"Big Mistake. Big. Huge"

---

Halloween may be my favorite holiday of the year. 

Sure, I love to dress up, but it is so much more than that. 

It is a respite from the daily grind and monotony of earth tones and beiges. It gives the wider population an opportunity to embrace self expression unapologetically. I love to see people step outside of their comfort zone and welcome that child-like wonder of play in daily life. It exudes a spirit of joy, freedom, and playfulness…..and our world needs a lot more of that. The philosophers call this a catharsis and frankly, I think more respites such as these would benefit everyone. 

This playfulness is not to be confused with “childness”, but instead it is an act of rebellion against cynicism and bitterness. I see this cantankerousness all too often in daily life and it often seems like people are competing to see who can have the “more-shit” day. Seriously, people will start a conversation with, “Wow, isn’t this weather terrible?”, or “Did you see that horrible headline on the news?”, or “How about inflation?”. Um, no thanks. That is why I think the holiday of Halloween is so important, it prompts a return to your inner child and prompts one to lay down their armor from the daily grind. 

I love seeing everyone’s rendition of Halloween. You get to see people’s personalities, infatuations, role models, and their creative confidence.

I exercised my own creative confidence this weekend by putting together a streetwalking ode to my first girl crush, Julia Roberts. 

As a young child, I spent many hours rewinding the VCR to rewatch my favorite movie, "My Best Friend's Wedding". In that movie, everything about her captivated me. Her wide and frequent smile and her big wild hair. I worshiped at the altar of Julianne Potter (Julia Roberts's role in the movie) and concurrently fell in love with the leading man, Dermot Mulroney. 

“My Best Friend’s Wedding” is my favorite of hers, but her most famous movie is her role in "Pretty Woman" as Ms. Vivian Ward. It is an unlikely fairytale story where the girl from the street captures the heart of the man in the upper penthouse. It has a cult following, rightfully so, and I am a member. 

So, for this Halloween I decided to honor that first "girl crush" by dressing up as her most famous role. I had all of the pieces already in my vast wardrobe sans the iconic white and blue "streetwalker" dress and the platinum blonde bob. When I put it all together, I felt like Julia and it was easy to replicate her big wide smile. 

As I danced my way through "Halloweekend" my costume was appreciated by all the right people. "Pretty Woman" is over 30 years old and has somewhat faded in the pop culture consciousness; therefore, when I would hear...."Hey, Pretty Woman!"....It created a fun exchange between both parties. In my opinion, that is what makes a great costume...capturing the likeness of character to such precision that you are recognizable to those who "know" while also remaining unique and inimitable in the crowd….because the world can only handle so many Spidermans and cheerleaders. 

While out, the joy felt palpable. People dressed as silly or sexy characters created an energy of expression without restraint. People were not concerned with looking “buttoned-up” or “acting their age”, but instead they were living in the moment as whatever character they were that night. No one was talking about the stock market, war, inflation, or whatever doom and gloom that is circulated on the news, but instead people were present to one another and enjoying the freedom of that moment on the dancefloor. It was beautiful and we need more of that Halloweekened energy.

So, if you’re reading this before the end of Halloween…I hope you dress up. Embrace that inner child. Play. Get creative. And find a way to express yourself freely….because if you don’t, it’d be a big mistake. Dare I say, “Huge!” (get it?)

P.S. I am entering the costume contest at the concert I am going to on Halloween evening (yes, it is a school night). Wish me luck!
​
P.S. Julia Roberts's love interests in her movies profoundly influenced my taste in men...and I'm more than okay with that.