Being a Baby About It

Hello!

So after what it would seem as weeks worth of Halloween or fancy dress parties, this weekend saw Mr Warehouse and myself meeting up with some familiar faces from our old workplace to celebrate in true 90's style with an old work colleagues 40th birthday party. You would have thought that I had ran out of ideas to dress up as and I will be honest with you that by Saturday afternoon I still did not have a clue what I or Mr. Warehouse were going as. 

For months I had been planning some ideas in my head something simple that would be easy to pull off. Maybe  a Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake double denim combo? Or perhaps a Posh and Becks PVC leather catsuit look? Obviously Mr Warehouse and I had to be "Twinning" with whatever we wore. But what could be more 90's than pops power couples? Well it got me thinking. TV and film are always great starting points when looking for fancy dress ideas. So hitting up Google I decided to look into some of my favourite TV shows growing up. 

One of the classics that I looked into was The Rugrats! With Angelica speaking to me in a way that no other cartoon character had before with her bossy attitude and need for constant attention I thought that she would be perfect! But that would certainly take a lot of effort and not being blonde at the present moment would mean I would have to buy another word for probably the fourth week in a row. Maybe some of the other characters would be a better choice?! Then like out of nowhere it struck me! Why not go as Phil and Lil from The Rugrats. It was so simple! And that was it! With the idea firmly planted inside my head I headed to town in Vivienne to purchase the necessary costume components. Hitting up Primark first I found all the pieces I needed in the men's section with extra large pink t-shirts and even larger green vests. Hopping from the town centre over to another retail park where I visited Hobbycraft in order to pick up some yellow, pink and white felt. 

At home I made headway with only a short time before we had to leave the house again for some fireworks with Mr warehouses brother and his family. Grabbing my hot glue gun I got to work sticking down the yellow duck and tissues in the pockets of the outfits, adding in some pink bows for details on my outfit. Completing the look by fitting into some skin coloured leggings and curly hair I thought that we certainly looked the part even if Mr Warehouse had never seen a single episode of the nearly two-hundred that were made of The Rugrats that's found more than a decade. 

After an eventful evening out watching some local fireworks with Mr Warehouses family we headed over to the party venue. I was excited to see some of my old work colleagues and was even more excited about the potential of having a couple of drinks whilst having a boogie on the dance floor. Unfortunately though it would appear that after arriving Mr Warehouse became very tired and weary. I could empathize as to why as Mr Warehouse had been working most of the day. I was almost certain looking at him there in the light of the disco set that there were many other places he would have preferred to being rather than at a party dressed as a toddler and with dance music banging through his ears. I on the other hand was well up for a party and was thoroughly looking forward to a good drink. But looking around I noticed only one or two of my old work colleagues had made it. I missed them all terribly. 

As I got talking to my old supervisor I soon realized that my career move had been for the better. As much as I loved looking back on my time with my old company through Rose tinted glasses, it was certainly not all lightness and sweet. Whilst I had grown to adore my job as well as the people surrounding me in it, the sales peoples and engineers especially, as well as other office members, I think I knew deep down that it was not going to last much longer. In the months leading up to me leaving I had it been becoming increasingly dissatisfied with my working career and the fact that I felt like I was still being treated as the twenty-two-year-old girl that walked through the doors several years earlier was patronizing to say the least. The constant belittling and making me out to look as though I didn't know what I was doing, when in actual fact I knew exactly how to run the ship tighter and fairer than anyone was taking its toll. Enough was enough. 

I hated the fact that I left, but I have to remember that this was a decision on took not only for me but also for my future self and family. Sounds ridiculous I know but I took the decision to move jobs because of the luxuries we would have as a little family with just me, the Dog and the Bae. Since my decision last year almost to the day, Mr Warehouse and I have indulged in a holiday (or a few) both with and without the dog and have many more fun things planned for the future. I don't think that I would have ever been able to afford to have Vivienne on the wages I was getting back there. But money isn't everything and whilst I have the progression and option to go further with the company I work for now, something I would have never got if I stayed where I was, I have lost contact I feel with some amazing people. 

