell? It’s a rather popular franchise you know. I’m sure Levi probably discussed it some time. Anyway, this was one of my favorite childhood shows and-” Mammon remained quiet, letting (MC) do all the talking. It’s not like he knew anything about the show either, but if (MC) wanted to dress up with him, then so be it. He’ll endure all the comments and teases from his brothers if it meant that (MC) would be happy. Hell, he would even climb to the top of the Devildom and back if it meant he could see (MC) smile at him. He truly was a lovestruck fool for (MC). 

(MC) wore a typical sailor outfit that seems to be a popular high school fit for anime girls, with the addition of a red ribbon both on the chest area and the lower back of the outfit. Her blue skirt, with all the detailed ruffles that she herself made, was a tad bit too short, and if she wasn’t careful, she could accidentally flash the brothers. It was a careless error she had made when measuring the cloth, but it was too late to turn back. Sporting the sailor fit, she wore knee-high boots and put her hair up in two side ponytails, the tips being rolled up into buns. Her gold earrings were in the shape of crescents, and various moon accents were scattered throughout. 

Mammon, on the other hand, wore a simple black tuxedo with black pants and a cape to go along with it. He wasn’t particularly fond of the top hat or white mask, but (MC) insisted that it was needed to look the part, along with a red rose that he held in his free hand. 

“You see, we’re dressed up as-”

“Sailor Moon,” Leviathan cut in, finishing her sentence. He was the second brother to view the two and took a quick picture to post on Devilgram with some silly caption to poke fun at the both of them. He had walked in midway into her explanation, with headphones on and eyes widening ever so slightly when he saw their cosplay. (MC) stuck her tongue out at Leviathan, a bit mad at him for stealing her thunder. “And Mammon is Tuxedo Mask.” He snickered a bit and went back to playing some game on his phone. “I can’t believe you made Mammon cosplay.” It was a rather snide comment, perhaps poking fun at the avatar of greed for looking so unsightly. The second eldest turned his head, instead trying to divert his attention to any little thing in the living room. He felt so embarrassed right now. 

“Come on, it’s his first time cosplaying. Give him a break. Besides, I coerced him using our pact, so it’s not like he had a say in the matter,” (MC) chimed in, protecting Mammon from any comments he may receive. He, on the other hand, felt his heart skip a beat. Ah, this was one of the reasons he fell for her. She never once let his brothers get away with a snide comment as long as she was around. It felt good being protected and cared for, but Mammon would never admit that to anyone. 

“Yeah, yeah.” Leviathan waved her off, opting instead to focus on the game in hand. “I’m so sending this on the group chat though.” 

“Alright, well record this as well.” (MC) cleared her throat, then threw a pose. “In the name of the moon, I’ll punish you.” She giggled afterwards, and Mammon stared at her in amazement. She was playing with his brothers, taking any comment and joking around with them further, as if she was truly unfazed and unbothered by any of their remarks. He loved that unwavering confidence that she had. It just made her all the more attractive. 

Asmodeus was the next one to walk in, complimenting (MC)’s craftsmanship as she had asked him for some tips beforehand. “Your accessories pair well with your outfit, although it might be a bit too flashy. You seem so adorable though.” He showered her with compliments, being the natural flirt that he was, but completely ignored Mammon in the process.

“Hey! Don’t flirt with (MC),” Mammon said a bit too tensely, pulling (MC) closer to him followed by a soft growl. It was the first time he had spoken since (MC) dragged him to the living room to show off to the brothers. Mammon was simply too embarrassed beforehand, but if anyone so much so makes a move towards (MC), then, by all means, he would be ready to attack. He was her first after all, but most importantly, she was the only one that showered him with love and affection, for the most part. If anyone became rather close with her, then his only means of positive affection would be gone, and Mammon would be left with nothing but insults. He couldn’t have that. No, he was greedy for her love. Money was no longer enough to satisfy his cravings. 

One by one, the remaining brothers filtered into the room, possibly due to the picture Levi took and sent to the family chat. Reluctantly, Mammon followed in (MC)’s steps and played out some scenes to entertain the fact that they were, indeed, dressed up as a couple. He wasn’t exactly the best, however, always stuttering and messing up some lines. His face was all red, and he could hear a few comments on that as well. But he had to keep going, to take in all these remarks, all for (MC). He also couldn’t stand to eye (MC). She just looked too cute in that outfit of hers, especially with that hairstyle. Oh how badly he wanted to hold her cheeks and slowly kiss her underneath the stars. 

As for the reactions of the other brothers, they were more or less similar to the others. Lucifer just looked down at them in disappointment. Had he really chosen a human that was similar to his beloved brother? He also seemed to find it a bit, well, cringy, but more or less admired the effort. He also could tell that Mammon seemed to enjoy himself, even if it was a little. He was happy to see that Mammon had found someone who loved and supported him, even if it meant forcing Mammon into endeavors he wasn’t too fond of. Belphegor’s face seemed to say “you woke me up for this?” and immediately went back to napping whereas Beelzebub didn’t seem to care all that much. 

Everyone eventually dispersed and went their own separate ways with (MC) and Mammon walking hand-in-hand back to her room on the first floor. (MC) seemed rather ecstatic as there was a slight skip to her step. Mammon remained quiet, instead focusing on how adorable (MC) looked when she was happy and trying to enjoy the moment before the two of them would part ways for the night. Oh what he wouldn’t give to have this moment last forever. That didn’t last long, however, as they soon arrived at (MC)’s door. 

“Mammon, thank you for doing this for me.” She turned to look at him, a tiny sparkle in her eyes. “I know that it’s a bit tough with your brothers and all, but I sincerely appreciate the fact that you’d do this when I asked you too, even if I practically begged you at the beginning.” 

“O-Of course. Who wouldn’t wanna spend time with me? I just did ya a big favor, so be grateful.” She giggled at his typical tsundere response and quickly kissed him on the cheek, which shut him up for good. 

“Ok, well, goodnight my dear prince,” she teased, walking into her room. “Oh, and you can keep the costume.” The last thing he saw before she closed her bedroom door was (MC)’s precious smile, the one that made his heart beat faster each time he saw it. 

Mammon’s brain was currently malfunctioning, trying to process what just happened as he stood still outside her bedroom door. Did she just call him her sweet prince? And did they just hold hands like a couple the whole time? Ah, Mammon was losing his mind over the fact that he had been so intimate with his crush today. If only he could build up confidence and make things official. But for now, this would suffice. 

Unconsciously, he brought a hand to his cheek, touching the area that (MC) had kissed. He blushed as he recounted the memory, stupidly smiling to himself in the process. Quietly, he muttered something under his breath, making sure no prying ears were in reach to hear him. “Tch, that’s my human.”

[gamebunny-advance]

Kind of A Downer

I think I’ve come to accept that the stuff I make gets attention mostly based on subject rather than the content.

And that’s fine since I cover relatively niche subjects (or niche subjects within popular fandoms), so the folks that like that stuff must be really into it like I am which is cool, but still... I can’t help to be a little... I dunno, disappointed about that I guess? Everything about this situation is my own fault, I’m not blaming anyone for it. It’s just how I’m feeling.

Anyway, sorry to bring y’all down, it’s just something I had on my mind. They’re not finished, but I’m gonna go ahead and post what I’ve done for what I’m calling the “Mahou Smash Project” so far. Right now it feels less like, “What if all the Brawl fighters were magical girls?” and more like “What if all the Brawl fighters wore skirts?”, but I’m working on it.

This is roughly the first sketch I did to flesh out the concept. It’s a little more difficult to think of stuff for the non-human characters without just giving them bows, but I’ll try to think of more ideas. Kirby is actually based on an outfit he had from “Super Kirby Clash” that’s called “Magical Girl”. I like it as a shoutout, but I’d also like to do something more original.

No matter how many times I tried to let Mario keep his cap, I felt like it never really went with the rest of the outfit, so I chucked it. I really liked the idea of giving him head wings to call back to his “wing cap” from 64, but it conflicted with Pit being in his group that already has a wing motif, so in later sketches I scrapped it. (His stars also conflict with Kirby, but there are so many star/space themed fighters on the roster, so I don’t think that part is as noticeable). Otherwise I really fell in love with the initial design and it doesn’t really change that much over my several iterations of him.

Originally Link’s inspo was from “Ojamajo Doremi” since the hats were kinda similar. I tried to incorporate a lot of triangles in the design to represent the triforce, but I’m not sure how I feel about the inner dress yet. I like the shape, but I’m not sure if it suits him. I might wind up giving him shorts later.

I had a really hard time with Pit since his outfit is already kinda magical. The most I could really come up with was to add a few more embellishments and make some accessories less “bulky”.

I think Tabuu is actually the second sketch I did when I thought of the idea. At first I was planning on combining this AU with the human!AU to make designing the non-humans easier, but I decided to challenge myself and just keep everyone as they were. It’s a shame because I think this hair suits his design a bit better than the original, but if there ever is a final version of this project, he’s gonna stay bald. His ability is: Morpho Anguish

Of course I had to try these two at some point. R.O.B. has a royal motif to represent how he ruled over the lesser ROBs, but it’s a little difficult to think of accessories he can realistically wear while keeping most of his original silhouette and get across that he’s a magical girl too.

Unlike other designs where the idea for the costume preceeded the ability, I thought of GW’s ability first and then the costume. His ability allows him to “cook” anything into existence from food to people, but he can only do the “complicated stuff” with his cookbook, which is in Tabuu’s possession.

Another sketch of these two. This is when I realized that Mario’s wings would overlap with Pit’s. Speaking off, it’s not super obvious, but I eventually settled on “ballerina” as a theme for Pit so I could distance him a bit more from his original outfit. Specifically he’s inspired by “Swan Lake”, thus the first iteration of the feather skirt appears.

TBH, Wario isn’t super inspired yet. At first it was just a take on Mario’s outfit, but I think I’d like it come a little closer to his WarioWare design since that’s his default in Smash. The crown and cravat is supposed to represent a “W” though, so that’s something.

The most recent iteration of Pit. I let him keep his bodysuit so he could retain some modesty since I draw the skirts on so short, but I honestly think it clashes with the rest of the design. I’ll have to find a way to incorporate more blue into the design if he’s gonna keep it.

Mario is mostly the same from previous iterations, so Luigi takes a lot from him, just a “little” different. I like the striped socks as a shout-out to the Mario & Luigi games, but I don’t like how he takes some of Mario’s red when Mario doesn’t take Luigi’s green (I tried giving him the green striped-socks, but they didn’t look good). I might take them out if I iterate on him again. Luigi’s ability is: Electric Moons.

Another tough one since her design was already kind of magical. I feel like all I did was shorten her dress and add some bows, but sometimes that’s all you really need to do. Her ability is: Blooming Rosales

Originally she was going to be more “knight” themed and keep her helmet since her power suit reminds me of those medieval suits of armor, but I can’t really draw armor, so I chickened out of it. It’s not super apparent, but her skirt is supposed to be transparent. If I come back for her, I think I’m going to work on making her an actual suit of armor so that there’s more difference between this and her zero suit form. Her ability in this form is: Stellar Cannon.

I feel like this is less “magical girl” and more ”Judy Jetson”. I like it, but I think it should be frilled up a bit more. I wanted to add some more flower detailing to represent the pikmin, but I think it really clashed with the “old-timey astronaut” thing he’s got going on. It’s still on his helmet, but it really sticks out, doesn’t it? His ability is: Plucking Gardens

Last two. I might find a way to reintroduce their hoods, but I love the idea of a hat that’s comically small. The pompoms on their hats and shoes are supposed to invoke cherries since they’re often drawn as a pair, but I don’t think it really comes across that way. Popo’s ablity is: Icy Flurry. Nana’s ability is: Freezing Snowfall. Together their ability is: Twin Blizzard

[221brownstone]

Vulture: Elementary’s Joan Watson Is the Best-Dressed Detective on TV

In the seventh and final season of Elementary, Joan Watson is blonde. The character’s style has constantly evolved alongside her detective career and partnership with Sherlock Holmes (Jonny Lee Miller), but in all her years on the show, there has been very little change to Lucy Liu’s locks. With just 13 episodes left, though, Joan has drastically altered her hair, which in turn means one last style shake-up for the best-dressed detective on TV.

Credit for that goes to costume designer Rebecca Hofherr, who has worked on the CBS procedural since its second episode in 2012, and who has guided Joan’s transformation from predominantly casual-leaning clothing to more structured menswear-inspired pieces. Hofherr spoke to Vulture about the narrative and fashion influences behind Joan’s costume evolution, including how they put their own stamp on an iconic duo and the sartorial challenges of shooting a 20-plus-episode season in New York City.

Joan’s styling was much more relaxed in the first year of Elementary. As his sober companion, her relationship with Sherlock was initially a professional commitment. She was not yet a detective and she was very much in the background of the investigation scenes. “Her clothing was very casual because that’s what the job called for,” Hofherr says. As Joan got more versed in the crime-solving world, her role shifted from sober companion to Sherlock’s protégée. By the second season, her costuming moved toward a slightly more sophisticated and buttoned-up approach. “As cheesy as it might sound, you need to put on a little more armor when dealing with the NYPD and all these criminals,” says Hofherr.

Joan’s wardrobe isn’t an either/or between suits and dresses, or even casual and business attire. She didn’t become a detective and suddenly stop wearing comfortable clothing. The suits reflect a change in Joan’s status and independence as an investigator, but dresses and sandals are still a vital style ingredient. During one Hofherr’s first conversations with Liu, they agreed Joan should “feel like a real New Yorker.” Expanding on this, Hofherr included staple items such as blazers or sandals, which most women have in their closets to dress an outfit up or down. “It was really nice to be able to incorporate them into a professional world for Joan,” she says.

