Halloween Blog
Boy are we excited for Halloween! We've never been ones to believe this holiday was exclusive to pint size trick-or-treaters; we've put way more time and effort into our costumes as adults. Now that we have a choice, you know. We have patiently waited for this season all year long and now that it is here we want to make sure you go out in the city looking fabulous and feeling comfortable. It can be a bit tricky in this winter-approaching weather. Everyone has somewhere to go; a costume party with friends or, if you're lucky, Joonbug's 10th annual Halloween Masquerade party! So before you go insane standing in line at your favorite costume shop, take these helpful tips and ideas into consideration for creating that prize winning costume.
And so it has finally arrived. As if you couldn’t feel the chill running through your bones, October is here. With that being said, this ghoulish month wraps up sooner than you think, therefore you best begin planning your All Hallows Eve attire. For all you ladies out there, this is an especially important evening. This is in fact, the one night out of the entire year that you have free rein to dress like a [for lack of a better word], whore. That means, the shorter, the darker, the more out of character, the better. As for you studs, we understand you’re leaning more towards the creepy and hilarious side of the spectrum. This year, Ricky’s NYC has gone above and beyond to provide you with the most unique and head-turning costumes. Us editors here at Joonbug, have once again done our homework to make sure you all look fabulous for this special evening.
The East Village Staple: Halloween Adventure/New York Costumes
Celebrating their 15th anniversary at the well-worn East Village location, Halloween Adventure retains bragging rights as the largest collection of costumes, wigs, masks, props, and décor in the city. In addition to three permanent locations, (two others in PA) pop-up versions of the favorite costume outlet have been appearing in the northeast for over twenty years. Now that’s a reputation you can count on! We believe you can always judge a company by its website, and Halloween Adventure passes the test. An up-to-date hours of operation schedule allows you to be sure they are open at your convenience. Like to plan before your shopping trip? The online inventory gives you an idea of what’s available in-store so there are no surprises. It’s no wonder an impressive roster of celebrities, from Chevy Chase to the Olson twins, frequent the location.
104 4th Avenue (between 11th and 12th Streets); 212-673-4546
The rich & famous of today are constantly in the public eye. Sooner or later, one can only imagine that the incessant scrutiny would eventually get to them. Surely, they wouldn't turn down the opportunity to get back at the papparazzi by, shall we say - biting their faces off. Especially if this whole vampire thing would just end already, the zombie apocalypse from the City of Angels doesn't seem too far off. Wonder what kind of picture that'd be...
Below are just a few of our favorites from The 15 Hottest Zombified Celebrities - provided by Heavy's Comedy section from last year.
Last week, we encountered some of the worst excuses for Halloween costumes that certain celebs have shamelessly flaunted. Damn, that Octomom one still gives me the heebie jeebies. For now, we can rub out that monstrosity from our eyes so we can focus on the awesome.
As I mentioned earlier, what really qualifies a costume to be considered good or bad? Physical appeal certainly plays a major part, but also the amount of effort put into the costume. If we regular folk can manage to put together an ensemble that doesn't induce vomiting, surely the rich & famous of Hollywood can make do with their lowly bank accounts that can't even buy more than 10 yachts. What's the point of life if we cannot boat AND party at the same time, am I right?
There are a few benefits to being a vampire. The endless life deal and permanently perfect skin seem pretty glamorous. It’s no wonder they’ve toed the line between sexy and terrifying these last few centuries. The trouble with vampirism, though, is that it’s become harder and harder to find a drink. Finding a wayward throat to feed off of is fine, but there’s just no atmosphere.
Well, vampire fans and wine lovers in California may have to perfect place to go. The beautiful bar and lounge is home to some fine wines, fine chocolates, and fine coffees. With drinks and foods named after famous vampires in pop culture and an atmosphere draped in the dark decor of centuries past, a certain spooky and indulgent atmosphere is created. Visitors can taste a variety rare wines and drinks while being served by a sommelier named Igor. For those a little spooked by blood red drinks, there are champagnes, vodka, cheese plates, and chocolate made specifically with the Vampire Lounge in mind.
Now post-fashion week, biggest event(s) of the year in our book, we’re looking forward for the next excuse to bust out more ‘costumes’. Almost two weeks ago we called Fashion’s Night Out the fashion equivalent to Halloween. Stylists, bloggers, socialites, and more came in droves dressed to impress in the season’s best for a citywide party that rivals All Hallows Eve. Barely recovered from that spectacle, we find ourselves again spending weeks upon weeks planning what to wear on this one sacred evening. If you’re like us, you want to think outside the box and create that special costume that no one else will be wearing but everyone knows instantly. Following are a few fresh ideas—but make sure you check with your fellow Joonbuggies; no one likes to be caught a “Who Wore it Best” moment.
Is it fall already?
It's that time of year again, guys. Put your bikinis away and trade your fake tans for bodypaint. Halloween is just around the corner and the celebs are here to provide guidance on what NOT to wear this year. What really constitutes as a bad costume, though? The answer is debatable. Sure, a costume can have a completely unaesthetic structure that can make our eyes burn...but if the effort is there and it pays strong attention to detail, they can (maybe) get away with it.
When we think of Halloween, we used to automatically think about witches, ghosts, goblins, vampires, etc. Nowadays, costumes range from the disgustingly gory to the purposely ironic hipster all the way to the endless array of people epitomizing the Mean Girls motto of: " In girl world, Halloween is the one night a year when a girl can dress up like a total slut and no other girls can say anything about it." As much as we can agree with that statement, the little feminist in me is not a fan of that word to describe us ladies who simply want to be able to show a little skin on a fun night of dress up.
You feel that tingle down your spine? It could just be the chill in the air. Either way, horror fans are gearing up for Halloween, and preparations for New York's scariest haunted houses are underway. Wait times (and annoying high schoolers) only increase throughout October, so start planning early. If you're not sure where to get your gore on, don't lose your head. We've compiled the top terrors of 2011.
Forget New York. This one-of-a-kind experience is routinely listed as the scariest Halloween event in the country. There's a good reason, too: the creative team (led by Off-Broadway director Tim Haskell) conducts annual surveys, asking New Yorkers to reveal their deepest fears, and creates rooms based on their nightmares. Incorporating a theatrical sensibility, along with their desire to truly terrify -- Haskell says he's not above making you jump, but he'd rather haunt you -- the Nightmare staff creates a stage show (dubbed "The Experiment") to prime you for the haunted walk itself. Past themes have included vampires, superstitions, and ghost stories. This year, it's creepy fairy tales. Something tells us your trail of bread crumbs won't lead you back to safety.
It’s never too early to start planning for Halloween. Candy wrappers with ghosts and pumpkins are popping up in every convenience store. Friends are probably already looking for new and creative ways to scare you. Halloween, is, after all, a lot like Christmas. The gifts, however, are scares, and the joyful laughter comes from seeing your loved ones a little terrified. Zombies are a big trend and always have been, but there’s something much scarier than zombies: zombie babies.
This basement haunt of the already spooky Chelsea Hotel, is bound to get that adrenaline pumping. With unexplained power outages, switched wires in the ceiling, and lights going on an off- you know this is true blue NYC haunt. For more information you have to check it out.
Located on Hudson and West 11th street, this unsuspecting ghost haven will have you shivering in eerie delight. The pub was built in 1880 but is most famous for being the last party spot of famed NYC poet Dylan Thomas who slipped into a coma soon after excessive alcohol consumption. If Dead Poets Society is your thing then head over to this Thomas-spotted tavern.
