(alter)égoïstes

but why?

2007-05-01T02:04:00.000-05:00

Your Halloween Costume Should Be

Elvis

http://www.blogthings.com/whatshouldyoubeforhalloweenquiz/What Should You Be For Halloween?

Une Fete - Fear and Loathing in Montreal

2007-04-25T09:29:00.000-05:00

We had two bags of grass, seventy-five pellets of mescaline, five sheets of high-powered blotter acid, a salt shaker half full of cocaine, and a whole galaxy of multi-colored uppers, downers, screamers, laughers... and also a quart of tequila, a quart of rum, a case of Budweiser, a pint of raw ether and two dozen amyls...The only thing that really worried me was the ether. There is nothing in the world more helpless and irresponsible and depraved than a man in the depths of an ether binge. And I knew we'd get into that rotten stuff pretty soon.

No point mentioning those bats, I thought. The poor bastard would see them soon enough.

Personally, I like her hair

2007-03-30T19:10:00.000-05:00

Last week, Angela got her hair cut. Ever since earning the nickname "Mom" from some male friends in high school, she's been nervous about going too short. She told her hair dresser, "None of it above the shoulder."

He didn't listen.

What does Angela think? "He gave me scenester hair!!!"

To commemorate her new haircut, Angela and I dressed up as "scenesters" for a fun-filled day at the library and a delicious post-essay dinner adventure. This clearly cannot be passed off as extreme costuming. For one thing, everything that we wore yesterday we wear on a semi-regular basis (although perhaps not all at once). This could mean any number of things, including:

a) our costumes were particularly wonderful, because we used everyday items for maximum scenester impact

b) our costumes were less than wonderful, because:
i. we did not look like sceneters, and thus our costumes failed; OR
ii. we looked like scenesters, but only because we are scenesters, or at least have tendencies in that direction (thus, no costuming points awarded)

It is telling that although I don't grasp the full gambit of meanings involved in the label "scenester," I nonetheless hold a stereotypical image of scenesterdom in my mind.

What is a scenester? Am I a scenester? Are you a scenester? How much do clothes make or break a scenester?

What I liked about this project: Its marginal costume status draws attention to how very ordinary identity performance is. Furthermore, it complicates costuming endeavors, because to be a scenester clearly involves more than flats and leggings - behind my first costume of this blog, I felt filled with and productive of a Dark Wing spirit; not so with this outfit.

What I didn't like about this project: The label "scenester" intrigues me. I don't think I adequately explored it with this week's costume mentality. Plus, it wasn't as fun as having a beard or tail feathers.

I lack charming, trendy, and posture-positive flats :(

A 90s Costume Party: Tapered Pants and Neon

2007-03-24T13:43:00.000-05:00

Hey, wait a second.... I'M the one with luscious blonde locks! Why can't I be Jessie???

Give me those pants.

Yah, these look great.

Hm... they're pretty small at the bottom....

Just a little bit more....

Perfect!! What? Take them off?? Uh.... I don't think I can...

Pfff, taking off some guy's pants - who am I, Kelly Kapowski?

I guess I never really appreciated these pants before... It's nice having circulation back in my feet. Plus, check-out the turquoise. What colour would you say this is, magenta? Radddd. Okay, I'll be A.C.

He may be blonde and bearded, he may be mulletless, but he can be the A.C. to my Jessie anyday.

Yeah!

2007-02-21T00:23:00.000-05:00

Hoorayyyy! The image uploader is once again functioning properly! I celebrate by posting this photo, a favourite of mine:

Rather than wearing a costume myself, I have in fact become the tool of another's disguise. Mel, you are an identity magician.

PS - I am intrigued by the label options of the New Blogger. Time to do some intense labelling.

Blog Break

2007-02-14T09:42:00.000-05:00

Until I can upload photos (arggggg, damn you New Blogger), LumberJackie is going to be taking a break from the costume blog. I could describe my current project to you, but I'm not going to - not only would that be far less effective, but I'm simply too bitter to continue without imaging options.

Chloball 2007

2007-02-04T10:53:00.000-05:00

This Friday was the 21st birthday of my dear friend Chloe. The theme of this year's Chloball was Moulin Rouge, and the birthday girl requested that we all "dress in theme." I took this to mean: convince the world that you do in fact hail from the Parisian red light district. That there hanger-on is Caitlin, who refused to remove her lame dress shirt all night or to reveal the luscious corset (and lusciouser bosom) beneath. I don't know if she is laughing or attempting to vampirically devour me.

Although some of the revelers were unfortunately tame, I was happy to see others make an effort to costume-up.

mountain man: REVISED

2007-01-31T00:51:00.000-05:00

NOW WITH EYEBROWS!

mountain man

2007-01-30T20:22:00.000-05:00

Even as a South Park-style mountain man, Heather pulls off pearls with panache. I salute her, and all of my mountain-man idols. Although she may not be bearded in flesh, Heather is bearded in spirit.