Discovering the true cost of a TV character’s wardrobe is an eye-opening experience. Joan’s closet is definitely packed with high-end items — Hofherr’s go-to favored designers for Joan include Victoria Beckham, Saint Laurent, Isabel Marant, and Stella McCartney, with Rag & Bone as her signature bootee choice — but to ensure her clothing reflected that New Yorker aspect, Hofherr also shopped at Zara and H&M. “It was really important to do a mix,” she says. “I think that’s pretty much how everyone shops. I don’t think it’s realistic to only shop at high-end stores.”

Noticeable costume repeats tend to be outerwear, but Hofherr also uses staple investment pieces such as high-waisted black pencil Victoria Beckham pants. (Dressing them with an inexpensive top, she adds, is “a great way to get a lot of outfits out of a really expensive pair of pants.”) There is an aspirational element to Joan’s garments, but the high-low mixing reflects how a lot of people shop. Hofherr also notes with a laugh that “pretty much everything Lucy wore from Zara, I also own. I was like, Oh, I can afford that.”

The one item that has appeared in all seven seasons? Joan’s red men’s Elder Statesman “house sweater.” Most people have a cozy garment that they only wear in the comfort of their own home, Hofherr explains, and Joan is no different. Sherlock and Joan’s brownstone home doubles as their office, but she wouldn’t be wearing suits at all hours of the day and night while solving a case. As Liu has worn this sweater so many times on the show, Hofherr says that not only has it molded to her body but it also has the pulls of a well-loved garment. It is also a color Joan doesn’t typically wear, which visually makes it a “nice change.”

Joan doesn’t eschew color, but a black-and-white motif runs through the first season to the last. Regardless of whether it is a suit, skirt, or a more casual outfit, sticking with the same color tone allows for experimentation with pattern. In the above outfit from season four’s “The Games Underfoot,” she wears a Saint Laurent polka-dotted tie with a checkered J.O.A. skirt and polka-dotted Ji Oh blouse. Sometimes the costume choice reflects Joan’s career, but on occasions like this one, it shows that Joan has a “fashionable side” too. “She can throw these things together and look really cute,” Hofherr says.

Two big style turning points emphasize Joan’s drive for equal footing with Sherlock as a detective. First came the ties, introduced at the end of season three. Suits followed, making their initial sartorial stamp in season five. The message is clear: Long gone are the days when Joan was Sherlock’s student. As with a lot of Joan’s costuming, she doesn’t stick to one specific suit-and-tie combo. In fact, the Marc Jacobs shirt above (which Hofherr got from one of her go-to sites, Shopbop) is a bit of an optical illusion, as it doesn’t even include a tie. Vests were thrown into the mix after Hofherr made the decision to stick with suits. It is also a nod to her relationship with Sherlock: Up to this point, Hofherr points out, vests have been Sherlock’s thing, so this costume mirroring is “a little nod to her respecting him so much.”

“I went to all ends of the Earth!” Hofherr laughs when talking about the many ties Joan has worn on Elementary. Men’s offerings were out of the question for someone of Liu’s stature, as they are just too wide and long. She snapped up everything Saint Laurent and Gucci had on offer, but she also shopped at uniform companies, bought a few kids’ ties, and even made them in-house. Maybe a Joan Watson tie line should be next? “If all these designers are going to sell women’s suits, I would love for them to start making women’s ties,” Hofherr suggests.

Another later costume addition was the Victorian-style Isabel Marant blouse. In part, this outfit was a hat tip to the original Holmes and Watson, but it also added another variation on the suit theme. One of the biggest challenges when doing a show with a full 20-plus-episode order is obtaining enough clothing, particularly for a fashion-forward character like Joan. Hofherr says that she needs 50 outfits a month — on average, Joan has five changes per episode — and costuming was made trickier because designers don’t typically replenish their collections between seasons. “We end up making a lot of clothes based on designs we love and change a few things because I can’t find 20 Victorian-style blouses or 20 men’s-style blouses,” Hofherr laments. “I can find five, but then that’s it for four months.”

Fashion seasons are not the only Elementary costume challenge, as shooting outside in New York City from July to May means having to find clothing that fits all weather cycles. (The 13-episode final season was a bit easier, though, because they only shot until December.) Sherlock sticks to the same styles — “This guy would buy 20 of the same shirts, the same sport coat, and the same pants,” Hofherr says — and he has also worn the same Tom Ford winter peacoat for seven years. On the flip side, Joan has many changes, but she isn’t going to have a different coat for each outfit, as that is neither practical or realistic for either the character or the designer. Hofherr’s preference was to have between five and ten on hand: “If we got the coats fitted and ready to go we could just recycle them episode after episode.” Outerwear is something that is repeated across various seasons — including the Alice + Olivia coat above — but accessories like hats, gloves, and scarves are switched out to keep things fresh.

Sometimes the weather also dictates the type of hat required: “I originally got that hat because we were shooting outside one day in the rain and they didn’t want to have umbrellas,” Hofherr says. The wider brim of this Barneys-brand men’s hat has since been worn on a number of occasions, as has the tie-waist Marissa Webb windowpane check coat (which will reappear in the final season).

Of course, the story also dictates what Hofherr chooses for Joan. At the end of season six, creator Rob Doherty didn’t know if they were going to get renewed, so they shot two different endings. This particular Diane von Furstenberg dress fit both the ending we saw and the alternative they filmed — though Hofherr couldn’t provide any other details without spoiling the end of season seven as well. “I wanted it to be timeless, as I didn’t know if it was the last time we were ever going to see Joan Watson,” she says. “It was a little bit of an ode to all the Joans we have seen throughout the seasons. I felt a suit would have been a different look for that final scene.” No surprise, then, that it is also one of Hofherr’s costume highlights.

Hofherr couldn’t pick a single favorite outfit, but this one she considers to be the most significant. At the end of season three, Sherlock has almost killed a man and relapsed, but Joan’s loyalty doesn’t waver. “This is where we start to see the Joan that we will forever know,” says Hofherr. “And I think this is the best version of Joan too.” The pink skirt is by Roland Mouret and the shirt is Uniqlo, which is another high-low outfit mix. It also happens to be the first time Joan wears a tie, which is a huge style turning point.

Hofherr also spoke in depth about working with Liu, not only as an actress but in her role as a director. (She has stepped behind the camera six times on Elementary.) Referring to Liu as “one of the most inspirational women I’ve had in my life” — she also did the costume design on the Liu-starring Netflix rom-com Set It Up — she says Liu is “willing to take risks, but she knows exactly when to take them.”

Which brings us back to the blonde mystery. Hofherr had already FaceTimed with Liu sporting her new hair color, but the styling was a task of its own. “She walked in for her first fitting of the final season and I didn’t recognize her,” said Hofherr laughing. They did plan fewer outfits than previous seasons’ fittings, she adds, “because we were figuring out what works with the blonde hair and what doesn’t.” Don’t worry: There are still plenty of outfits to come, particularly in the last two episodes. (Hofherr teased that Joan will have ten-plus changes.)

The signature black-and-white motif remains, including these fabulous Stella McCartney palazzo pants. “I always know it’s a really good outfit when all the crew members ask me what it is,” Hofherr says. That is the exact reaction Liu got when she stepped on set in this particular costume.

[earlgraytay]

dagny-hashtaggart replied to your post

“hot take: harley quinn’s costume in birds of prey is terrible,...”

Yeah, I just don't love the juggalette look for Harley in general. I get that the transition away from the classic harlequin outfit is meant to represent character development, but aesthetically it's a definite step down. And all the praise for it seems to be "look how not sexualized and objectifying it is!" Which, sure, okay, but that doesn't make it a good outfit, it just means that it's not bad in one specific way.

@dagny-hashtaggart​ @kaieffingleng​ - I’m honestly okay with Harley not looking like her DCAU original self! The DCCU is consciously going for a more “realistic” look, and in a world where the Batsuit is tactical armour and Supes’ costume is padded so he doesn’t need the red bodybuilder shorts, Harley’s classic costume would look a little out of place. 

But like.... there are so many little tweaks they could have made to the BOP costume to make it not Bad To Look At while keeping the general silhouette/concept of “cute, trendy Girl On Her Own who doesn’t need to dress for no man”. 

Here, let me show you what I mean-- I did up a quick sketch. 

Hair in three ponytails, arranged like the ‘traditional’ harlequin hat, with bells, cute lil clips, and generally the entire stock of a Claire’s added for effect.

Sundry Piercings, including jingle bell earrings. 

A vintage bicycle necklace, as both a cute accessory and a nod to the Bicycle card deck. 

A giant fake fur patchwork coat- either in pastel shades (to ‘match’ the final BOP design with the ughstreamers) or in red and black (what I’d personally go with). This is currently trendy, but it’s less... Like That... than the streamer jacket. 

A ripped-up, cut-off crop top. This is partly to keep some continuity of design with her OG DCCU appearance, where she wore a shredded T-shirt. I know this probably wouldn’t be possible because licensing fees, but I drew the EP cover art for Lynyrd Skynyrd's Free Bird on it- it’s got a Cool Gun and it’s Not Particularly Subtle visual symbolism.

We can keep the high-waisted short shorts. They’re part of what’s going to make the outfit look dated as hell in ten years, but they’re cute and “trendy” is part of the design brief. I gave them sailor buttons because I personally really like that look. 

Tol Socks with some kind of card deck design on them- I went with red and black stripes and big card suit symbols. (Totally Not Chosen For Troll Romance Reasons. There’s absolutely a heart and a diamond on the other side.)

Doc Martens. If we go with the red and black colour scheme, they’re plain bright red; if we go with the pastel one, they’re floral. 

Like... This is a quick sketch and it’s the first pass; I could probably come up with something better given enough time.  But... it’s already so much less Bad To Look At, while still being cute and trendy. 

[iprocrastinatefartoomuch]

Some Thoughts on AWAE 3x10 (a lot of spoilers ahead)...

Yay, Winnie and Gilbert have broken up!

Since Winnie is fundamentally an unproblematic character, I can’t help but feel a bit bad for her. On paper, they seemed like the perfect couple.

Winnie is right, why did he lead her father on?

“I don’t have any plans to marry.”- Sure…

I love how Gilbert is compassionate and emphatic at this moment. He never takes a moment to doubt the actual heartbreak and emotion associated with her reaction. Even though they’re breaking up, he tells her that she is someone that shouldn’t be settled for.

Diana got in!

“Is there anything else you want to say to me?”-Now is your moment, Gilbert!

“Congratulations.”-That’s all? Seriously Anne is giving you opportunities on a silver platter.

Yes, he’s applying to Uni. of Toronto with Dr. Emily Oak

“Deceitful child, how could you?”-Remember that time you couldn’t figure out improper fractions?

Where would there be a gaggle of eligible, wealthy and educated men? College/university. Also, no wealthy and educated man wants an uneducated partner.

Diana’s parents’ reasoning is just uggggghhhhhhhhh.

Why do I have the feeling that Diana’s parents aren’t going to let her go to Queens?

Mathew, now was not a great time to tell her the news about the changes.

I swear to god that note better not fly away.

Wait, how does he know where her room is within the house.

You can’t sell half of Pride and Prejudice.

WTF, WHY WOULD YOU TEAR UP THE NOTE, ANNE?

No, no, no! The note was the opposite of those sentiments. I’m going to buy that very infuriating action as a plot device to him confessing his feeling IN PERSON.

I’m continually amazed by how quick Anne sets aside her own problems in order to be there for her friends.

I can’t help but chuckle at how happy Marilla is at the corset.

Oh no, Elijah’s back. I thought was touching that he bought back Gilbert’s Dad’s watch from the pawn watch. While Bash’s treatment of Elijah is harsh, I understand where he’s coming from.

“The more I held her back, the less I was included.”-Never were truer words spoken.

“I’m so sad to see you go yet so happy I know you.”-Love Miss Stacy’s wisdom and I just wish a certain someone had said the exact same thing to her.

“I’d advise you to smarten up and explain yourself.”-YES, YES!

Happy to see that Bash’s relationship with Elijah has softened, considering that he’s been trying to make a concerted effort.

Oh, Anne looks so grown up!

I would have preferred for her skirt to be solid-colored but love the ensemble.

Glad to see that Ka'kwet hasn’t been forgotten. I love that she decided to take the hair accessories that she gave Anne with her.

Now would be a great time to initiate the conversation, Mathew.

That was a moment missed. Now, he better tell her right before she moves in.

The costume designers did Tillie dirty with her ensemble. Besides the hat, the outfit looks like an outfit made for Rachel. Seriously, couldn’t they cut her jacket at her waist?

I feel like I’ve seen Mrs. Blackmore in something else. Glad to see the intro of a deaf character.

Deaf-mute is a questionable but probably a historically accurate choice of words.

I laughed so hard when the girls were stopped from running up the stairs.

“I promise not to snore”.-Tillie

Was glad to see Josie’s shitty experience with Billy didn’t put her off from any notion of courting.

It feels surreal to see all the girls look so grown up with corsets and with their hair up.

Side note: Bash’s mom’s skin is just stunning. Seriously, she is glowing.

Elijah’s staying on! Mary’s wish to have her family together has been fulfilled.

Mathew, tell her that you’re sad that she’s going to be gone but you’re happy about her future.

I love how Marilla has really come to regard Aunt Jo to be part of the family.

I love how Cole has come into herself.

That dress, Marilla!

Sad to see that her inquiry in Scotland has led to a dead end.

Anne handled her feeling so maturely.

Yes, Mathew, is finally admitting his feelings!

That velvet looks so plush but isn’t that dress a little inappropriate for daytime?

“If I know you, you better tell me who and how.”-I found it hilarious, it was just in such sharp contrast to the happy background music.

There’s finally

I forgot that Anne doesn’t know that Gilbert and Winifred broke up.

Diana’s face dropped when he mentioned that he isn’t going to Queens but the University of Toronto.

