Halloween ideas - Literary figures

[350kitty]

Hi folks,
A co-worker is having a Halloween party with a literary theme. But I only read sci-fi and fantasy! and can't think of a female character I want to dress up as. I'm including children's books, I would like to go as an animal. But it's been years since I read children's books to my younger cousins and sister's kids. I am having a hard time coming up with a (preferably) female character to dress up as. I love cats, any cat characters you can suggest??

Any other ideas??

Thanks!

[christyanthemum]

Cheshire cat from Alice in Wonderland?

[Imagery]

If you're in a rush, simply rent "Cats" (video) and pick one.

If you have time, since you're the literary sort, please refer to:

T.S. Elliot - Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats - This is the book on which the Broadway award winning play was based.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-L6rEm0rnY

A little something for inspiration.

If you can't find a cat that fits the bill from there, then I simply don't have any better ideas.

[350kitty]

Thanks for the ideas! I should mention it doesn't have to be a cat. It could be some other literary figure. Thanks! Please keep the ideas coming!!

[typewriter]

So...not exactly literary but a simple and funny costume is to wear a slip with a sign pinned to it reading "Freudian Slip"

Childrens' books...well there's the mouse from "If you give a mouse a cookie" or also one of the characters from "Where the wild things are"

I can't think of any cats though...

[Claire]

If you want to do a great cat face, I suggest buying some cheap eye shadows and using them up.
I have made some fantastic cat faces by copying the markings you find on tabbies and the eyeshadows have a wonderful shiny look that comes alive. You can start with eyeliner to do a cat shaped eye pointing a bit down towards the nose and and a bit up at the outside corners. Continue with the black liner to make the basic shape, triangle nose and whisker dots and other markings, right into the hairline, filling in with other medium tones. The best trick is to be sure to use a light eyeshadow tone where the whiskers would come out. This makes it look like the puffy little cheeks of a cat without stuffing the insides of your mouth with cotton... always a plus! :)
Don't forget the backs of your hands to look like kittie paws.
Also, in general if you ever need black for skin tone and shading purposes, a burned cork works really well. It gives you a beautiful, pure black skin that has a living sheen that is really sumptuous. It's good for the street urchin smudges, too.
The smell of burned cork takes me right back to my childhood with all of us kids getting into some character or another.
One last thought: try not to say, "Who are you supposed to be?", especially to a child. It's much more fun to be asked, "Who are you??"

So...not exactly literary but a simple and funny costume is to wear a slip with a sign pinned to it reading "Freudian Slip"

Childrens' books...well there's the mouse from "If you give a mouse a cookie" or also one of the characters from "Where the wild things are"

I can't think of any cats though...

[oliviathunderkitty]

There are many cats in literature. Two comes to mind quickl: There's the striped cat in My Father's Dragon, a children's book that has been in print continuously since the 1940s, I think. They usually have it at Copperfield's.

There is Poe's The Black Cat, which is pretty easy to conjure as a costume. You could be a pretty black cat or you could go a little farther along in the story and be a bit macabre.

I have found evocative rather than representational works well: a little black eyeshadow on the tip of your nose, black whiskers drawn right on your face and little cat ears made of velvet. Add gloves, a turtle neck or a cute velvet top and pants and gloves. You've got it, especially if you hold your hands as if they are paws.

There's also the adorable little rabbit in a children's book that I think is called "While You Were Out." It could be "While We Were Out." Look through it and you'll find fabulous ideas: a bunny in skies, a bunny in fancy kimono, that sort of thing.

Have fun.

Hi folks,
A co-worker is having a Halloween party with a literary theme. But I only read sci-fi and fantasy! and can't think of a female character I want to dress up as. I'm including children's books, I would like to go as an animal. But it's been years since I read children's books to my younger cousins and sister's kids. I am having a hard time coming up with a (preferably) female character to dress up as. I love cats, any cat characters you can suggest??

Any other ideas??

Thanks!