( 6 reviews )
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( 4 of 5 found this review helpful ) Posted: Jan 18 2006
Although I agree with some other reviewers that I wouldn't want to wear all of the costumes pictured in this book, I found it very inspiring, partly because of the stylish photography/graphic design and humorous text, and partly because it shows how everyday items can be easily transformed. The book is a sampler of Halloween ideas--a bit on costumes, a bit on decor, and a bit on culture. (It's true that the cultural section could have been improved in terms of accuracy.) I thought the decor section of the book was loaded with good ideas--I have tons of Victorian clip art, yet I never thought to blow up the images to make a mantelpiece graveyard or a party invitation, and I had never seen turnip jack-o-lanterns. Maybe other reviewers have more knowledge of these things--if you can recommend other decor books, let us know! It sounds like some people are looking for the definitive Halloween book, and I'm not sure it exists. (Publishers? Are you listening?) Also, I thought it was odd that people complained that the costume ideas shown here weren't perfect. I have yet to find any idea in a costume book that I have followed exactly, and I think the authors' intention was to create items the average person could easily make, not to show something high-end. (One reviewer's advice to look at a costume book before you buy it applies, though.) As far as getting a springboard for your own ideas, this book is useful. It includes some valuable instructions for making objects such as horns and masks, which you can incorporate into other designs. I'm currently making a pair of horns for a stage production using the instructions given here, and so far they're turning out really well, so I will forever be grateful to this book's authors.
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( 1 of 2 found this review helpful ) Posted: Nov 3 2005
After reading some of the less-than-great reviews, I was a bit leery about reading this book, but I'm that I glad I did. The costumes and accessories were quite clever, and on the whole, everything seemed to have an almost elegant tone. If you like the Martha Stewart style of decorating, you'll probably like this. I really liked the garden tool and vine scarecrow - spare and eerie.
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( 6 of 7 found this review helpful ) Posted: Aug 16 2005
Every knows Halloween has become big business over the past 20 years or so and second only to Christmas in terms of dollars spent decorating. Much like Christmas Halloween has become an entire season with stores dedicated to selling Halloween items popping up every year around the beginning of September and people decorating their homes at the beginning of October. If anything, Halloween may be even more elaborate and more expensive with complex animated items and realistic tombstones and other such displays. And the costumes...one can spend upwards of a hundred dollars or more on a good costume. That's where this wonderful book by Joanne O'Sullivan comes in handy. The book concentrates mainly on costumes and accessories, showing you step-by-step how you can make some fantastic costumes at home, often with materials you may already have or that can be purchased inexpensively at fabric or hardware stores. Each costume comes with a full color photograph and each has a well done materials list and directions which clearly illustrate how to make the costume. Now if you're slant is to the ghoulish and gory, this won't be the book for you. The costumes here slant towards the traditional such as a gladiator, Knight, and Witch, to the rather sublime such as dressing as a Jackson Pollock abstract painting. The designs all show marvelous creativity and shows what you can do with a little imagination. How about making an English Judge's wig out of rolls of bathroom tissue, or a Geisha Girl costume made with old bed sheets. The costumes are all aimed at adults and the materials list reflects making these for an adult wearer, as opposed to children. There's a nice section on creating medieval weaponry on stuff cheaply found at a hardware or home improvement store. One of my favorite items in the book was a Medusa's wig that looks just spectacular. Get yourself some cheap rubber snakes from the local dollar store, a swim cap, and a few other ingredients and you've got a very unique and terrifying accessory to a costume or outdoor display. There are also a variety of other wigs, capes, hands, and feet that can be made. The decorating section is a bit sparse but contains some nice information on pumpkin carving, decorating alternatives, and making such items as voodoo and hex dolls. Finally, there is some great tips on throwing themed Halloween parties such as a New Orleans Voodoo Cocktail party or a Day of the Dead dinner party, both with invitations, décor, libations and food, all matching the theme. While it may be a tame for some peoples tastes, "Halloween: A Grown-Up's Guide to Creative Costumes, Devilish Decor & Fabulous Festivities" is still a great book with many interesting and imaginative ideas. The wonderful color photography is among the best I have ever seen in a book of this type.