Love the contrast between Gilbert’s smile and Diana’s scowl.

Seriously, Diana’s rant deserves all the awards. Glad she brought up the fact that he literally gave her 30 seconds to decide about her future.

Also if Diana’s very eloquent rant isn’t an indicator of her ability, I don’t know what is. Seriously, her parents want to waste all of that?

I also love, for the most part, how her story of finding her independence unraveled throughout the season.

He’s going after her!

I swear to god if there’s going to be another missed connection, I’m going to scream.

Just in the nick of time!

I love how her hair has slightly unraveled, it’s such a romantic look. It’s giving me Lucy Honeychurch in A Room with a View vibes.

THEY’RE KISSING!!!!

Damn, he’s a good kisser.

Mrs. Blackmore better not be looking out the window, I desperately need them to have a moment.

“Do you truly have feelings for me?”-Idk, you guys should kiss again but seriously, was that kiss, not an indicator?

Anne went for it! Gleefully remembering, “Why must the girl wait?”

Oh darling, the second kiss was EVERYTHING!

I wonder what made Diana’s father’s mind change?

Maybe he saw her rant and thought, finishing school is a waste (and probably more expensive than college).

Damn, Gilbert.

Love Diana’s surprised look.

I wonder if Marilla and Mathew saw the kissing?

Love that they were able to give Anne the book, for her to have something of her parents.

“You’re a wish come true, I never knew I was making.”-Never truer words said.

Final Thoughts:

They really tied up everything in this episode. I wonder if they did that on purpose because if they were to be canceled, it wouldn’t be fair to leave on a cliffhanger.

I wonder if they’re going to do that Glee thing where they essentially split the show between two different plots. I hope they don’t do that because it didn’t work for Glee.

For two people who don’t have a lot of experience with kissing, they sure looked like they knew what they’re doing.

I really liked how when Gilbert and Winifred broke up, they didn’t emphasize Anne but the fact that it’s wrong to marry someone you feel as if you’re settling for.

Seriously, what made Diana’s dad change her mind?

Can’t wait for Queens plotlines!

His plan to go straight off to Paris without learning the language seriously doesn't make sense.

[hari-writes]

Three Sides to the Story - Chapter 7

Fandom: Miraculous Ladybug Pairings: Adrien/Marinette Marinette/Chat Noir Summary: It’s been almost three years since Adrien Agreste walked out of Marinette’s life. An accidental meeting at a party starts a course of events that will either drive them together or further apart. Meanwhile, Plagg and Tikki have had enough of their holders’ indecision and obliviousness.

Read on A03

Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6

16th March

Adrien’s good mood didn’t last over the following days. In spite of feeling like he was walking on air after his brief chat with Ladybug and the calm he always felt after spending time with Marinette, the past few days felt like they had been designed to destroy all traces of his smile. Now, the first of three days of modelling for his father’s internship competition had arrived and neither of the first two candidates was his Princess.

Each candidate had to fit their outfit to Adrien, then had thirty minutes to make any adjustments necessary to make the items ready for the photoshoot. They then had to style the whole look from a large selection of hats, scarves and jewellery. Next, while Adrien and Vincent completed the shoot, Gabriel would interview the candidates on their designs. From where he stood under hot lights, Adrien could hear everything they said.

The first tuxedo he modelled was very classic and well made, but it didn’t feel very inspired. The design student was very self-assured while talking to Gabriel and was able to justify his design choices. Adrien knew that this would impress his father - he respected people with conviction - in spite of how cautious the final piece was. As much as his heart wasn’t in modelling anymore, Adrien enjoyed his morning.

A second fitting in the afternoon meant he ate a meagre lunch. A text from Nino to cancel their planned meet-up that night due to a last-minute DJing gig was a further disappointment. From there, it went from bad to worse.

The second candidate’s design was far more avant-garde and his outfit was possibly the most uncomfortable thing he’d ever worn. It fit badly and the material was hot and it made his skin itch. The guy then chose to style it with so many accessories that Adrien was afraid to move in case one of the many pieces of costume jewellery caught on the open-weave trousers. The choice of colours was a cacophony of clashing tones and Vincent took an age to adjust the lighting so he could get acceptable shots. Every moment in the suit was torture.

The guy’s interview seemed to be going well, though. He was confidently explaining the reasoning behind his design and Gabriel was responding positively to him. To Adrien, it sounded incredibly pretentious and he instantly disliked this contestant.

His character judgement was vindicated when the makeup assistant accidentally scattered a little translucent powder on the collar of the jacket while she was mattifying Adrien’s increasingly sweaty face.

“You stupid girl!” Candidate number 2 shouted, “how dare you defile my work.”

“Ok, take it easy.” Adrien stepped between the angry student and the red-faced makeup assistant. “It was an accident and it’s just powder, it’ll dust off. Nothing is ruined.”

“Listen, model,” he spat, “your job is to display my work, nobody asked for your opinion. You’re just an overpaid mannequin.”

Gabriel rose from his seat now. Adrien caught his eye and tried to communicate that he had this under control. He really didn’t want Hawkmoth getting wind of this situation and his father had a habit of stirring up negative emotions in even the most zen people.

“You’re right.” Adrien dropped his voice, attempting to diffuse the situation. “My opinion doesn’t count here, but the guy whose opinion dictates whether you get this internship is right over there and I know you don’t want to make a bad impression by squaring up to his son… So, can we all move past it and finish the shoot?”

One insincere mumbled apology to the makeup assistant later, the guy was back in his seat, talking to Gabriel Agreste like nothing had happened. His father looked almost impressed with the way Adrien had handled himself. However, Gabriel held ancillary staff like makeup artists in low regard so the whole scene in all likelihood didn’t bother him

Adrien was still shaking. How dare someone be so rude? It was lucky that Hawkmoth was evidently Out of Office right now or he’d have had a tough job excusing himself from under his father’s nose.

Finally, back in his own clothes, Adrien washed the makeup off his face and restyled his hair. By the time he reached the reception area of the photography studio they were renting in Montmartre for the week, his father was gone. The receptionist caught his eye and, after verifying his name, handed him a note.

Nathalie’s hurried handwriting simply read, Gabriel is leaving for Grasse tonight in preparation for tomorrow’s meeting. Make sure you are home by curfew. Back tomorrow PM. N.

He shouldn’t have expected anything different, shouldn’t be disappointed, but he was. Adrien thought his father might have at least waited to say goodbye in person. What more did Gabriel want? Adrien played the dutiful son, followed his rules and waited expectantly for the day his father showed him love or respect. Why did he torture himself like this?

»»————-————-««

17th March... just

“Princess!!! Are you awake?”

Shouting like an alley cat at 1 in the morning?! I’m going to kill him and have his damn bell as a trophy...

Marinette did not enjoy being woken up from a deep sleep, even less so when the one waking her was perfectly able to use more stealth. There was something odd about his voice, though…

“Are you trying to wake the entire neighbourhood, Chaton- oh!” When she threw the window open. she wasn’t expecting to see... “Adrien?! What the hell are you doing here? How do you know where I live?”

The blonde-haired boy stepped back to get a better view of her window and promptly fell off the pavement. He sprang back to his feet with impressively cat-like agility for someone so obviously hammered.

“Whoa. Are you ok? I think this street is wobbly.” He slurred.

“You can’t leave him out there, Marinette,” Tikki said, “he’s in no state to find his own way home from here.”

With an exasperated sigh, Marinette grabbed her robe and went down to the street to rescue a drunken Adrien before one of her neighbours tried to shut him up in a less charitable way. He was sprawled against a parked car when she threw open her front door. It was a miracle that he hadn’t set off a car alarm.

“Come inside, you idiot.” She gasped. “It’s freezing out here.”

She darted out the building just enough to grab his arm and pull him into the lobby. Once inside, he leaned against the wall, looking like he might slide down it at any minute. Sighing, she pulled his arm around her shoulders and heaved him up the stairs to her flat. Luka stuck his head out his own bedroom door as she passed. He gave her a ‘should I be concerned?’ look and she shook her head and smiled reassuringly before opening her own bedroom door and pushing Adrien through it. He made a beeline for her desk chair and slumped in it.

“Make yourself at home.” She said, her voice dripped with sarcasm, even though she knew he wouldn’t notice. He was acting like he’d been there a hundred times before. Considering she never told him she’d even moved out her parents’ home, it was disconcerting. “Sit tight, I’m going to make coffee.”

As she filled the coffee maker with water, her mind was racing. Tikki was equally confused.

“Why is he here, Marinette? And what could possibly have driven him to get so drunk? It’s not like him. Where is his bodyguard? What will his father say?” The red and black kwami asked.

“I can’t answer any of those questions, Tikki,” Marinette whispered. “I can’t imagine his father knows he’s here. I hope he wasn’t caught by any paparazzi.”

“Same here.” Tikki agreed, “I can try to- well, let me see what I can think of while you tend to Adrien.”

“Thanks, Tikki.”

Marinette reached into the cupboard for the Good Coffee, the stuff she usually reserved for exam revision and all night sewing sessions. She guessed it should be strong enough to at least start sobering up Adrien. While she was waiting for the water to heat and drip through the grounds, Tikki suggested she take a few cookies back and Marinette popped a chunk of Camembert on the plate, too. When she and Adrien were together, Tikki always asked for the cheese when Adrien was around so Marinette got into the routine of always adding a piece to their snack plate. Old habits were like muscle-memory and she didn’t think about what she was doing until it was done.

Marinette had to open her door with her knee then back somewhat inelegantly into the room so as not to drop the overfilled tray. She set it down on a clear space on her desk before scuttling around the room, picking up stray sketchbooks and fabric swatches and setting them in a pile next to her now empty dress form. After Cat Noir’s help the other night, she had completed her contest outfit and it was safely zipped up in a suit carrier at her parents’ place. The final assessment for her course was now weighing on her mind and she’d been trying to create a mood-board for the collection before tiredness postponed the activity.

She poured two mugs of coffee, adding milk to both and perched on the end of her bed with her hands wrapped around the mug. She scrutinised the boy in front of her as he swayed in her seat.

“Do you want to talk about it?” She asked.

“Did you know there’s an Irish pub down the street?” He slurred “It’s great craic. There are so many different whiskeys, I didn’t know that. DId you know that?”

At least that partially explained what he was doing here, her flat was nearby. However, there were at least 4 Irish pubs between his house and hers so she still had questions. Firstly, why was he drinking alone? She had never known him to be drunk and she was sure Gabriel forbade it.

“Anyway,” he continued, “I realised I left my phone in the limo, but I couldn’t remember where I was meant to meet Gorilla.”

“Shit, Adrien. Your dad must be going mental.” Marinette said.

“Oh, no, he’s out of town tonight. He’s meeting his perfumiers in Grasse tomorrow morning.” Adrien laughed bitterly. “He mustn’t disappoint his suppliers, you know, only his son.”

“Still. I’m going to text Gorilla and let him know you’re safe.” She picked her phone up off her bedspread and started scrolling through the contacts. It was funny, she’d long deleted Adrien’s number, but she couldn’t bring herself to remove his bodyguard’s from her phone. She found the number and fired off a quick message to assure Gorilla that Adrien was safe and best sleeping off the effects of the alcohol before he came to collect him. He replied to thank her for looking after his charge.

“Ok, they’ve called off the search party.” She said as she placed her phone on the desk  “Now, are you going to tell me what going on with you? You’ve never been drunk before.”

“How would you know?” Adrien’s eyes narrowed, “A lot had changed since we last spoke.”

“Touch é .” She conceded and sipped her coffee. She figured that if she could let the silence hang long enough, he’d be compelled to talk. She took a cookie from the already cheeseless plate and silently offered Adrien one. He took it and concentrated on the surface of the snack, avoiding her gaze.

Eventually, he spoke.

“Why does my father hate me?” He asked and silent tears fell down his face.

Marinette drew him into a tight hug. She wanted to tell him that Gabriel did love him, that he was just hurt and broken and unable to communicate his love right now. She wanted to hold him until he stopped hurting, but she knew that there was only one person’s word, one person’s embrace that could help Adrien, and he wasn’t known for acts of affection.

Suddenly, he pulled away from her arms and looked at her with a panicked expression. The colour drained from his face until his complexion had a greyish tinge.

“Adrien? Do you feel sick?” Marinette asked.

By way of answer, Adrien lurched forward as Marinette grabbed the wastepaper basket with reflexes borne of seven years of superheroing, tipped out its contents and shoved it under his face. As he wretched into the hot pink bin, she was thankful she opted for the plastic version and not that cute wicker one with the flowers on it. There was nothing else she could do, but rub his back and wait for the heaving to subside.

“How much did you drink, Adrien?” she asked, not expecting an answer.

»»————-————-««

He woke up in a bed that wasn’t his own, head pounding, throat raw and mouth dry. He wanted to sit up and check out his surroundings but the duvet over him felt like it weighed several tonnes. The room was unfamiliar, yet comforting at the same time. He’d been here before, but he couldn’t place it, his memories were too foggy. Forcing his body into an upright position (he was sure the room was swaying) he finally realised he was in Marinette’s bedroom. How did I get here?

“So, you’re awake, idiot boy?” Plagg was more irritable than usual this morning. “You are so STUPID. What if there was an akuma last night? What if you ran into more paparazzi? Your father would never let you out of his sight again. You could have waved goodbye to being Cat Noir, and for what?”

“Sorry.” Adrien managed to croak.

“And why did you come here of all places?! You’ve only been here as Cat Noir before, how are you going to explain knowing the address?” Adrien tried to speak, but Plagg was far from finished. “I’m all for letting lose - you’re far too uptight most of the time - but you were reckless last night.”

The bedroom door opened with a click, saving Adrien from Plagg’s diatribe. Marinette brought a steaming mug to him, her expression was concern and amusement.

