Travel Theme: Costume

Ailsa’s travel theme this week involves costume.  How do people wear them?  Where do they wear them?  Why do they wear them, if they’re not on a stage?

Admit it, we’re all, always, on stage.  Some of us are just more apt to dress that way than others.  So here are a few memorable costumes I’ve run across while going about my business.

In Boston…which is always good for finding some kind of people in some kind of costume somewhere…a historical re-enactor grabs a sandwich and a beer at The Green Dragon, which was home turf for the planning of the battle at Lexington and Concord.  Bonus: the food is good, and the bartenders are awesome.

Hail, barkeep! A plate of ye olde nachos, make haste!

Hail, barkeep! A plate of ye olde nachos, make haste!

When I was in Paris, I happened upon a living statue street performer, dressed a little bit like the love child of Neo and Uncle Creepy.  Imagine my total excitement when I realized I immortalized him forever mid-poke.  It’s like catching the ventriloquist moving his lips.  Day=made.

Slick. But not slick enough.

Slick. But not slick enough.

When in Bayville, NJ, I was hanging out with my dreadfully handsome brother, who was handed a pair of costume glasses to return to his wife, who had left them behind at some Halloween party they’d gone to.  One perfectly timed picture later…

I think the fact that the glasses are upside down makes this even more charming.

I think the fact that the glasses are upside down makes this photo even more charming.

Love you, big bro!

Moving on, to the Vatican.  Everything you’ve heard about the elaborate costuming worn by the Swiss Guard?  All true.  (Not accounting, of course, for the many many many  blazered and earpieced and guns-in-forearm-slide-holsters undercover security walking around.  You don’t take pictures of them.  Or maybe you could, but I didn’t want to try my luck.)

Well, helloooo, Mr. Fancypants.

Well, helloooo, Mr. Fancypants.

Annnnd…

Right here in beautiful downtown Lewisburg we have an annual “Victorian” parade (which is much more thematically engaging than your standard Christmas parade), and all the marchers dress up in costumes.  You have characters from works of literature like A Christmas Carol and Mary Poppins.  (And p.s. if you’ve got a problem with me linking to Mr. Magoo’s Christmas Carol, then you meet me in the school yard at 3:00.)  Anyway.  So there I was, at the Victorian Parade and what becostumed thing to I see rolling toward me but…

A Christmas dalek.

EXTERMINATE!

EXTERMINATE!

OK, so normally I stop at five photos (for no reason except for just because), but since I have that picture of my big brother in doofy glasses, I figured I’d include one of me.  In my own doofy glasses.  So we may stand in solidarity.  This was taken at the local Halloween store.

Keepin' it sexy in the 'burg.

Keepin’ it sexy in the ‘burg.

There are so, so many reasons this picture cracks me up.  But mainly, it makes me feel like I should have had a starring role in the Beastie Boys‘ video for Sabotage.

So, that’s what I’ve got.  What groovy costumes have you run across in your life?  Join me at Ailsa’s!

Posted by beyondpaisley

All email will be gleefully made fun of. Is beyond paisley a geographic ideal or a state of mind?

25 responses to Travel Theme: Costume

      • mudpuddlescampers

        Seriously, if I didn’t have a husband who gets out of the house regularly to go to a job where he interacts with lots of people, I’d have no clue! I myself live under a rock with a brood of 2 somewhere near Seattle… 😉

        Like

    • beyondpaisley – Author

      Indeede. 😉

      All joking aside, their nachos are killer. If you’re ever in the Boston area, hie yourself thither and have some.

      Like

  3. marjorie

    Fantastic photos, as always. Your pic of the Vic Christmas parade reminds me of the time they had Mr. Peanut (a staple in the 90’s) right in front of a carriage carrying the Daughters of the American Revolution. Victorian? Not much. And that is the charm of it.

    Like

  10. ididitforjohnny

    Note to self: Locate the Green Dragon post-haste. I sort of imagine there are people dressed like that year ’round, at a restaurant that serves ye olde nachos.

    Like

    • beyondpaisley – Author

      Do you know where the Union Oyster House is? Or the Bell in Hand Tavern? Because it’s right in that general area. It’s not the first time I’ve seen re-enactors there having ye olde Frenche Dippe (or whatever) and a beer. Always a good time.

      Like

      • ididitforjohnny

        I wouldn’t know where to find anything called Oyster. Blech. But now I do have a general idea where the Green Dragon is. These folks take their re-enacting very seriously, except for the major breaks in character when they’re not “on stage.”

        Like

      • beyondpaisley – Author

        LOL I’m not an oyster girl either but it’s a famous restaurant so I figured I’d go for the big name. 🙂 And yeah, I’ve seen the re-enactors at work. They’re…dedicated!

        Like

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