Tag Archives: Band Wagon

Hollywood Halloween: DIY Film Themed Costumes

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This post was updated in Oct. 2020 to incorporate new costumes.

If you’re like me (or any other classic film fan), the character or actor you want to dress as isn’t at Party City. There are only ill-fitting $80 Marilyn Monroe costumes from “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.” No one sells a “Gigi” costume so you can be Leslie Caron or a frumpy, loud costume to be Barbara Stanwyck in “Stella Dallas.” So that’s why we make our own.

Starting in my last year of college, I decided I wanted to dress as my favorite stars so I started making my own costumes for Halloween. Of course, I make these costumes fully knowing that the only people who will understand them are my Twitter followers and readers of Comet Over Hollywood. Here are my Halloween costumes since 2011:

Cyd Charisse in “Band Wagon” (1953)

Cyd Charisse in the Girl Hunt Ballet number in “Band Wagon” (1953): Halloween 2011
Cyd Charisse’s red costume in the “Girl Hunt Ballet” is probably one of her most recognizable looks (though of course, no one knew who I was). My sisters and I took dance for many years and my older sister’s 1998 tap costume looks similar to Cyd Charisse’s bodice. All it was lacking was a skirt. I took the costume, tacked on a similar sequined fabric, added some gloves and was ready to dance with Fred Astaire. The only thing I regret is now is not getting a black wig.

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Old Hollywood Halloween: jump on the ‘Bandwagon’

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The difficult thing about being a classic film lover at Halloween is no one knows who you are supposed to be.

Some of you might remember my Carmen Miranda costume from last Halloween. Several of my friends thought I was Chiquita Banana and I tried to correct them-Carmen Miranda was spoofed so many times by Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck that surely they would know.

This year I decided to be Cyd Charisse in the “Girl Hunt” number from “The Band Wagon” (1953). I knew most people might now know who I was so I said “someone from an old musical” and elaborate if they liked classic film.

I guess this is a rather odd choice for a Halloween costume, but I had an old red sequined dance costume that would be prefect. All I had to do was go to Hobby Lobby, buy some similar colored material and sew it on. For not having a full length mirror as a reference, I was pretty pleased.  I can’t wait to see the photos of any other classic film costumes!!

Halloween 2011: Cyd Charisse from the “Girl Hunt” number in “Band Wagon”

Happy Halloween!!

P.S) I apologize for my blogging absence, still no internet in my apartment so using my work computer and free Wi-Fi at McDonalds. I miss reading everybody’s blogs!

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