“He lives.” She said with a chuckle. “Here, it’s sweet tea. You need to replace fluids. I’ll bring you some water too.” Adrien just nodded.

“How are you feeling?” She asked.

“Mortified. I don’t even know how I got here, I’m so sorry.” He bowed his head.

“I’ll fill you in on everything you did and said, I promise. Let’s just wait until you’re feeling less fragile, though.” She said. The words were achingly familiar.

Silence hung between them

“Every day. In case you were wondering.”

“I don’t…” Marinette started.

“ I r egret walking out on you, every day.” He said.

“Adrien, you don’t have to say that.” She didn’t want to dredge up painful memories.

“I do. Have to say it, I mean. Because it’s true.” Adrien stumbled over his words and Marinette was reminded of herself in school, struggling to get a coherent sentence out in front of her crush. “I regret the way I spoke to you, what I said and I especially regret walking away from you. Can you ever forgive me?”

“I already have.” She said. “I could never bear a grudge, particularly against you.”

“You’re amazing Marinette.”

“I think you’re still pissed, Adrien.”

»»————-————-««

On a shelf, high above their heads, two kwamis groaned and shook their heads.

“You were rather tough on him this morning, Plagg,” the red and black bug said.

“I’m still mad at him for taking you away from me.” Plagg huffed.

“I get that and I’m mad too, but giving Adrien a hard time isn’t going to change that.” Tikki reasoned, “We’ve got a chance to get them back together now, let’s use the opportunity to put them in each other’s paths as much as possible.”

“I say we pop out and frighten them. Force them to work this out.” Plagg whispered.

“I’m closer to agreeing with you than you’d believe, Plagg. These are our most infuriating charges yet.” Tikki concurred.

[sleepytoycollection]

SpacePops: A Review Part 2

Part 1: Here

Well, here I am again, this took me longer to get around to than I intended, but hey, I had four times as many dolls to look at. Not to mention how much drawing I’ve been doing for my main blog lately, so yeah I’ve been busy. 

Anywhoozle, as my first review can tell you, I found my Luna doll to have a certain amount of charm through all her cheapness, and if you can still find one from your local TRU; you might be lucky enough to snag them for round $2 bucks each as I did. And I def recommend getting one if you can, if nothing else for a nice, articulate spare body and some MH sized shoes. Just don’t let your self pay for than $5 for one. They’re not that fun. 

I was lucky enough to manage to get a hold of all five characters, so let’s see how they measure up to Luna. To avoid being too repetitive I’ll try to focus on their unique features only.

Let’s start with Rhea:

Rhea was actually the one I liked the best from her art work. I mean look at it, she looks amazing here, the boots, thigh high stockings, the layers, gloves and chains would’ve made for an amazing doll of the effort had been put in. 

I won’t ramble forever about the what-ifs, but it’s just so much of a punch to the stomach to know we’ll never see the real potential these had realized.

I’m not gonna go through the all the profiles, but if anyone’s interested I could scan them in for better visibility. 

Gremlin #2.

Getting her out of the box, the first thing that struck me was her hat.

And I mean that literally as there was nothing helping it attach to her head. Much as I’m grateful these dolls lack those plastic ties shot into their heads that mattel’s become so fond of; I don’t think a rubber band would’ve too much to ask for.

Here she out of the box:  

She’s...something.

After how much Luna has surprised me by simply being less bad than I feared; Rhea on the other hand was everything I’d worried these girls would be. 

Her hair is terrible, it’s the cheapest, nastiest of all the dolls, it’s literally the same stuff the Midnight magic dolls used. It had a gross, greasy feel and wants to pull away from the scalp if I dare try to run a comb through it. 

Ugh. On top of that, it became quickly clear I’d gotten a Rhea with a defective hand. Instead of the normal back and forth movement almost every other doll has, she’s got side to side movement. 

Except, her hands still have the dents in the molding indicating it’s not meant to turn that way. I’m at a loss. I really can’t tell how this happened, or how her hand isn’t falling off. 

It could’ve been worse in that regard, but there’s not many good uses for side to side movement that look natural. 

At this point I’d only opened the one doll prior, and so was extremely worried I’d simply gotten lucky with Luna. 

sigh. 

Her outfit is super cheap, made cheaper looking by how complex a design they were trying to emulate. It’s all one piece and gives the impression of a store bought Halloween costume in miniature. 

I will grant however, all the dolls having their name on their tag is cute. 

But it’s a wasted detail on something this cheap. The black band on her waist is a sort of flimsy, felt-like material, and the knit of her shorts is thin. I feel like I could easily tear a run in it if I pull just a little too much, especially being unhemmed as they are. 

She’s got a slight blue tint to her pale complexion, as you can see her here next to Catrine. 

The socks are made of paint, and I’d have rather they be left off entirely. Her left knee also doesn’t bend, and I have not been able to fix it yet.

As you can imagine, after Rhea I lost a lot of energy for these girls. She was the doll I’d wanted the most, and was just disappointing in every way, despite me already having incredibly low standards. 

Still, I was going to have to open these girls up eventually. So this time I decided to go for the design I’d liked the least with Athena: 

Every time I look at her dress I can’t help but think of the Flintstones. Not in a cute way either. 

It’s like if, after their crossover, a member of the Jestons universe tried to make a fashion version of their cave clothing as a cheap cash in, and just doesn’t work for me that much. Maybe it’s partly the colors used. 

It’s a little better art wise, but eh. Maybe if she wasn’t he same color as Rhea..?

Blah blah profile. 

Gremlin #3.

Despite my opinions on her look, out of the box she struck me as a pleasant increase in quality if nothing else.  Nothing falling off, no visible defects.

It was around this time tho I was starting to realize there seemed to be a decided aversion to hair gel. Her spiked updo’ is translated as a short ponytail here.

Can’t say I mind too much, but lack of gel means her hair gets pulled pretty easily, especially where her glasses are. She’s got nothing on Gilda Goldstag that’s for sure. 

Her tie is made of the same cheap fuzzy stuff Rhea’s belt was made of, for that matter her gold belt is the only new fabric type here. 

But to my great surprise her skirt has a separate over lay! 

And it’s even lined, I’ll admit it improved my opinion of her a good bit. It feels sturdy.

Her netted sleeve too is competently made. 

..but left a stain on her arm. 

With out the overlay her outfit looks a bit less flinstone-y, so I’m just gonna leave it off. 

Under her dress she has some pink tights, which I appreciate as they become less and less common in the doll world. Even if it makes me wonder why Rhea couldn’t have had socks. Just one of those things I guess.

Her glasses are held in neatly with, of all things, the help of tiny plastic bobby pins! 

!!! I’m sorry but that’s adorable, tiny pins! And they work! Amazing. 

Her hair is the same quality as Luna’s, thank goodness, and is easy enough to brush out.  

But to my dismay, her glasses don’t fit her face. If you put the arms over her actual ears, they set waayyyy too low. I can’t get them to twist so the bridge will set on her nose. But if I place them high enough so the lens can cover her eyes, they get stuck from her head being too wide and wont’ touch her face. 

That said, I like the shape and look of these, and I’m sure I have plenty of other dolls who can rock them. But it doesn’t say much for your line if your accessories can’t be used for the doll they were made to be used on.

Still, Athena was a huge improvement to my energy for these girls, so let’s hop over to Hera. 

I wanna take a sec to apologize for the quality of several of these pics, my camera’s very old and staring to kick the bucket. 

Hera’s pretty cute, if you like Draculaura. Which I do. The fact the lime green specifically reminds me of Snow Bite, which is my fav version of Ula helps make it a pleasant comparison. 

Gremlin #4. 

Yay! A different fabric! And hemming! It’s a dream come true~

Now if only I had the same excitement over her hair.

It’s the standard for these dolls tbh, but being curled has not agreed with it. I’m kinda afraid to touch it. She’s got a head band in there, but it’s very hidden.

even if it wasn’t, it’s just a plain ribbon, no where near the flower crown of her art.  

The dress is really the star here, of all the outfits so far it’s the one that feels the sturdiest, and no printed details. 

Her tag. 

Her tights are different fabric to the other ones we’ve seen. It’s not as stretchy, which is why you see it sagging around the knees. It’s the kind of netting you’d see as a tulle petticoat. 

It looks alright, but it makes me concerned with how durable these would be in the long run.  

Now,you may have noticed me not making any comments on the shoes. Well I have a very good reason for that:

They’re all the same. They reused the same shoe mold for all four of these girls, leaving only one who doesn’t have these heels. 

That girl being of course, Juno. 

She was my second favorite of all the girls when I saw their art all that time ago. 

Aside from how much I love the colors used, she has pants! And a shaved head! 

...And another Gremlin.

And last but not least, here she is:

Of all the girls, she’s the one who comes the closest to looking like her boxart. 

So not too surprising her outfit is to be my favorite of the bunch. 

She’s also the only one to use any kind of styling product. Fairly lightly, but it’s on there. Yet, despite how little there was used they still managed to get a good bit on her face. 

 Can’t have it all I suppose. 

But the flocking looks good. 

I also appreciate how she has the most unique face paint of all the ladies.  It’s not much by usual standards, but with every girl using the same face mold, they can use all the differences they can get.

Without her Jacket you can bein to see just how had that top is, but she can put her hands in her pockets, so if there had to be a trade off, I’ll admit they made the right one. 

Her jacket is nicely sewn, only her collar sporting an unfinished hem, but I don’t know how you’d really hem those jagged edges anyhow. It’s usable and looks alright. 

Her boots tho, no complaints there. By Spacepop standards these are the best shoes you’ll ever see. By normal doll standards they’re still not bad. 

I very serious when I say I love these pants. I feel like most of their clothing budget went into that fabric. Almost like someone was trying. 

Sigh. But then you get this. 

It’s garbage. The worst piece of all the clothing I’ve seen here, and there’s no way this would’ve held up to a child.

Now what else have I not covered..oh yeah. The gremlins. 

They suck. 

Like the shoes, the reused the same mold 4 times. Unlike the shoes, I never thought they were cute. 

Only 1 dared to use a different mold, Athen’s gremlin: 

...Who might be the only one that comes close to being endearing. The combo of a cute hair style, cute paint details, side glancing eyes, make Roxie almost a nice accessory. 

Whew, well, now I’ve gone through everything I could think to talk about. 

Having gone over every doll just cements that the execution of this line was a huge misstep on the part of Madame Alexander. Tho I can’t be sure.I get the impression they made these to compete with Monster High, but they company simply waited too long.  

By 2016 MH was going into the reboot, and with Mattel’s sales and quality going down MA seemed to lost faith in these ladies and gave up before release. It’s a shame too, Maybe the weren’t the most original idea on the market, but They could’ve been a nice solid competition. Instead we got these; and it leaves me with a sense of melancholy the more I think about the ways things are going. With new lines and experiments coming to a standstill nowadays, doll collecting has been less and less exciting. 

And now, less than a year after their debut Spacepops have gone the way of Pinkie Cooper and Novi Stars. In their own way, the last remnant of an era of collecting that’s now gone as styles shift to something else.   

Still, I plan to have fun my new new set of ladies, I haven’t completely decided how far I’ll go, maybe leave them as-is for posterity. Their flat face ups have grown on me. Maybe I just miss the bright, harsher colors that are going out of style. 

All that said, I bought a spare Athena to experiment with, so I’ll def have some follow ups with how these ladies look with a good repaint. 

Anyway, I’m tired and out of thoughts for now. Hopefully you found this somewhat informative, and as always thanks for reading. 

[cutiecrates]

Cutie Reviews: Doki Doki Oct 17

Okay cuties, this is my final October review. Thank goodness because I’m still really behind. It’s going on December and I didn’t even cover my November reviews yet.

I’m still sick btw. I wanted to have this done days ago but a “pet issue“ came up that distracted us around Friday and Saturday, then on Sunday I got a “surprise day trip away from the house”. We went to the zoo, which was a lot of fun but I feel like it extended my illness considering it was about 40 degrees out and I’ve been coughing a lot more. Now as its Tuesday I might have strep throat- but good news, we found medication that has really helped me (and puts me to sleep for like 9 hour intervals) so I’m good to go!

The zoo was also a lot of fun :3 I’ve always been in LOVE with animals and took a lot of pictures.

Like last year, we’re treated to a HALLOWEEN themed box (Also officially titled “Creepy Cuties”  ♥). If you would like to see how it compared to last years, you can visit my review of that crate:

https://cutiecrates.tumblr.com/post/155716993687/review-doki-doki-oct-2016-box-11

Just a word of precaution though- my reviews were very new at the time so I wasn’t very good at it... I’m not saying I am now, but I can see improvement.  

Also, like last year we are treated to art by one of my favorites: Tokimekiwaku, who makes the yandere themed visual novel series I’m a big fan of, Liar Liar.

Now before I officially start with the review I wanted to show everyone the special themed boxes they gave us:

I’m pretty sure this wasn’t done with last years crate, so I really like this touch of Halloween themed designing. I hope we get one for Christmas too~

Now, because I forgot to take pictures of it I’ll quickly cover the Suteki Crate items. I know I’ve been forgetting them as of late and I have no idea why.

In this months crate, we could get: a Maple Leaf Hello Kitty plush, Cardcaptor Sakura life sized wand, Jiji plush and carrier from Kiki’s delivery service to match the included Kiki headband, a Mochi-style pumpkin plush, a My Melody lantern, New Nintendo 2DS XL with Kingdom Hearts 3D, and a Spirited Away music box. 

