Don't Dali with the Devil, a vintage Halloween.

Well last night saw Torquil and I traipse off to  Fleur de Guerre's shindig at the Fox. Torquil went as a surreal momento mori with a clock on his hat and various other symbols of fleeting existence upon his person. I went as a Catrina, a Mexican Day of the Dead (which is tomorrow!) lady with a Sugar Skull painted face.  I realised once I started painting that I didn't have proper brushes so the result was sloppier than I hoped but it was ok. It actually took less time than my usual warpaint, which in my case is actually camouflage. The colours were greasepaint from Charles Fox in Covent Garden and felt surprisingly light, although I had problems remembering not to touch my face for the whole evening and air kissing was essential.

My dress was Vivien of Holloways Day of the Dead circle halterneck which I have been wearing to .. ahem.. death. The Lace necklace was believe it or not from a stand near the salad aisle at Sainsbury's and the flowers etc are things I had hanging around the place. It was a lazy choice really but I jump at any chance to wear my big frou frou petticoat.

Fleur came as Frida Kahlo, which was my first choice (great minds think alike) however I think that Fleur gives great monobrow, even facial hair suits the lady!

Here is Torquil, note the small fly adorning his characteristic monocle and the blood spattered camelia: every gent should have one.  Katie Chutzpah has already blogged on the difficulties of Halloween dress and avoided the pitfalls with an expertly applied make-up mask, Galliano dress and a beautiful eye ring from Butler and Wilson.

The delectable Ree Ree Rockette was manning the door showing off her new pink hair and her steely ability to say 'non' to scruffbags. Entertainment was provided by a live band, the sultrily michievous Emerald Fontaine performed, the Vintage Poetess recited and Fruity did whatever it is he does on the decks.  He still didn't play Britney but at least put on my favourite Elvis track: Devil in Disguise on. Other vintage blogerettes in attendance included Retro Chick and Smuterella. Below I have put a selection of photos of various revellers, if one of them is of you feel welcome to nab it!  Minn x

Enchanted Ed Wood some photographs by Red Legs...

Halloween at the Fox...

A few choice pictures for Halloween, not naming names .. they know who they are! The Fox in Shoreditch looked suitably Autumnal. Full of bits of twig and leafiness, I had visions of Fleur heading to her local park wearing a burglar's mask and wielding seccateurs.  I was informed that the exuberant English country side adorning the window ledges was actually sourced from the...English countryside. There were also naturally jack-o-lanterns and other such things and the Tim Burton Ed Wood Biopic was shwing on the noctovision.  The bar staff looked very elegant in rather severe black cocktail dresses and the treats for early birds were absinthe toffee apples and jellies which I suspect were alcoholic. Well Torquil Arbuthnot was eating one despite the beard vs jelly dilemma.  The cocktails were themed but Red Legs stuck to cranberry juice, vodka and bubbly.

The vintagey crowd meant that there were rather a lot of spiv/40's and 50's stuff, the lindy hop crowd not being known for their imaginative approach to clothing. Exceptions included Lost Soul and his splendid fez, a rather convincing dead pin-up, some voodoo loungers of the old school and a gentleman of the steampunk persuasion who was doing beastly things to a stuffed rabbit. The rabbit got its own back in the loos when its tormentor had to negotiate the rabbit and a long apron in order to relieve himself. Not that I was in the gents loos...for once.

Music wise there was some traditional stuff at the beginning, Addams family theme and such like which is essential. The band, the Sax Pastilles played two storming sets but really orientated to the jivers and lindy-hoppers, and the energetic amongst those. I must admit though I really hankered for some Siouxsie and Sisters, is this the first Halloween I have had without hearing 'This Corrosion'?

The performances were popular, or rather sounded popular, the popularity of the event meant that unless you were quick you couldn't get into see the acts due to the enthusiastic crowd but it is a new club and the organisers will be able to gauge things really well next time. Didn't worry me in the least apart from missing Rose Thorne's performance, proper cabaret burlesque with dramatic verve and wit.  Naked ladies and tassels are a bit passe IMO, but cabaret never loses it's appeal. We did catch Emerald Fontaine walking on the bar with a snake.  The serpent in question seemed quite cheerful, but one of my friends was not so impressed, convinced that it had it's snakey eyes on her! and to be honest maybe it did.

All in all a good evening, made by the efforts of the stirling organisers but most of all by the friendliness of the crowd.  Pleasant clubbable people is the thing most hard to find at night in London.  People don't have to be uber stylish, trendy, every word an aphorism as long as they are pleasant and interesting and yes, just a bit insane.  The next event has a 'hula' theme so expect grass skirts and hawaii shirts to take over Shoreditch! 

Halloween

Red legs displays her continuing weakness for lurid nylon wigs, on another halloween, on another continent.

The Chap in the middle is donning the kind of outfit I would personally like to see on Saturday!

It seems that year by year Londons options for Halloween have improved, for years only the Goth subculture provided partys with style and panache. Indeed they still do, the London Vampyre Groups Christmas party at the Penderel Oak in Holborn will be a paradigmatic Goth Halloween party. The guests will be dressed to the nines, easy if you do it on a daily basis and with some elements of steam punk which seems to have replaced cyber fetish as the Goth splinter group du jour. Anything that encourages the donning of brass goggles can't be a bad thing. The music will also be superb. Sadly I cannot make it but details of the 'Silent Night-Rest in Pieces Party can be found at:http://www.londonvampyregroup.co.uk/

Returning to Halloween, Red Legs will be attending 'The Enchanted Wood Party' co-hosted by the redoubtable Fleur de Guerre, tickets are I suspect, as rare as a Vampire at a Beach party but details can be found here:http://www.thefoxpresents.com/ This is rather more appropriate for the vintage crew although yours truely will be going for the trashy approach, £8.99 nylon wig from Sainsburys, classy. We also have guest list places for Bungalow 8's do although I suspect the effort of getting from Shoreditch to St Martin's Lane will defeat us.

For those who have not lost the will to live after a night of apple-bobbing and chocolate bats, on Sunday the Glitter room will be happening at the Black Sheep pub in Croydon, details here:http://vonbourbon.com/blog/?p=3836. The champion of Chap Hop, Mr B the Gentleman Rymer will be playing so well worth a trip into deepest South London.

I am well aware that the likelihood is that no one will be reading this, but then again there is something about typing into nowhere, words dissapearing like ectoplasm....