Yeahhh, Baby!" With Halloween right around the bend, many of you will want to know how to stand out among the masses of ghosts, ninjas and other recycled ideas from years past.
"Austin Powers will be big this year," predicts Bonnie Forrest, manager of Cleveland Costume and Display Inc. in Strongsville. "The whole '70s look — bell-bottoms, Afros, round glasses — they all will be hot. It's a time to have fun and be something you're not."
In the post-Sept. 11 world, gore and violent costumes are out. Freddy Krueger and Jason have been replaced by the likes of Spider-Man and Harry Potter. The release of the latest "Star Wars" movie opens up more potential new trends.
So how exactly do you take home the prize on Halloween?
"Winners of contests never win with a bag costume," Forrest states. "They always are either originals or rentals." The Austin Powers blue velvet suit shown here ($49 for a three-day rental) comes with wig and glasses. Also available is the gray suit of Powers' nemesis, Dr. Evil ($29 for three days; the mask can be purchased for $40).
The key, says Forrest, is to accessorize as much as possible. If you're playing Dr. Evil, for example, you might want to carry a plush cat and call it Mr. Bigglesworth.
Even the best costume, however, will fall flat without the right mannerisms, poses and speech. Your best bet with these costumes is to watch the movie, memorize a few lines and practice your moves. "Mimic any idiosyncrasies the character has," advises Forrest. "The fun thing about Halloween is that it gives people the opportunity to become somebody else. They get to kind of escape."
Want to be the best Austin you can be? Skip into the room with that goofy grin on your face and announce: "Groovy party, baby. Yeahhh!"
Playing Dr. Evil? Purse your lips, tilt your head down, position your pinkie finger at the corner of your mouth and slyly ask your host, "Is this an evil costume contest?"