I’m already predicting that by the end of this review, I will have favored this crate to last years. I was in love with quite a few items from it, but I’m excited to compare the two~

First we get some of these adorable and fun Sanrio Gift Bags. You get 8 in total and each feature the same, colorful mascots donning their Halloween best on clear pouch-sized bags. You can use them for yourself or use them to show someone a little Halloween spirit, and they could also work as a last-minute emergency pack if you’re in a hurry or run out of normal food storage packs.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 

I didn’t end up using these for Halloween. My plans of getting a bunch of “fun“ things to give away didn’t happen this year so we only gave away a piece or two of candy each, nor did I have anyone special to use them on. For now i’ll be hanging on to them, but I’m in love with the fact that A: They’re practical, and B: they’re SANRIO, these are the perfect additions for a cutie kitchen!

Speaking of we also got these Doki Doki Halloween Mugs featuring Tomomi and Nuki ♥

For a while I wasn’t too excited with the original Doki Doki items we were getting, I mean I like them, but at the same time we were promised apparel and fun accessories and it felt like we weren’t getting that in comparison to what we got last year.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

While I’m not the type who uses a mug ALL the time, I do use them for DIY, crafts, and when I’m sick like now...

I also LOVE how cute the design it :D it’s perfect for Halloween or any time of the year! I love the pop of color on the design, and the mischievous but cutesy styling to create a precious, unique piece for the Doki Doki branding. 

 The cute accessories keep on coming~

We also got a pair of these one-size fits all Tsum Tsum Socks, available in 9 different designs x3 considering I’m obsessed with Minnie I’m happy to have gotten this one. But there is irony here, I already have a pair of socks that look exactly like these- minus the tsum tsum.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 

The socks are ultra-soft and comfortable. I’ve worn them a few times already and I’m in love with how cute they look paired with my strappy shoes. They end directly beneath the ankle- something that would have bugged me to no end as a child. For some reason I HATED socks like that.

However, I do have my concerns with the socks. It’s a little bit silly, but I’m actually worried about snagging issues because of how soft they are. As stupid as this is going to sound, I’m also bothered by the discolored spots.

I’m weird like that I know. But their paws should be Black or White, not skin-tone.

We also got this kawaii Rabbit Ragdoll Keychain. The perfect spoopy accessory for costumes, cuddling, or to give your own doll a buddy:

I’m not sure what I’ll name her just yet, Patches feels a little cliche.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 

Now in comparison to the 2-types of plush items we got last year this one falls a tiny-bit flat. I don’t feel any sort of spookiness to it- however, I’m also a sucker for ragdolls and things inspired by them so I still really like it ♥ I know Yoko got attached to it fairly quick. 

Next is our monthly Hoppe-Chan, who once again decks herself out in fun, colorful Halloween charms. She was available in orange or purple with 3 different designs, each with a pumpkin, bat, or witches hat ornament. You can probably tell which one I got right?

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ 

I wish I got/saw what the bat one looked like, I love bats :D but the reason I’m rating this one a bit lowly is because I think I actually prefer last years to this one. While I like this ones colors... it looks like a cheap knock-off to the previous one. As a stand-alone Hoppe-chan I like it enough, and I love the idea of them introducing alternate style/color varieties lately, but when you compare to the two I feel like last years was superior.

We’re approaching our final few items now, and they go together wonderfully!

First we get some Cat Paws, which as an avid cat-lover I entirely approve of ♥ I always wanted a pair of realistic cat paws gloves so I was beyond happy to pull these out x3 I wore them for Halloween and paired them with the next item we got.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 

They’re soft and thick, very plush with details and molding around the paws to create an almost realistic paw.

The only real issue is that they are a bit impractical, sadly. My fingernails were so crammed up in them they were kind of bent and a little sore. Not only that but the way the hand is shifted in there could be uncomfortable to some, and you can’t do very much with them on. But that’s kind of a given, isn’t it? 

Ultimately I love them, but they might not be for everyone...

See, these are the purrrfect accessories for the kitty paws- or on a day you feel like being a cat ♥

Which is pretty much every day for me~

These are adorable, realistically proportioned Neko Mimi/Cat Ears. Featuring a black color scheme and pink undertones, a bell on each ear, and a ribbon.

But once again there is some irony.

I JUST bought a pair of cat ears from Hot Topic on my birthday (October 15th if you forget ;3). However, they were grey with alternate pink ribbons on them, so I wore those to work and these black ones for Halloween.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 

I LOVE these ears! They’re so cute! I’m obsessed with black cats in particular, so they are really fun to wear. They don’t look weird on the head at all, they look practically natural. However there is one tiny little issue... one of my bells don’t work T^T the little thingy inside fell out I guess, or its stuck.

It’s a tiny bummer, but one I’m willing to live with.

♥ Cutie Ranking ♥  

Content - 4 out of 5. I loved everything, and the items were great in general :D in terms of pricing I felt like it was well worth it in comparison to last years box (we got a lot of cheaper, small items if you didn’t check out that entry)

Theme: 5 out of 5. It’s dead-on Halloween! Even the box reflected that!

Total Rank: 14 out of 15 Cuties. I remember ranking the prior years box as being fairly high on my scale- but in all honesty back then I didn’t know what I was doing. I think by now I’d actually rate it within a 7-9 range. The items were much cheaper and on a small sale in comparison to this crate, and while I admit I love the plush, hair clips, and Hoppe-chan from last years, I overall prefer this one.

♡ Cutie Scale ♡

1. Tomomi and Nuki mug - I HAD to give them the top spot this year. I love how the design not only fits the cute and mischievous side to Doki Doki crate, but I like how it clearly says Halloween!

2. Cat Ears - Kawaii ♥ I love the additional accessories 

3. Cat Paws - generic sure, but I LOVE kitties and I always wanted a pair. The detail on them is really nice too. 

4. Sanrio Bags - I love the colorful pops of halloween colors and styles! 

5. Hoppe-Chan - usually ranks a lot higher, but she’s kind of plain this year...  

6. Rabbit Ragdoll - A big generic as well. I love the mix of patch fabrics used though and it looks so precious~

7. Tsum Tsum Socks - in comparison to the other items they feel a bit generic. They don’t really feature any special designs or Halloween-esque details.

Okay Cuties, that does it for another review :P I’m hoping to hurry and get my November’s done, but I’m confident that I can cover them and my December crates no problem!

Until next time, stay Cute ♥

[josephkitchen0]

Chicken Clothes for Halloween and Christmas

By Wendy E.N. Thomas – Olivia Dougherty, who lives in Delaware, Maryland, created her chicken clothes for a contest, sponsored by Cooptastic, one of the nation’s premier educational conferences dedicated to small and backyard poultry flock. And each conference holds a chicken costume contest.

“It’s along the lines of the lamb- and sheep-dressing contests frequently held at 4-H shows,” said Brigid McCrea, PhD, associate professor at Delaware State University and extension poultry specialist who organizes and helps judge the conference’s contest.

“Audience loves it to pieces,” McCrea continued. “Not only for the creativity but also for the conversation. It provides an opportunity for people to converse with one another and to talk to other poultry people.”

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For her entry in the contest, Dougherty designed a “Superman” cape, complete with an egg logo. “I made it for my favorite chicken who is our biggest, white and black, ‘Supersize’ chicken.” Although her family no longer has chickens, if she were to design future chicken clothes for costumes, Dougherty thinks it would also have a superhero theme, along the lines of a Chicken Spiderman.

Dougherty does have goats and a pig and she admits to dressing them with collars, necklaces and little blankets. She has also dressed up her dog up as a lady bug and has put tiny shirts on her cat.

“It’s fun,” she says of the experience.

Holidays

A holiday chicken. Photo by Dead End Acres.

For some, the urge to put their backyard chickens in chicken clothes simply comes from a need. Kelly Nichols of Bloomville, New York, wanted to do a Facebook Christmas card, and decided what better subjects to use than a kid and her chicken? Nichols also works with a few of her hens to participate in agility challenges as well as hen therapy.

“It has been difficult,” said Nichols of the designing aspect. “I’ve tried a few dog outfits, but they just don’t fit right. I make our own chicken clothes. We’re pretty lucky; we have a couple different hens that will be patient enough to let me pattern on them.”

Raise Awareness

Some people, like Jennifer Pike, of Florida, became inspired to dress their flock in chicken clothes on a whim. “I was shopping with my mom at a store and came across a cute teddy bear outfit. We started joking about how people dress up dogs, and I said I was going to get it to put on my house chicken for a cute picture … and that started it all.”

Pike, who said she suffers from depression, also sees posting her chickens in their chicken clothes on Facebook as a way of bringing enjoyment to others, and has helped her connect with others who also use chickens as a means of coping.

“I liked posting funny pics of my chickens,” Pike said, “as raising chickens can be a heartbreaking hobby and many people who I chat with on forums. … The cute pictures bring smiles to people and also get non-chicken people interested in how chickens can be neat pets.”

Throughout the years, Sophie’s chicken clothes for her favorite pet Silkie chicken have included: a pirate costume, a police officer, a cheerleader, a bride, a Santa suit and a rain jacket. Pike has also had her chickens wear barrettes in topknots in shapes of bows or flowers along with a chicken diaper when they went to stores.

Everywhere Pike takes a dressed-up chicken, people can’t help but stop and ask questions. “Kids seemed very interested as well as parents. They never knew how diverse the looks of chickens could be or how sweet. Sophie traveled with me in my truck everywhere. She often rode in my lap, looking out the window glass or in a towel sitting in my seat console.”

Once, Sophie said, a lady at a drive-through got so scared of the chicken — “a little fluffy chicken with a hair barrett and a flowered diaper” — that another lady had to hand her the food.

“Eventually she started asking questions and became less afraid,” Sophie said.

Bring Joy

Holly Olejnik from Huntington Mills, Pennsylvania, first started dressing up her chicken, Cheep Cheep, four years ago for a Halloween contest on Facebook. “Everyone loved her and went nuts on how well she took to being photographed.”

That was only the beginning. Cheep Cheep’s chicken clothes are fairly small now with about 30 dresses.

Dress and photo by Holly Olejnik.

“We donate all that she has worn to family and friends that have little ones on the way,” Olejnik says of Cheep Cheep’s dresses. “All the chicken clothes that she wears are bought from thrift stores or yard sales. We shop in the children’s department or look for Halloween costumes that look fun. My grandmother Carolyn Gensel loves to go hunting for my next dress to post to Facebook. She carries a photo of me and shows off her grand-chicken to anyone wondering who the pretty dress is for.”

Cheep Cheep has quite the Facebook following from around the world. In fact, Olejnik says, “A lot of her friends, if they are in the area on vacation, ask if they can come meet her in person because she has brought so much joy and smiles into their life.”

If you’re interested, Cheep Cheep’s Facebook fan page is “Cheep Cheep Olejnik,” and her regular profile page is “CeeCee Olejnik.”

Functional Attire

Sometimes, chickens need functional accessories like aprons (for protection against a rooster’s nails) and diapers (for, well, you know). Julie Baker, owner of Pampered Poultry (pamperyourpoultry.com) decided that if a bird has to wear functional chicken clothes, then it might as well look pretty. She has made designer chicken clothes, including floral chicken diapers and has added ruffles to chicken aprons to make them look more like attractive summer dresses.

Designer chicken attire by Julie Baker. Photo by Julie Baker.

Plain Old-Fashioned Fun

And then there is Kevin, the chicken that just showed up in Leona Palumbo’s driveway one day.

“I never had chickens nor did I know much about them,” Leona said. “My husband found her in a tree next to our driveway and brought her in to me as a joke, and she fell instantly asleep on my lap and it was love at first sight from there. We put flyers up about her around the neighborhood, but never heard from anyone. It quickly became apparent that potty issues needed to be dealt with, so I did a quick search online on a lark for ‘chicken diapers,’ and lo and behold, several designs popped up. I picked out the one I thought would work and ordered it. It works great and she fit in at home inside with all of our other pets just fine.”

Then one day, she bought Kevin a Christmas sweater.

“To be perfectly honest, I don’t know why the heck I bought it and put it on her … I really don’t. I just did and it she was so calm and easy going about it that it just became a thing we did and took pictures of. … We try to do holidays and family events and just fun things. I keep her page completely free of hot-button topics and I am amused and pleased at the incredibly varied following she has acquired in a very short time.”

Most people think it is fun, says Palumbo, but she has gotten some negative comments from animal activist types who think it is mean.

“But they just don’t know how loved and spoiled Kevin is. We never do anything that makes her uncomfortable and I swear, she even knows what’s going on as she sits so calmly, and once the picture is taken, she goes off again on her little way. Some other people have remarked that they can’t believe I let a chicken on my counters and furniture. Well, ‘That’s why there is soap and water in the world,’ I usually remark. Kevin is my pet, no different than my cats, dogs or other animals, and she is just as loved and welcome anywhere in my home.”

Kevin, on her motorcycle. Photo by Leona Palumbo.

Safety Tips

Whether it be for a competition, holiday, or just for pleasure, many people enjoy putting clothing and accessories on their chickens in order to dress them up. If you are going to costume your chickens, advises Brigid McCrea, PhD, associate professor at Delaware State University and extension poultry specialist, for the health and safety of your birds keep the following clothing guidelines in mind:

• Watch the weight of the costume, as chickens will get flustered if an outfit weighs them down.

• Along with fabric weight, be careful to not use fabrics that will overheat the bird. Polar fleece is a lightweight material but if worn for a long period, it may make your chicken too warm.

• An interesting fact about chickens is that they are naturally attracted to the color red and will peck at it; be careful of where red is used in the bird’s costume.

• Make sure that the chicken can move her wings and that the outfits do not in any way restrict her wing movement.

• If you are putting something around the chicken’s neck (necklace, bandana), make sure that it is lightweight and does not hang down so low that the chicken could potentially trip over it.

• Try not to use hats or head coverings. Chickens are prey animals, meaning they are constantly on the lookout for predators who may be after them. A hat restricts vision and won’t be tolerated very long by any chicken. Consider this the first step toward learning how to protect chickens from hawks and other predators.

