An Extremely Late Halloween

I don't quite want to post photos from the ridiculously amazing show my theater company just had because I feel like it would be overkill, but I do want to catch up with posting a lot of pictures that have been floating around on my desktop with no purpose. This set is from around Halloween.

My friends Yalda and Ivy are my two other "Marketeers", or Marketing Directors in the group, so we caught dinner. (As for the picture, there's only so much you can do to light up a dimly lit photo... my apologies). After that, we headed to the nearest Halloween store to play around with the crazy things you can find there.

 She had been happy to take a photo...

Until she saw the creepy clown in the background.

 Real or fake, rats have never scared me.

 Ladies and gents, I present to you my future as a cat lady.

Marketeers fo' lyfe. Or rather till the end of the year. Haha!

So many more pictures to post... but I'm going to try to keep it organized, so I'll end here. Overall it was a great date with good friends! There's nothing better.

<3 Linda

Happy Halloween!

Sorry I've been so M.I.A all weekend! I've been struggling to keep up with everything from academics to social responsibilities. I cannot wait until two weeks from now, when it's all over! I'll still have finals, but not as much of anything else.

Since I haven't been able to properly post, I decided to humor you all with this photo of my roommate and I. She's a trophy wife (with no one to be the other half as the husband--- which basically meant she got hit on all night. Hilarious but terrible at the same time... and oh-so awkward for myself!) and I am a mime. I was initially supposed to be The Riddler, and I had my outfit (almost) ready as well. However, my friends and I all had to cancel meeting up and gallivanting around town in villainous costumes because we accidentally put the wrong times on our theatre show flyers. This basically means we ended up sitting and sticking labels on flyers all night instead! It wasn't that bad, really. I find that I'm willing to do almost anything when I care about it, and I'm not stressed either.

Hilights from this weekend:

• Hot weather... I love L.A.!
• Studying for midterms... still.
• Wearing long, bulky over the knee socks! I am so addicted.
• Local concert sessions
• My last-minute mime outfit: A dress (rolled up), my roommate's vest, shorts, long socks (again!), a bowler, and gloves... along with some brilliant and slightly scary makeup! Oh how I love playing dress up. Pretending to be someone other than myself is so fascinating to me.
• Getting closer to people by seeing them more often... On Friday, my friend Ivy and I got together and basically just hung out, talked, and pigged out on Pizookies (what's new? This has turned into our tradition).
• Tech day from 12PM to 10 PM with few breaks. It was tiring but I feel much more prepared to go out there and make myself vulnerable.... It may sound odd, but I've always been more scared of being funny than being emotional-- which is exactly the reason why I auditioned for the role that I did. I still shake behind the scenes but I know it's going to make me a better person, so I'm proud of myself!
• Having people ask me to teach them how to crochet. I'm so excited about this! It makes me feel like I actually know how to do something well.

<3 Linda

Costume Time! Part 2: Famous Faces in Art

If you're still struggling to come up with a unique costume this Halloween, have no fear! One of the coolest things that you can be is a recognizable face from a piece of art.

Andy Warhol- "A Shot of Marilyn Monroe": Instead of going out as the usual Marilyn Monroe and running the risk of bumping into another girl with the same outfit, why not become a piece of pop art? I suggest the top middle version. Paint your face a slight pinkish color, wear garish makeup, and don a bright yellow wig instead of a believably blond one. Find a version of her dress in another color and you're good to go!

Botticelli- "The Birth of Venus": This one's a bit harder to do (for obvious reasons), but I think that it is possible. Find a bathing suit top and skirt or shorts for the bottom, and an extremely long wig. Create a "shell" out of pleated fabric or construction paper and fan it out to look like the shell in the painting. Tape it to the top of your skirt (think peacock-look) or around one of your ankles (I would imagine it would be hard to walk in, though!). You can get creative by putting mermaid-like details in your hair or outfit.

Vermeer- "Girl with a Pearl Earring": I had gotten the idea for this one after seeing a still of Scarlet Johansson from the movie of the same name. Use powder and foundation to make your eyebrows appear barely there. Don a brown gown or robe. Put on one pearl earring, and lastly tie your hair with a cream scarf with blue border. It would probably be easier to buy two scarves: One that's cream and blue, and another that's more of a headband (which will be only blue, to go over your head and secure the other scarf in place). Pretty!

Van Gogh- "Self-Portrait": If you or anyone you know is a ginger man, this is the costume for you! It's so brilliant. All you need is makeup and someone who is skilled in using it (or at least is willing to try!). I love the way painterly strokes look on this man's face.

Grant Wood- "American Gothic": A great couple piece, this is! Get a pitchfork and make both of you look like old people with makeup. Wear a collar, brooch, and dress (for the female) and spectacles, overalls, and a jacket (for the male). Done!

Frida Kahlo- "Self-Portrait (1940)": Now, Frida did a lot of self-portraits, but I think this one would look amazing as a costume. Get a long white peasant dress, put your hair up, create a neck piece with wire or paper mache, and you're good to go. Don't forget to add the animals and facial hair, that's what makes the outfit!

Shepard Fairey- "Barack Obama- Progress": This last one's quite recent and good for men who struggle to come up with a not-so-tacky outfit (it seems that male outfits are always horrible... or is that just me?) Just wear a button from the presidential election (or make your own), and go to town on your face with blue, white, black and red face paint. Then wear a suit and hold up a sign that says "Progress" (or "Hope", that was the more recognizable slogan!). It's quite easy and doesn't require too much fuss!


I think I may be too obsessed with art... not that that's a bad thing!

Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
<3 Linda

Costume Time!

After a whole lot of pondering over what to wear, I've finally decided to be (possibly) two things: The Riddler and a Musketeer! They're both going to be part of a group set of costumes, though. Before I decided on what to be, I brainstormed a couple of ideas for dressing up on Polyvore. I like the idea of creating outfits out of actual clothes because they look less tacky and you can wear the pieces outside of Halloween.

I'm just excited because it's going to be the first time since... middle school? that I'm going to be participating in Halloween! How exciting!

<3 Linda

(Ps. If you couldn't tell, I made a Polyvore account... it's so addicting though!)