Let's talk about Halloween

I love Halloween. Is it my favorite holiday? No, probably not, but is it the one I have the most fun at? and the one I have the most fun getting ready for? Yes, definitely. On Halloween you can be whoever or whatever you want. I think people really don't grasp this concept well, YOU CAN BE WHOEVER OR WHATEVER YOU WANT!!! You get to shed your skin for a day and get out of your head and into someone else's or ... some... things. I start planning halloween costumes very far in advance... how far? 364 days before starts the planning process and over the summer I am usually on the look out. For me it isn't about just buying some store bought, cheap thing. If I am going to be a pirate? I am not going to buy a pirate costume, I am going to buy and search and create different pieces and put them all together to create something unique. This year I had one problem, all my halloween costumes were stuck in the mail until a week AFTER halloween so I had to reuse one from a few years ago that can be brought up in a pinch.  So here is my guide to a solid costume any guy with a beard can do.

Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde Process:

Step 1: Grow a beard.

Step 2: Assemble your shaving kit.

What I am working with here is a safety razor, you pay a little more upfront but it'll give you a great shave and the razors are cents each, it really does pay for itself. That's a badger brush and I use the stainless steel cup as a shaving cup since my first one was porcelain and slipped off a counter, this one is also great for camping. Nothing is that expensive, it's good quality, and lasts a long time. This is part of my ethos for what products need to be to be in my home. Nothing flashy.

Step 3: Wet your badger brush and shaving cup.

Step 4: Prep your badger brush and load your soap.

Shave cup coming in handy, I should have applied more shaving soap for this

Step 4: Shave half of your face, no, you didn't read that wrong, do it, shave HALF OF YOUR FACE. 

Step 5: Trip up, make sure everything's straight. Don't over estimate this step.

Step 6: Scowl, get into character.

Step 7: Use a burnt wine cork to darken half your face. Find some accessories and rip up the left half of your clothing and make the other side look pristine (optional pin one side into place and tuck in one side, now you are styling)

Step 8: Bask in your own duality and think about the nature of man. Enjoy a drink as if it were Dr. Jeckyl's potion and slowly slip into your Mr. Hyde side. Have a phenomenal night.

I got this idea from a guy who dressed up as a woman and a man, in High school, I don't remember who it was, but damn was it impressive. Things like that stick with you. Idea breed other ideas. So while I have never seen someone else do this I am sure it has been done but the idea is just a different iteration.

Halloween here was very different, and like many great nights, there are no photos. Needless to say I got to party it up with all the parents of my students in a club like atmosphere and it was... very... very... weird. It was a lot of fun though. There is no trick or treating here but the spirit is still alive.