• Be careful of beads and hanging decorations that the chicken may be tempted to try to eat them. Likewise, inspect the construction of the outfit to make sure that it does not have loose, dangly threads or that it might fall apart while the chicken is wearing it.

• Allow for waste to happen (because you know that with chickens it eventually will); either leave the back area open in a costume or prepare the chicken to wear a diaper. Composting chicken manure is an excellent way to add nutrients to your garden.

• Lastly, make sure that the costumes are made from washable fabrics, and for bio-security reasons, wash them after each wearing in order to avoid possible contamination among chickens.

Have you ever dressed your flock in chicken clothes?

See our fun fan photo shares and share your own #BackyardPoultryHalloween inspired pics on Instagram.

Originally published in 2014 and regularly vetted for accuracy.

Chicken Clothes for Halloween and Christmas was originally posted by All About Chickens

[jennmapp]

5 Last Minute Halloween Costumes From Your Own Closet

Trick or Chic

It's one week until Halloween 2018 and after exhausting all of your creative energy crafting a Raven from Fortnite costume for your 6 year old, the last thing you want to think about is your own ensemble.

Sorry! There is no excuse for sitting out the best holiday of the year - especially when I can show you how to craft a costume in five minutes flat.

In true Tiny Closet, Tons of Style® fashion, each of the 5 last minute Halloween 2018 costumes ideas below were created with clothes from my own closet and a few key accessories - many of which you probably own or can order on Amazon right now and get by tomorrow.

Using the same philosophy I teach my clients about creating a forever wardrobe, the trick to nailing these character driven costumes lies in styling and signature accessories. Your actual garments are secondary!

5 Last Minute Halloween 2018 Costumes From Your Own Closet

Last Minute Halloween 2018 Costume Idea #1: Karl Lagerfeld

The head creative director of the fashion house Chanel as well as the Italian house Fendi and his own eponymous fashion label, style icon Karl Lagerfeld is influential, super cooky and controversial (he once said women wearing sweatpants is a sign of defeat - and, TBH, I agree). The the most notable thing about Lagerfeld, and the very reason he makes a great costume, is his definitive and unwavering signature style. 

Karl Lagerfeld Last Minute Halloween Costume Essentials

Clothes from your own closet

Black blazer

White collared shirt

Slim black pant

Black boots

Signature Accessories/Styling

Powder white hair pulled into an aristocratic low pony tail

Dark sunglasses

Black necktie

Silver necklace and lapel pin

Fingerless moto riding gloves

Last Minute Halloween 2018 Costume Idea #2: Coco Chanel

Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel was a French fashion designer, business woman and the founder and namesake of the iconic Chanel brand. Coco Chanel's imprint on style is so deeply embedded in popular culture that we may not even realize it was she who coined the phrase "Little Black Dress." Coco Chanel was also singularly responsible for popularizing the Breton stripe shirt when, inspired by uniform tops worn by sailors in the French navy, she introduced the look in her 1917 nautical collection, forever changing the face of casual womenswear. 

Like her successor Karl Lagerfeld, Coco Chanel makes a great costume for fashion lovers and #Chanelophiles because her personal style is definitive, classic and immediately recognizable. 

Coco Chanel Last Minute Halloween Costume Essentials

Clothes from your own closet

Black long sleeve slim fit top

Black or white linen wide leg pant

Flat shoes

Signature Accessories/Styling

Pearls, pearls and more pearls

Jaunty hat

Camellia accent

Red lip

Fake cigarette

Pro Tip: Karl Lagerfeld + Coco Chanel makes a great couples costume for fashion lovers. If your man isn't game, try it with your BFF or hairdresser

Last Minute Halloween 2018 Costume Idea #3: Frida Khalo

Frida Kahlo de Rivera was a Mexican artist inspired by the nature and artifacts of Mexico. A revolutionary and feminist icon, she employed a naïve folk art style to explore questions of identity, gender, class, and race in Mexican society. Among other accomplishments, Kahlo's self portrait "The Frame" was the first of any Mexican artist to be displayed in the Louvre, but she is most widely recognized for her intentional unibrow and mustache. Frida Kahlo went from a somewhat obscure artist to a pop culture symbol of feminism when she was played by Selma Hayek in the the 2002 biopic Frida. The film, directed by Julie Taymor earned an Academy Award for Best Actress nomination for Hayek and went home with several more Academy Awards including one for costume and makeup. Frida Khalo makes a perfect costume for left wing feminists and art lovers of any gender because of her unisex grooming practices and powerful representation of the resistance. 

Frida Kahlo Last Minute Halloween Costume Essentials

Clothes from your own closet

Peasant style top (extra points for embroidery detail)

Maxi skirt 

Signature Accessories/Styling

Unibrow and mustache

Braided up-do

Flower crown

Drop earring

Brightly colored necklace

Brightly colored shawl

Pro Tip: Carry a vintage picture frame to hold in front of your face to represent her famous self portrait, The Frame

Last Minute Halloween 2018 Costume Idea #4: Lydia Deetz

This "strange and unusual" teenage character from the 1988 cult classic Beetlejuice is an icon for generations of angst riddled goth girls. With her pale gamine face, dark under eye circles and ever darker sense of humor, what's not to love about a young Wynona Ryder? Lydia Deetz is an easy to execute last minute halloween costume idea because she basically wears all black, some lace and an oversized sunhat. Lydia's piece de resistance is her pilfered copy of "The Handbook For The Recently Deceased." For hair and makeup, piece your damp bangs into points using strong hold gel and apply lots of pale face powder.

Lydia Deetz Last Minute Halloween Costume Essentials

Clothes from your own closet

Black top

Maxi skirt

Signature Accessories/Styling

Pointy bangs

Pale makeup and dark under eye circles

Black lace cape

Black lace choker

Oversized black sunhat

Camera around neck 

Copy of the "Handbook for the Recently Deceased"

Pro Tip: To create your own copy of "The Handbook for the Recently Deceased," download and print the image above and tape it to the front cover of a book you already own

Last Minute Halloween 2018 Costume Idea #5: Spider Woman

My mashup Spider Woman is a truly last minute Halloween costume idea you can create with seasonal decorations available at any craft store or on Amazon. Search for "Creepy Cloth Decoration" and grab a bag of fake spiders. Use household scissors to cut a hole in fabric large enough to fit your head. Allow fabric to drape over an all black outfit. Stick the some spiders. Make this last minute Halloween costume idea your own with your choice of makeup and accessories. I chose a "Creepy Chic" theme and used a decorate headpiece and funeral style flowers from Michaels. You can style your Spider Woman as goth, macabre or Elivra-ish with appropriate wig, makeup, jewelry and footwear.

Spider Woman Last Minute Halloween Costume Essentials

Clothes from your own closet

Anything black (dress, jeans and top)

Signature Accessories/Styling

"Creepy Cloth Decoration" fabric Halloween decoration

Fake spiders

Fake funeral style flowers

Creepy chic headpiece 

You Look Boo-tiful!

Did you try any of my last minute Halloween costume ideas? Join the Tiny Closet Survival Guide Facebook group and share your look. Stick around after October 31 for daily style challenges, live outfit videos and plenty of capsule wardrobe chatter.

Be the bright and Happy Halloween!

xoxo Jenn

[yuzuyuzuyuzuho]

Janken Tournament

2018-09-23 22:18:44

I’m SKE48 Team KII’s Hidaka Yuzuki. Thanks for your likes and comments😊

Today it’s the Janken tournament, which everyone had been looking forward to✊✌️✋ We wanted to revenge for last year, for the frustration. We got to be together again. It feels good~~~☺️

And this is our costume!!

Gorgeous! It’s so cute!! The costume designers did an exquisite job. They prepare the cute costume which encompassed with love😭💗

I’m such a blessed person. The theme was “Pirate” Each of us  has our own role. And we joined the tournament with the costume designed according to our role!! My role was “Inventor”🤓🌟 Were you surprised? I looked kinda smart so you might be surprised 😂 (LOL)

This costume is totally my type. My favorite 😭💗💗

Isn’t it’s very cute??? The hat is very cute. The trousers is very nice too. Along with the accessories I wonder will I get to wear this again.. Kind of made me felt lonely~~😢 I hope I get to wear this again. I wanted to, please. If necessary , I will just buy it, how much is it?← I just made another sweet memories.

Although we lost, but it strengthen our bond. And once again, I like them (from the same gen very much) It’s the best moment ever

What else (let me think…) Ah, oshi designated seat. I was surprised to see so many seat there. We even talked about it in our LINE group, “Our fans are awesome, aren’t they?”😂 We are proud of them. Thanks. The blue color penlights were beautiful✨

Because the theme of the costume was pirate We wanted the penlights to resemble sea, so we asked the fans to make it blue☺️ Thanks for answered to our sudden request.

The event was so long, I’m sure you are very tired already. Please rest well. Thanks for those who watched the tournament and supported us.

And actually, after the Janken tournament was over, everyone of 6th gen went for the shooting of BOMB magazine!! We were so happy. It’s full of laughter all the time and fun.

We talked about various things. So please check out the BOMB magazine which will go on sales on October 9th 🎶

I know it’s kind of late already to write this but before the Janken tournament, there’s a few songs performance. And I performed the Upcoming Girls’ Hitonatsu no Dekigoto✨

Finally we got to perform it!! Music wasn’t with us, so only 15 of us performed it. But I’m glad we did😊⭐️ I hope I get to perform this song again!!!

There’s was a pair up choreography, I was with Hatagon😆 If only 15 of us, I will be with Hatagon. Somehow I felt relived (LOL)

And sorry for a long post! Cya. I’m looking forward to the handshake event.

I will write about my hair cut next time (LOL) This post is getting very long since I got a lot to share (LOL)

Thanks for reading my blog 😊

[hauteculturefashion]

The Charros of Mexico are a romantic testament to chivalry, tradition and pride. They are highly skilled horse riders, tamers and herders; the Mexican equivalent of the iconic cowboy of the American West. But they are so much more than the gun slinging broncos immortalised by Hollywood. They are the heroes that those movies dreamed of, and some of the finest gentlemen that I’ve had the privilege to meet, with the most incredible tailored suits. The history and traditions of Charro culture is one steeped in deep national pride, family values, heritage and honour. One does not simply become a Charro, you must be born one.

The history of the Charro dates back to the seventeenth century. Today’s Charros are the descendants of the indigenous cowboys that were first enslaved and later employed by Spanish settlers to manage their newly acquired haciendas. The Spanish introduced horses to Mexico but the colonial government enforced a law stipulating that it was illegal for indigenous Mexicans to ride horses, unless a Spanish landowner employed them to do so. The men that were permitted to ride were strictly forbidden to dress themselves and their horses in the same manner as the Spanish, lest any Mexican ever be mistaken for a member of the elitist Spanish upper-class. 

This restriction in apparel gave rise to a new style of fashion worn only by Mexican Charros. They wore tight fitting suits made from leather and suede, which they fretted or embroidered with beautiful native plant designs made from locally grown cactus plant fibres. The look was, of course, topped off with an iconic wide brimmed sombrero made from the hair of their own horses.

Over time the skilled indigenous Charros, who were far more in sync with the local climate and natural terrain than the Spanish, excelled in developing their own style of horse riding. They eventually became valuable assets to the land owners, helping them to protect their property and cattle from bandits. However, during the fight for Mexican Independence from 1810-21, the skilled Charros eventually turned on the landowners and fought for Mexico’s freedom. They helped the newly instated Mexican president Benito Juárez bring law and order back to the country. Their documented skills, bravery and loyalty to country was wildly romanticised by the media and the Charro became nothing short of a national hero. As a reward for their efforts, they were the first in line to receive the land, property and horses of their former proprietors. This prized privileged status and new found wealth amongst Charros resulted in their skills and assets being fiercely protected and passed down through the generations. 

Today, Charros are mostly renowned for competing in Mexico’s official national sport, the Charreada (Rodeo), which was added to the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list in 2016. To take part, Charros must follow a strict code of conduct which stipulates not only how they act but also how they dress. Fascinated by the traditional tailoring of the Charro suit and the history to which it belongs, Haute Culture visited the epicentre of Charro culture, Charros de Jalisco in Guadalajara, Mexico to learn more.

Victor Robles, public relations manager at Charros de Jalisco for over 10 years, stands in the ruedo wearing cow suede chaquetilla, a silver bull brooch and traje de faena (simple suit) with fret work (known a Greca in Mexico) in suede vine flowers. The belt is leather and embroidered with Pita Fiber. Victor’s sombrero is made from horse and rabbit hair.

Detail of Victor’s toro (bull) brooch.

Gold metal embroidered toquilla detail on Victor’s sombrero.

How the Charros de Jalisco charmed me off my feet

Before I get started on the unique and distinctive features of the Charro costume, I have to say that meeting the Charros of Jalisco was honestly one of the best and most unexpected experiences of my life. After literally running around Guadalajara city like a idiot for nearly two days, I finally got a tip off about the Charros de Jalisco Charreada show which was taking place on the outskirts of town. Unfortunately, this tip off came just two hours before the event was due to end! I rushed into a taxi and rushed off, with next to no idea of what I was heading into.

The taxi delivered me to a stadium; the sidewalk outside was drenched in elaborately dressed cowboys. I was in the right place, and it felt like heaven. I paid the entrance fee and followed the roar of the crowds up the stairs and into the stadium which opened up into a huge open air auditorium known as the ruedo. In the middle of the ring there were cowboys chasing cattle on horseback to the cheers of the crowds, with hints of traditional mariachi music playing in the background. To the left was the judges’ box and I immediately (with zero Spanish skills) decided to make a bee line for this. But before I was within 10 meters of my target, the men that populated the box starting walking towards me with open arms and giant tequila induced smiles under their enormous Mexican moustaches.