Happy Robbie Burns Day

2007-01-25T23:48:00.000-05:00

The Adventures of the Little Hat

2007-01-16T15:19:00.000-05:00

Once upon a time, in a land not so far away, there lived a Little Hat. No one put much faith in the Little Hat. They doubted her guts, they denied her vim and vigor, and they mocked her mercilessly on the playground: "You are an inferior hat!" screamed the Dashikis and the Fedoras, drooling blood from their hat fangs. "One day I'll prove them all wrong," swore the Little Hat. AND SHE DID.

The Little Hat made the Newsie.

The Little Hat found love: "Tabernacle, P'tit Chapeau! Qu'est-ce que je do-erais without you??"

Smarmy yet smooth, chap, and all because of the Little Hat.

And finally - most certainly - were it not for the Little Hat, this mentally deficient jazz-type would be lost entirely.

LITTLE HAT, WE SALUTE YOU

TOGA! TOGA! TOGA!

2007-01-16T12:51:00.000-05:00

Toga Party? Anyone? I have a craving.

"EXTRA! EXTRA!"

2007-01-14T23:36:00.000-05:00

Although we were unsuccessful in obtaining a copy of the film "Newsies", Angela and I did not abandon our Newsie dreams. This is a somewhat sedate photo, as it lacks the vital fingerless gloves and Wisers accessories; however, you get the idea. The phrase "Extra! Extra!" was used in abundance and may feature regularly in our speech patterns from now on, until inevitable social ostractism forces us to examine our exclamation marked speech habits. I have to conclude that the News Paper Boy attire qualifies as a pseudo-costume at best, simply because it looks too damn fine to acquire truly respectable costume status.

I am an elf on some days

2007-01-06T22:38:00.000-05:00

Two entries in rapid succession!! This photo does not represent any particular burst of Christmas spirit but rather a respect and love for jigging, flowing red beards, and unprecedently large candy items. Jigging with your tongue out like that is risky business and not for the faint of heart.

note on upcoming events: A potential plan has been hatched for myself and some associates to hit the town in paper boy attire. Any costume preparation and preceding substance abuse will be undertaken while watching 'Newsies' and all conversation will be prefaced with yells of "Extra! Extra!"

squint-eye and wench

2007-01-06T21:18:00.000-05:00

Having neglected this costume blog for a couple of weeks, I would like to take this opportunity to introduce our friends "squint-eye" and "wench".

squint-eye

wench

Squint-eye-and-wench: A mix of the two (in this instance leaning toward the squinty)

Squint-eye is often slightly disgruntled, or possibly just averse to having open eyes. Wench is a mockery of flattering photography, invoking a facade of determined sauciness.

"Ok, squint-eye!" "Now wench!" "What? I thought this was squint-eye!" "You look wenchier than I do!" etc., etc., etc.. I like our photo sessions.

j'ai peur de la bûcheronne

2006-12-20T19:32:00.000-05:00

I google-image-searched "bûcheronne", and found this:

terrifying!

Exciting wench-and-squint-eye, western-styles (as in plaid and neckerchiefs), and cowboy et bûcheronne photos to come over the next few days. Oh, and the adventures of the Wiser's -- I think turning a bottle of rye into a drunken and debauched character is probably suitable subject matter for a costume blog.

As Tim Curry might say, shiver with antici-----------------pation.

make yourself look smarter

2006-12-20T13:14:00.000-05:00

Photo evidence from our Toronto reunion to come... In the meantime, here's one of my comic strip favourites:

complete and utter madness, I say

2006-12-14T22:54:00.000-05:00

LumberJackie and KingCrabLegs, soon to be reunited for the weekend. What adventures shall abound?

yeah hats!

2006-12-09T15:15:00.000-05:00

hat party

2006-12-08T18:59:00.000-05:00

In my universe, anytime is costume time. Therefore, it was not surprising when a friend's birthday turned into something like an episode of Harriet's Magic Hats (though without the teleportation, and involving much more drinking.)

Those are only a few of many... and I'm not even a hat person! Many thanks to Don Hertzfeldt for the inspiration... also thanks to Plin for her awesome hat collection!

Mne ochen' ponravilas vasha photographiya i pis'mo

2006-12-08T15:22:00.000-05:00

I need to get back to the basics of this page - aka, costumes of the here and the now. Winter turns me into a Muscovite.

3 Costume Wishes

2006-11-26T12:24:00.000-05:00

1 - I wish this was a bloated corpse mask... and not my face:

2 - I wish this was a clown wig... and not my hair:

3 - I wish that Christy still wore this shirt... and we're not talking costuming here:

become one with nature

2006-11-23T18:36:00.000-05:00

Dear Christy - thank you for the beautiful picture of Copious Bountica. Copious Bountica is indeed a powerful figure (although I would suggest that it is a somewhat idealized portrait of her, perhaps biased by the artist's sensual love of the Amazonian Queen). I shall save all the intricacies of Bountica's existence for a future post...

