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| - Best. Costume. Shop. Ever.
I get excited just walking into the place. First off, Mardi Gras is in a house that reminds me of a mini Back to the Future clock tower. Every time I pull into their parking lot I flash back to Michael J. Fox driving a Delorean.
The wig store is always my first stop. I plan everything around the wig. The women working behind the counter are always incredibly helpful, and there is one in particular that really makes the experience special. She used to be a Vegas show girl and gave me my first lesson in false eyelashes. I can only imagine the treasure trove of costumes she must have in her closet. It would be the dream of the nine-year-old version of me to have her to play dress up with. You will walk away with giddy excitement at the thought of gluing crap to your eyelids and cramming your hair into a hat made of pantyhose in order to shove it under whatever creation you decided to buy.
Next up, the rental room all the way to the back. I bypass all the costumes in the middle because I need the good stuff, baby. They also have a vault, should you want something nicer than the rentals on the main floor. It doesn't really matter if you want to go big or be frugal, I'm sure they have something for you.
Lastly, I peruse the accessories. This is where I get into trouble. They have so many cool things that sometimes I want to rethink my entire costume based on something like crackle stickers to make your skin look like it's peeling off.
Inevitably, when I show my finds to my friends they say, "Why don't you ever be anything sexy?" I semi-tried that one year, but being outrageous, gross, or scary is so much more fun.
In the end, I leave Mardi Gras with excitement and anticipation for the big day and unfortunately, a lot less money too. This year my best friend accompanied me and even commented on how much I spent. As we walked out he said, "You really do need help." So don't say I didn't warn you. There is going to be a lot of cool crap inside Mardi Gras to spend your money on, but just stay strong because you don't really need the fake dog poop. It isn't even a part of your costume.
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