After being the subject of numerous selfies, I was invited into the judges box where a man named Juan asked me how he could be of assistance to me in English. Juan translated to the rest of the judges that I was there to photograph and learn about the traditional dress of the Charro, which went down very, very well with everybody. From that moment on I was treated like a VIP guest and accompanied for the next three hours by Juan, his uncle Victor Robles the public relations manager, Javier Sanchez the President of Charro de Jalisco and numerous other gun wheedling, fancy looking gentleman. I fell in love with them all.

Javier Sanchez, President of Charro de Jalisco, stands in the centre of the ruedo wearing traje de faena (simple suit) shirt, silk mono tie and hand made leather belt embroidered with a cactus thread know as pitea.

Enrica wears a gun holster embroidered pita and a traditional gala suit characterised by the real silver horse shoe botonadura sewn down the side seam.

Enrica’s gala suit is a semi formal suit worn by a Charro when they are not competing.

Charro’s Code of Conduct 

In order to compete in the Charreada, Charros must follow a strict code of conduct both inside and outside the ruedo and the first thing I noticed was how incredibly polite and welcoming everybody was. Nothing like the traditional rough, rugged and rude cowboys portrayed in the Wild West movies of the 1960s. The strap line under the logo of the Charro’s de Jalisco reads, love of country, wife, horse and respect. The rules stipulate that a Charro must always respect his wife and be respectful toward women; that they must be a good family man; that they are never allowed to grow their hair and must be clean shaven (apart from a well groomed moustache); above all they must dress traditionally and to an impeccable standard.One of the Charros’ goals, and in fact something they are judged on during a competition, is to finish competing in the Charreada as clean as when they started. Dirt accumulated in the ruedo displays a lack of skill and control.

All the men I encountered were fine examples of rule abiding Charros, who went out of their way to make me feel comfortable.

Two gentleman wearing typical traditional Charro garb enjoy the Charreada in Guadalajara.

Erasmo Macias Ortega, Charro Judge, wears faena suit with orange greca and co-ordinated stallion mono.

Dressing to watch the Charreada is a great excuse to display one’s best Charro clothes.

Raul Sanchez wears suede Chaparreras adorned with silver.

Distinctive Features of Charro Tailoring and Textiles

Tight tapered trousers and a cropped fitted jacket, waist coat and a formal shirt worn with cufflinks form the basis of the traditional Charro aesthetic. Suits are made from suede or leather and then embroidered with either pitea fibre or metallic gold or silver thread. The embroidery normally depicts flowers, horses shoes, vines or Aztec style motifs. It is extremely hard wearing and also very expensive. Today, much of the embroidery is now completed using polyester thread for non-competing occasions.

There are a variety of different suit options for the Charros and they are worn for different occasions. The Feana Suit is the most casual and costs around 8000 pesos. It is a mix and match of different styles. The Media Gala is a formal suit with three silver botonodura on the side seam of the trouser and cuffs of the jacket. Gala suits costs around 15000 pesos and feature silver decorations from the waist band to the hem of the trousers. The Grand Gala suit is the same as a Gala suit but in all black with silver ornamentation. Chaquetilla is the name given to the short cropped jacket, sometimes part of the suit or sometimes worn over the top. These can be mixed with different outfits. Suits and chaquetilla are decorated with grecca, a fret work textile technique appliquéd directly onto the garments.

Sombreros are traditionally made from horse and rabbit hair. They start at 6000 pesos but are not just for decoration. They are as hard a crash helmet so they can protect the head in a collision or fall. The toquilla is the decoration on the sombrero and the pedura is the dimple in the hat.

Any self-respecting Charro needs a pitea belt, and these costs 6000 pesos and can take up to four months to make. The silk bow tie, which completes the classic look, is called a mono.

Francisco wears media gala suit with chaparreras which provides protection from the lasso and friction from riding.

Francisco’s traditional attire from the back.

Leather embossing, embroidery and braiding are some of the textile techniques used to decorate the Charro’s accessories.

Close up detail of the chaparreras shows the beautiful attention to detail used in the fret and silver work on suede.

Francisco’s silver buttons (feirros) are custom made in the design of his family’s emblem.

Where to see the Charros de Jalisco in Guadalajara Mexico

Shows take place every Sunday from 10am-2pm. Ticket prices vary but normally cost just a few dollars. Don’t miss the opportunity to see these beautiful men in their element.



Have been to see the Charreada in Mexico? Do you own a Charro suit of your own? If you have any good suggestions for Haute Culture readers then please share your advice in the comments below as we would love to hear from you!

Are you going to Mexico? Why not pin this post and save it for later!

    A Brief History Of How The Charro Became The Best Dressed Men In Mexico The Charros of Mexico are a romantic testament to chivalry, tradition and pride. They are highly skilled horse riders, tamers and herders; the Mexican equivalent of the iconic cowboy of the American West.

[angelinacanipe5-blog]

Refresh Your Very Own Mind Along With Online Truck Games And Zombie Games

There is nothing that triggers a child's imagination such as a game with possibilities, when it comes to girls there is nothing better than playing dress-up with their dolls and princesses, knowing this information online game designers have come up with many different variations of such activities, these games have been made using technologies which are highly compatible with browsers such as flash. Dress-up games are very popular amongst girls because they trigger their imagination, unleash their creativity and show them the beauty of combining different pieces of clothing. Through a simple web search typing keywords such as princess girl games we find flash-based games which fit the description we have given, a good example is a dress-up game called Princess Abella. Princess Abella is a dress-up game which not only shows girls different types of clothing, hair styles and accessories that they can use to dress this princess with the game also shows them how people (specifically princesses) looked like in different centuries for instance, the 12th century princess dress looks very much like address used by Fiona in Shrek while she was in her human form (the first Shrek movie) -- this is also the style featured in Robin Hood movies which showed long-haired maidens, going forward in history we find that the 16th century dress style was completely different and definitely more elegant, it included a lot of jewelry which only royalty would be able to wear during that time, the hairstyle was different from that of the 12th century and require a lot more work. As time went by the whole structure of principalities came to an end which is why we see the 20th century model of a princess is mixed up with that of play beautiful lady of society, the dresses used back then were quite beautiful and designed to fit the body of these beautiful ladies, the number of accessories also increased and the time spent designing each piece of clothing is very noticeable, beautiful umbrellas and eye-catching hats, a style which comes very close to the one we're trying to describe is the Victorian ladies hat. Girls games are able to take on a whole new form when they are developed for the web, but dress up and Princess type of games have always been popular and entertaining because it trigger the creativity of young minds, in this case girls.

When bored with these, one could very well also purchasing a to truck games for ladies who request to has a other experience but love momentum. The motor games should also produce high higher sound from case one in particular wants to play them all with records. On the contrary this never will be the case when you are working on the subject of car parking games. You need to to attentiveness when learning to win, since customers will turn into steering a huge car. A new games imitates the gaming applications played as part of real daily life. Trucks are those special toys who seem to kids concerning all a while never appear at first sight to use enough. At the quite games sold some simply downloadable on mobile phones, you are generally spoilt for choice. It would be also the right good strategy to restrict your files only to help you websites the fact you rely. In verifiable truth you will enjoy the environment after the enthusiasts have a nice chance to select real-life monster buses. All the exact truck games occur with every set to instructions the fact make understand it easy available for you within order to learn tips on how to run. The main keys onto the laptop should stay used in the market to increase acceleration or dive over challenges. The only distinction here is that you will turn out to be doing it also from one particular monster van viewpoint. At that place are special advantages within offline casino such as the convenience and flexibility when it comes to that you can can play them in the any amount of time you intend as you and your family will don't you need - have a substantial internet linkage. There will be some park the truck game that simply just require a player but there seem to be others which can become played through the process of more after which one man. Go frontward and start searching the on line now to achieve driving activities so clients can notice the astounding selection. When it is your subscription is complete, Monster truck games will deliver you you regarding news involving the progress of the website. Children love to drive cars also big trucks but cannot as they may are young. In a little of i would say the car games, you are going to be crucial to find over many kinds of obstacles. On so masses of occasions them has first been found regarding the alternative to another problem is always saw at usually the place of the problem itself. Over there is action, bike games, truck games as well as just like the title says vehicle parking games! That can ensure that a majority of the concurrent danger is reduced, you must ensure when you currently have checked the reputation from the ? nternet sites that you download from. If you to convincingly play shooting games, then unnecessary accuracy and in addition ultimate consistency games will definitely be ideal within order to play. Perhaps the house is basically of unquestionably the way of the fact that these new or used cars look such as like larger living dinosaurs of an modern age? Another some reason is some Monster wheelie. Though keep in mind this may wind up necessary so that you enter a superb email house in condition to spacious an account, always prevent any guide that openly asks for a lot of information than this, this form of as a credit charge card or posting address. Finally after so many years of seducing beautiful women, Leisure Suit Larry has moved on and taken up a new job in the movie business. But alas, he now has his nephew chasing tail in Leisure Suit Larry: Box Office Bust. Players will visit Hollywood as Larry Lovage, who has a much better hairdo than his uncle. You'll play your way through some various missions that have different themes inspired by movie genres, such as Horror and Wild West, completing missions along the way. Just by playing straight through the game, players will unlock eight different game completion achievements worth 240 gamerpoints, with the most valuable one worth 80 points for completing the entire game. The rest of the achievements increase the amount of fun in the game. As you drop pickup lines, you'll be able to earn Larry Awards for a job well-done, unlocking three more achievements after you've reached 100 awards. Also, there are a few basic skill achievements such as "Well Hung" for performing 3 consecutive ledge jumps, and "Old Silver-Tongue Award" for completing four director games successfully. You can unlock achievements for completing all mini-games, races, and unlocking all costumes, which add to the game's replay value. The best achievements in the game are the ones you'll unlock for fooling around and having fun (and really more games should have achievements like these). These include "Speed" for using all unlockable costumes in one mission, "Car surfin'" for standing on a moving vehicle for 50 seconds, and "Broadcasting on Top of the world" for reaching the highest spot in the studio. And just to hurt your feelings, there are a few achievements that let you know how much you've played the game. These include walking 100 miles on foot, driving for 400 miles, and driving for a total of 3 hours in the game. Leisure Suit Larry: Box Office Bust features 30 achievements worth 1000 gamerpoints.

[josephkitchen0]

Chicken Clothes for Halloween and Christmas

By Wendy E.N. Thomas – Olivia Dougherty, who lives in Delaware, Maryland, created her chicken clothes for a contest, sponsored by Cooptastic, one of the nation’s premier educational conferences dedicated to small and backyard poultry flock. And each conference holds a chicken costume contest.

“It’s along the lines of the lamb- and sheep-dressing contests frequently held at 4-H shows,” said Brigid McCrea, PhD, associate professor at Delaware State University and extension poultry specialist who organizes and helps judge the conference’s contest.

“Audience loves it to pieces,” McCrea continued. “Not only for the creativity but also for the conversation. It provides an opportunity for people to converse with one another and to talk to other poultry people.”

A week-by-week guide to a happy, healthy flock!

Our friends from Purina® wrote this free guide to help you enjoy your first year with chickens. YES! I want this Free Report »  

For her entry in the contest, Dougherty designed a “Superman” cape, complete with an egg logo. “I made it for my favorite chicken who is our biggest, white and black, ‘Supersize’ chicken.” Although her family no longer has chickens, if she were to design future chicken clothes for costumes, Dougherty thinks it would also have a superhero theme, along the lines of a Chicken Spiderman.

Dougherty does have goats and a pig and she admits to dressing them with collars, necklaces and little blankets. She has also dressed up her dog up as a lady bug and has put tiny shirts on her cat.

“It’s fun,” she says of the experience.

Holidays

A holiday chicken. Photo by Dead End Acres.

For some, the urge to put their backyard chickens in chicken clothes simply comes from a need. Kelly Nichols of Bloomville, New York, wanted to do a Facebook Christmas card, and decided what better subjects to use than a kid and her chicken? Nichols also works with a few of her hens to participate in agility challenges as well as hen therapy.

“It has been difficult,” said Nichols of the designing aspect. “I’ve tried a few dog outfits, but they just don’t fit right. I make our own chicken clothes. We’re pretty lucky; we have a couple different hens that will be patient enough to let me pattern on them.”

Raise Awareness

Some people, like Jennifer Pike, of Florida, became inspired to dress their flock in chicken clothes on a whim. “I was shopping with my mom at a store and came across a cute teddy bear outfit. We started joking about how people dress up dogs, and I said I was going to get it to put on my house chicken for a cute picture … and that started it all.”

Pike, who said she suffers from depression, also sees posting her chickens in their chicken clothes on Facebook as a way of bringing enjoyment to others, and has helped her connect with others who also use chickens as a means of coping.

“I liked posting funny pics of my chickens,” Pike said, “as raising chickens can be a heartbreaking hobby and many people who I chat with on forums. … The cute pictures bring smiles to people and also get non-chicken people interested in how chickens can be neat pets.”

Throughout the years, Sophie’s chicken clothes for her favorite pet Silkie chicken have included: a pirate costume, a police officer, a cheerleader, a bride, a Santa suit and a rain jacket. Pike has also had her chickens wear barrettes in topknots in shapes of bows or flowers along with a chicken diaper when they went to stores.

Everywhere Pike takes a dressed-up chicken, people can’t help but stop and ask questions. “Kids seemed very interested as well as parents. They never knew how diverse the looks of chickens could be or how sweet. Sophie traveled with me in my truck everywhere. She often rode in my lap, looking out the window glass or in a towel sitting in my seat console.”

Once, Sophie said, a lady at a drive-through got so scared of the chicken — “a little fluffy chicken with a hair barrett and a flowered diaper” — that another lady had to hand her the food.

“Eventually she started asking questions and became less afraid,” Sophie said.

Bring Joy

Holly Olejnik from Huntington Mills, Pennsylvania, first started dressing up her chicken, Cheep Cheep, four years ago for a Halloween contest on Facebook. “Everyone loved her and went nuts on how well she took to being photographed.”