For now, I present this gem. Although this photo is several years old, it never ceases to disturb me. And inspire me. I am a tree. That is a bird on my head. That is my real hair. Enough said.

copious bountica

2006-11-21T23:45:00.000-05:00

I must admit: Heather pulls off a beard with panache.

I adore Heather's incarnation as Heyzeus, but it also inspired me to reveal a counter-identity: Copious Bountica, Amazonian queen! If Heyzeus is Heather's animus, then Copious Bountica is a hero archetype, or possibly a persona, depending on whether we are considering self-integration or the collective unconscious. Or I could be completely mistaken. I'm not exactly an expert on Jungian psychology.

Anyway, I leave it to Copious herself to reveal herself in her full glory, or not, as the case may be. I will merely suggest that she is one saucy warrior woman!

For now, I humbly present a portrait of the Amazonian Heather. I think there's a bit of lioness in there too.

What would Heyzeus do?

2006-11-20T19:44:00.000-05:00

This is Heyzeus. Heyzeus not only has incredible mystical powers of wine production and healing; she also has one badass mother fucking beard.

Guest Dress-Up: Moustache

2006-11-20T14:16:00.000-05:00

I have often regretted my inability to grow impressive facial hair. Although a beard is not a prerequisite for my approval, I'm impressed by men who choose to wear beards and do it with style. I have mixed feelings towards certain manifestations of facial hair (moustaches in general, very large sideburns, and anything braided or pony-tailed); however, in the end, I respect freedom of facial hair expression. The shaping possibilities are nearly endless. Just last week, my older brother crafted himself a bold curtainous moustache. Then he accessorized it with this hat. I approve.

Let us cavort like the Greeks of old!

2006-11-15T23:09:00.000-05:00

Hello. My name is Hedonism-Bot. I am built for pleasure. I enjoy being carried around on long walks by my minions, watching sunsets while being fanned by my minions, and fine dining on grapes provided to me by my minions. Though I am welded to my chaise, I manage to have a variety of hobbies. I am involved in the arts, having commissioned a terrible opera for my own gratification. My favourite phrase is, "I apologize for nothing!"

I would like to meet others whose interests include hedonism and debauchery. We will have smashing good times forcing my minions to attend to our every desire. Let the games begin!

(This is where my thoughts wander when I should be doing schoolwork. I would rather be a Hedonism-Bot.)

she does not pull all-nighters

2006-11-15T16:12:00.000-05:00

November can be a month of intense brain melt. When exploring alteregos in November, it can be helpful to choose and create personas that are intelligent and collected. This character is both of those things. She reads large books successfully. She demands a quiet environment in which to unleash the totality of her incredible brain power. She whips school's ass in the most sadistic of ways.

manifesta: deuxième partie

2006-11-13T02:29:00.000-05:00

September 2005: Impromptu celebrations of International Talk Like A Pirate Day led to this photo being taken. Needless to say, preparations for this current dress-up project have been in the works for years. I hope that (alter)égoïste will be a constructive forum for exploring my many alter egos, as well as those of my partner in crime!

The modern/postmodern/post-postmodern self is built around reflexive explorations of identity. Through taking on a variety of personae, we are able to delve into facets of our personalities that might otherwise go unexamined. We understand ourselves best through our encounters with others; in fact, the self can only be understood as reflected in other selves. Costuming allows us to internalize these encounters by adopting the perspective of another self, and by acknowledging the power of the masks we wear.

Also, all philosophising aside, I simply enjoy dressing up! Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum!

darkwing to the max

2006-11-12T21:14:00.000-05:00

It's frustrating that there are so few sanctioned opportunities for costume-wearing in our society (unless you work at the circus, in theatre, or as one of those unfortunate people who stands on street corners in soiled flower and animal suits trying to draw drivers' attention to crappy kiosks, fundraising events, and newly opened grocery stores... and let's be honest, those occupations hardly count as 'sanctioned' activities). One beautiful exception to general costume-disapproval is, of course, Halloween. I love Halloween immensely. This Halloween, I proudly paid tribute to the greatest cartoon superhero of the early 90s.

"I am the terror that flaps in the night. I am Darkwing Duck"

PS - Very weird: I just used Google, and even though it's November 12th, the 'Google' graphic is all dolled-up Halloween styles. What an eerie coincidence to mark this posting... maybe there IS a higher power afterall

(alter)égoïstes

2006-11-12T19:42:00.000-05:00

(alter)egotism: an alternative self-obsession and an obsession with the alternative self

This space is dedicated to the frequently underappreciated diversion, art, and social experiment of ‘dressing-up’. We support embracing childhood joys, viewing the body as canvas, and exploring the fluidity and ambiguity of identity. ‘Dressing-up’ has immense potential as a psychological, intellectual, and political tool. Vivent les (alter)égoïstes!

Damn. That is one powerful sweet-ass manifesto. In addition, I would like to emphasize how much we enjoy creating, strutting around in, and laughing at our invented outfits as an alternative to school, work, and other activities which often feel lame. Due to its fundamentally cool nature, ‘dressing-up’ never feels lame.