Gorgeous or Ghoulish... or Both

The Awesome Costume
from Joie de Vivre


It's that time -- the time for the serious Halloweener to get in gear and begin planning this year's outlandish outfit.... if she hasn't already.  Here are some ideas from hand-spun to haute couture to get your creative costume juices flowing.

talk about creative!  a living breathing comicbook

a cute and easy twist on a popular floor game

comfy, easy & oh so malevolent  

totally awe-inspiring... and equally time-consuming

now go perch yourself on someone's lawn

for those who look like a Barbie doll, may as well play it up playrfully

layers, gloves and a bonnet will make you the Southern belle of the ball 

a kimono, bedecked wig, parasol and classic makeup can change you completely

Sally <3

Going grey - this monochrome approach makes for the most interesting of ghostly get-ups

be a Bollywood babe with some layers, bangles & eye makeup

turn men to stone as a modern Medusa 

homemade Bellatrix LeStrange

upgrade your basic party toga to give you goddess status 

Simply get a gown from the thrift store, add tulle puff sleeves, the pointy crown & wand, and voila! You have Glinda.... or is it Galinda?

accessories make this Venetian wonder

pretty without being overt, look closely, her midriff is covered 

wow, this has got to be the cutest clown costume ever

classic literary beauty, and rentable too!

for fairy flirty, just add wings

a little paint can go a long way

OK, so I added this pic just because I love it

this one too

Ballerina Marina Franca, 1941

Getting Pinned

Get ready for your soft-focus, powdered, primped, painted & eventually photoshopped close-up

by Joie de Vivre

Think you could never look like one of these stunning pin-up models? Think again. These glam gals are just ordinary women who jumped onboard the latest trend train -- pinup photography. Inspired and emboldened by the recent rise in boudoir photography, especially on the part of brides, women of all ages and marital states are giving themselves the gift of glamour and signing up for these cute and innocuous photo shoots.

A far cry from the teased and draped glamour shots found in the local mall, this latest fad affords the subject more than just 8x10 glossies -- it offers nostalgia.... a trip back to what we now perceive as a 'gentler more innocent time'... which it most likely was not.... but that's not the point. So then what is the point, you ask? It is a little bit of all the good stuff our world today calls for in order for us to make sense of it and retain our hope and promise for the future.

These photos make women feel like fresh-faced desirable Betties.... as opposed to aging in-need-of Botox has-beens the media and cosmetics companies make us out to be. The clothes, hair, makeup and overall vibe of these shots is simple and flirty without skewing sleazy. And they are a fun and lasting way for women to do a little something nice for themselves and have something to show... something BEAUTIFUL to show.... for it, in perpetuity.

I for one intend to contact my favorite photographer [insert Amy Allen Photography plug here] and arrange for one of these playful photography sessions. Who knows, if I end up with twelve good shots I may even go for a calendar! Time to blow up the beach ball, grab a sailor hat and visit the vintage store, and of course pick up a tube of Chanel's CoCo Red Lipstick... then pose... and practice my pout.

Keep your eyes on the Siren School event calendar for a Pampered PinUp party this winter.