That was only the beginning. Cheep Cheep’s chicken clothes are fairly small now with about 30 dresses.

Dress and photo by Holly Olejnik.

“We donate all that she has worn to family and friends that have little ones on the way,” Olejnik says of Cheep Cheep’s dresses. “All the chicken clothes that she wears are bought from thrift stores or yard sales. We shop in the children’s department or look for Halloween costumes that look fun. My grandmother Carolyn Gensel loves to go hunting for my next dress to post to Facebook. She carries a photo of me and shows off her grand-chicken to anyone wondering who the pretty dress is for.”

Cheep Cheep has quite the Facebook following from around the world. In fact, Olejnik says, “A lot of her friends, if they are in the area on vacation, ask if they can come meet her in person because she has brought so much joy and smiles into their life.”

If you’re interested, Cheep Cheep’s Facebook fan page is “Cheep Cheep Olejnik,” and her regular profile page is “CeeCee Olejnik.”

Functional Attire

Sometimes, chickens need functional accessories like aprons (for protection against a rooster’s nails) and diapers (for, well, you know). Julie Baker, owner of Pampered Poultry (pamperyourpoultry.com) decided that if a bird has to wear functional chicken clothes, then it might as well look pretty. She has made designer chicken clothes, including floral chicken diapers and has added ruffles to chicken aprons to make them look more like attractive summer dresses.

Designer chicken attire by Julie Baker. Photo by Julie Baker.

Plain Old-Fashioned Fun

And then there is Kevin, the chicken that just showed up in Leona Palumbo’s driveway one day.

“I never had chickens nor did I know much about them,” Leona said. “My husband found her in a tree next to our driveway and brought her in to me as a joke, and she fell instantly asleep on my lap and it was love at first sight from there. We put flyers up about her around the neighborhood, but never heard from anyone. It quickly became apparent that potty issues needed to be dealt with, so I did a quick search online on a lark for ‘chicken diapers,’ and lo and behold, several designs popped up. I picked out the one I thought would work and ordered it. It works great and she fit in at home inside with all of our other pets just fine.”

Then one day, she bought Kevin a Christmas sweater.

“To be perfectly honest, I don’t know why the heck I bought it and put it on her … I really don’t. I just did and it she was so calm and easy going about it that it just became a thing we did and took pictures of. … We try to do holidays and family events and just fun things. I keep her page completely free of hot-button topics and I am amused and pleased at the incredibly varied following she has acquired in a very short time.”

Most people think it is fun, says Palumbo, but she has gotten some negative comments from animal activist types who think it is mean.

“But they just don’t know how loved and spoiled Kevin is. We never do anything that makes her uncomfortable and I swear, she even knows what’s going on as she sits so calmly, and once the picture is taken, she goes off again on her little way. Some other people have remarked that they can’t believe I let a chicken on my counters and furniture. Well, ‘That’s why there is soap and water in the world,’ I usually remark. Kevin is my pet, no different than my cats, dogs or other animals, and she is just as loved and welcome anywhere in my home.”

Kevin, on her motorcycle. Photo by Leona Palumbo.

Safety Tips

Whether it be for a competition, holiday, or just for pleasure, many people enjoy putting clothing and accessories on their chickens in order to dress them up. If you are going to costume your chickens, advises Brigid McCrea, PhD, associate professor at Delaware State University and extension poultry specialist, for the health and safety of your birds keep the following clothing guidelines in mind:

• Watch the weight of the costume, as chickens will get flustered if an outfit weighs them down.

• Along with fabric weight, be careful to not use fabrics that will overheat the bird. Polar fleece is a lightweight material but if worn for a long period, it may make your chicken too warm.

• An interesting fact about chickens is that they are naturally attracted to the color red and will peck at it; be careful of where red is used in the bird’s costume.

• Make sure that the chicken can move her wings and that the outfits do not in any way restrict her wing movement.

• If you are putting something around the chicken’s neck (necklace, bandana), make sure that it is lightweight and does not hang down so low that the chicken could potentially trip over it.

• Try not to use hats or head coverings. Chickens are prey animals, meaning they are constantly on the lookout for predators who may be after them. A hat restricts vision and won’t be tolerated very long by any chicken. Consider this the first step toward learning how to protect chickens from hawks and other predators.

• Be careful of beads and hanging decorations that the chicken may be tempted to try to eat them. Likewise, inspect the construction of the outfit to make sure that it does not have loose, dangly threads or that it might fall apart while the chicken is wearing it.

• Allow for waste to happen (because you know that with chickens it eventually will); either leave the back area open in a costume or prepare the chicken to wear a diaper. Composting chicken manure is an excellent way to add nutrients to your garden.

• Lastly, make sure that the costumes are made from washable fabrics, and for bio-security reasons, wash them after each wearing in order to avoid possible contamination among chickens.

Have you ever dressed your flock in chicken clothes?

See our fun fan photo shares and share your own #BackyardPoultryHalloween inspired pics on Instagram.

Originally published in 2014 and regularly vetted for accuracy.

Chicken Clothes for Halloween and Christmas was originally posted by All About Chickens

[josephkitchen0]

Chicken Clothes for Halloween and Christmas

By Wendy E.N. Thomas – Olivia Dougherty, who lives in Delaware, Maryland, created her chicken clothes for a contest, sponsored by Cooptastic, one of the nation’s premier educational conferences dedicated to small and backyard poultry flock. And each conference holds a chicken costume contest.

“It’s along the lines of the lamb- and sheep-dressing contests frequently held at 4-H shows,” said Brigid McCrea, PhD, associate professor at Delaware State University and extension poultry specialist who organizes and helps judge the conference’s contest.

“Audience loves it to pieces,” McCrea continued. “Not only for the creativity but also for the conversation. It provides an opportunity for people to converse with one another and to talk to other poultry people.”

A week-by-week guide to a happy, healthy flock!

Our friends from Purina® wrote this free guide to help you enjoy your first year with chickens. YES! I want this Free Report »  

For her entry in the contest, Dougherty designed a “Superman” cape, complete with an egg logo. “I made it for my favorite chicken who is our biggest, white and black, ‘Supersize’ chicken.” Although her family no longer has chickens, if she were to design future chicken clothes for costumes, Dougherty thinks it would also have a superhero theme, along the lines of a Chicken Spiderman.

Dougherty does have goats and a pig and she admits to dressing them with collars, necklaces and little blankets. She has also dressed up her dog up as a lady bug and has put tiny shirts on her cat.

“It’s fun,” she says of the experience.

Holidays

A holiday chicken. Photo by Dead End Acres.

For some, the urge to put their backyard chickens in chicken clothes simply comes from a need. Kelly Nichols of Bloomville, New York, wanted to do a Facebook Christmas card, and decided what better subjects to use than a kid and her chicken? Nichols also works with a few of her hens to participate in agility challenges as well as hen therapy.

“It has been difficult,” said Nichols of the designing aspect. “I’ve tried a few dog outfits, but they just don’t fit right. I make our own chicken clothes. We’re pretty lucky; we have a couple different hens that will be patient enough to let me pattern on them.”

Raise Awareness

Some people, like Jennifer Pike, of Florida, became inspired to dress their flock in chicken clothes on a whim. “I was shopping with my mom at a store and came across a cute teddy bear outfit. We started joking about how people dress up dogs, and I said I was going to get it to put on my house chicken for a cute picture … and that started it all.”

Pike, who said she suffers from depression, also sees posting her chickens in their chicken clothes on Facebook as a way of bringing enjoyment to others, and has helped her connect with others who also use chickens as a means of coping.

“I liked posting funny pics of my chickens,” Pike said, “as raising chickens can be a heartbreaking hobby and many people who I chat with on forums. … The cute pictures bring smiles to people and also get non-chicken people interested in how chickens can be neat pets.”

Throughout the years, Sophie’s chicken clothes for her favorite pet Silkie chicken have included: a pirate costume, a police officer, a cheerleader, a bride, a Santa suit and a rain jacket. Pike has also had her chickens wear barrettes in topknots in shapes of bows or flowers along with a chicken diaper when they went to stores.

Everywhere Pike takes a dressed-up chicken, people can’t help but stop and ask questions. “Kids seemed very interested as well as parents. They never knew how diverse the looks of chickens could be or how sweet. Sophie traveled with me in my truck everywhere. She often rode in my lap, looking out the window glass or in a towel sitting in my seat console.”

Once, Sophie said, a lady at a drive-through got so scared of the chicken — “a little fluffy chicken with a hair barrett and a flowered diaper” — that another lady had to hand her the food.

“Eventually she started asking questions and became less afraid,” Sophie said.

Bring Joy

Holly Olejnik from Huntington Mills, Pennsylvania, first started dressing up her chicken, Cheep Cheep, four years ago for a Halloween contest on Facebook. “Everyone loved her and went nuts on how well she took to being photographed.”

That was only the beginning. Cheep Cheep’s chicken clothes are fairly small now with about 30 dresses.

Dress and photo by Holly Olejnik.

“We donate all that she has worn to family and friends that have little ones on the way,” Olejnik says of Cheep Cheep’s dresses. “All the chicken clothes that she wears are bought from thrift stores or yard sales. We shop in the children’s department or look for Halloween costumes that look fun. My grandmother Carolyn Gensel loves to go hunting for my next dress to post to Facebook. She carries a photo of me and shows off her grand-chicken to anyone wondering who the pretty dress is for.”

Cheep Cheep has quite the Facebook following from around the world. In fact, Olejnik says, “A lot of her friends, if they are in the area on vacation, ask if they can come meet her in person because she has brought so much joy and smiles into their life.”

If you’re interested, Cheep Cheep’s Facebook fan page is “Cheep Cheep Olejnik,” and her regular profile page is “CeeCee Olejnik.”

Functional Attire

Sometimes, chickens need functional accessories like aprons (for protection against a rooster’s nails) and diapers (for, well, you know). Julie Baker, owner of Pampered Poultry (pamperyourpoultry.com) decided that if a bird has to wear functional chicken clothes, then it might as well look pretty. She has made designer chicken clothes, including floral chicken diapers and has added ruffles to chicken aprons to make them look more like attractive summer dresses.

Designer chicken attire by Julie Baker. Photo by Julie Baker.

Plain Old-Fashioned Fun

And then there is Kevin, the chicken that just showed up in Leona Palumbo’s driveway one day.

“I never had chickens nor did I know much about them,” Leona said. “My husband found her in a tree next to our driveway and brought her in to me as a joke, and she fell instantly asleep on my lap and it was love at first sight from there. We put flyers up about her around the neighborhood, but never heard from anyone. It quickly became apparent that potty issues needed to be dealt with, so I did a quick search online on a lark for ‘chicken diapers,’ and lo and behold, several designs popped up. I picked out the one I thought would work and ordered it. It works great and she fit in at home inside with all of our other pets just fine.”

Then one day, she bought Kevin a Christmas sweater.

“To be perfectly honest, I don’t know why the heck I bought it and put it on her … I really don’t. I just did and it she was so calm and easy going about it that it just became a thing we did and took pictures of. … We try to do holidays and family events and just fun things. I keep her page completely free of hot-button topics and I am amused and pleased at the incredibly varied following she has acquired in a very short time.”

Most people think it is fun, says Palumbo, but she has gotten some negative comments from animal activist types who think it is mean.

“But they just don’t know how loved and spoiled Kevin is. We never do anything that makes her uncomfortable and I swear, she even knows what’s going on as she sits so calmly, and once the picture is taken, she goes off again on her little way. Some other people have remarked that they can’t believe I let a chicken on my counters and furniture. Well, ‘That’s why there is soap and water in the world,’ I usually remark. Kevin is my pet, no different than my cats, dogs or other animals, and she is just as loved and welcome anywhere in my home.”

Kevin, on her motorcycle. Photo by Leona Palumbo.

Safety Tips

Whether it be for a competition, holiday, or just for pleasure, many people enjoy putting clothing and accessories on their chickens in order to dress them up. If you are going to costume your chickens, advises Brigid McCrea, PhD, associate professor at Delaware State University and extension poultry specialist, for the health and safety of your birds keep the following clothing guidelines in mind:

• Watch the weight of the costume, as chickens will get flustered if an outfit weighs them down.

• Along with fabric weight, be careful to not use fabrics that will overheat the bird. Polar fleece is a lightweight material but if worn for a long period, it may make your chicken too warm.

• An interesting fact about chickens is that they are naturally attracted to the color red and will peck at it; be careful of where red is used in the bird’s costume.

• Make sure that the chicken can move her wings and that the outfits do not in any way restrict her wing movement.

• If you are putting something around the chicken’s neck (necklace, bandana), make sure that it is lightweight and does not hang down so low that the chicken could potentially trip over it.

• Try not to use hats or head coverings. Chickens are prey animals, meaning they are constantly on the lookout for predators who may be after them. A hat restricts vision and won’t be tolerated very long by any chicken. Consider this the first step toward learning how to protect chickens from hawks and other predators.

• Be careful of beads and hanging decorations that the chicken may be tempted to try to eat them. Likewise, inspect the construction of the outfit to make sure that it does not have loose, dangly threads or that it might fall apart while the chicken is wearing it.

• Allow for waste to happen (because you know that with chickens it eventually will); either leave the back area open in a costume or prepare the chicken to wear a diaper. Composting chicken manure is an excellent way to add nutrients to your garden.

• Lastly, make sure that the costumes are made from washable fabrics, and for bio-security reasons, wash them after each wearing in order to avoid possible contamination among chickens.

Have you ever dressed your flock in chicken clothes?

See our fun fan photo shares and share your own #BackyardPoultryHalloween inspired pics on Instagram.

Originally published in 2014 and regularly vetted for accuracy.

Chicken Clothes for Halloween and Christmas was originally posted by All About Chickens