I love Halloween. More specifically, I love the whole costume thing. As an introvert, becoming someone else — or something else for a few hours is exciting. It’s like low-key acting, playing a role in a sense. For some reason, I have no problem being an extrovert while in character.
I also tend to put a lot of effort into my costumes. I take it seriously. I’m not the kind of person who picks up a pre-made costume from the store.
Several years back I dressed as No-Face, a character from the Studio Ghibli film — and one of my favourite movies of all time — Spirited Away.
The movie and the character are unknown to a lot of people. It’s an obscure reference that most people during halloween that year missed. But those who knew absolutely loved it. And that’s what I aim for.
The following summer, I wore the No-Face costume at a music festival. Reactions were phenomenal overall. Even those who didn’t know the reference loved the outfit.
This afternoon, while having some drinks with friends, I was talking about this. One of my friends, who I hadn’t yet met at the time, was at that festival and remembers seeing that costume. He was blown away, stunned that it was me under the mask.
“That was YOU??” he said.
It’s such a silly thing to get excited about. But as I said, I take costumes seriously.
So the fact that this one costume caused a lasting memory in someone who was, at the time, a complete stranger, means a lot.
I haven’t done a costume for the last couple of years. Work has interfered in my ability to attend events.
But I feel refuelled, fired up for the effort. And I now have twelve months to make something memorable once again.