I wish that my old work life could have continued in the way that it had started with partying into the early hours most weekends, dating random fuck-boys and living life to the fullest, it was time to grow up. Whilst they were some of the most memorable and happiest moments of my life, every chapter must come to an end for a new one to begin. 

 'Til next time, Love A.Lou xx 

Off To See The Wizard ...

Hello Dears, 

Who ever knew at the last week would have been so hard. After coming back from Basingstoke and all the fun that we had there it was like returning home after not having a weekend. No Besties and no fun! Just work! But one thing I was looking forward to was this weekend Halloween celebrations. 

Now don't get me wrong I understand that a lot of people will probably not get the whole Halloween vibe, even going as far as to say that it is far too American for our British culture and that by adopting this as well as the Black Friday Saga that seems to come round every year we are slowly but surely losing out on the good old fashioned British values. But what people fail to realise is that this time of year made Britain what it is today. Some of my fondest childhood memories are in the autumn, when the leaves fall and I used to spend the weekends watching fireworks with my family and celebrating remembrance parade halfway through November. One fond memory that is missed off the list is from Halloween. 

As a child I always wanted to celebrate the spooky nature of All Hallows Eve and all that it brings. Getting dressed up in the scary costumes and playing trick or treat on all the neighbours doors was something in our household growing up as kids that was found upon and seen as a form of begging. I barely got the chance to stay out long enough on a school night to even attempt a trick or a treat. Oh how I longed to go to a high school Halloween party or even throw one of my own.

As I separated from my family I grew into my own and realised just how much I enjoy this holiday, even if it is an all American import. Halloween for me celebrate everything about being fun and creative, making costumes and carving pumpkins. I love being scared and making others scared, although I draw the line at some haunted houses as it is almost certain I would have a heart attack just walking into place. Unlike our American cousins we have decided to take a truly British spin on Halloween, keeping as traditional as possible with a scary twist making sure that All Hallows Eve remains of the day we celebrate the dead and send home all those that are Lost Souls. 

Over the years I have dressed as many different characters including that Little Red Riding Hood, Snow White, a scary Doctor/Nurse, A Fallen Angel and this year was no different for I had gone and bought myself a proper outfit for the occasion. Unfortunately I'm bringing it home Mr Warehouse took one look and said that he could easily have pulled off the look himself. And what girlfriend would I be to deny him of this choice. And so, this weekend Mr Warehouse donde blue gingham dress, wig and red socks over his shoes in order to pull off one of the most shoddily put together Wizard of Oz outfit I think I have ever seen. And Me?! Well of course I could not go as Toto so indeed I went as the cowardly lion, complete with his heart ripped out of his chest, ready to begin his quest to find it. Now I will be honest in the fact that it took a few people some goes to get the whole idea of what we came as, but once they understood laughter soon ensued. 

Now normally Mr Warehouse is not bothered at all by Halloween and I am usually planning our outfits at least a year in advance, but this year as we stood watching the fireworks in the local village Mr. Warehouse wondered outside what we would be dressed as this time next year. Since I have used up all the liquid latex and my makeup brushes will be going to get ruined, I figured that maybe we should go for a more simpler and easier look next year. I seriously considered going as Cruella DeVille and Horace who stole the puppies, however I know that I would be reaching for the liquid latex once again for the cheekbones and chin would not chisel themselves. I considered also the latest cinema releases this year including Beauty and the Beast, however yet again they would be much preparation for the dress and the suit are quite hard to come by. 

I am not quite sure yet what Mr Warehouse and I will be wearing this time next year on Halloween however what I do know is that it will probably be a little bit easier to come by. The thought of simply being a vampire or even that Frankenstein and his bride was far too tame for me before, although I feel now that this would be something quite apt for the occasion and in all fairness rather easy to do. Although a small part of me feels that after so many years of prosthetics, liquid latex and toilet paper all mashed up with some homemade fake blood that I would be taking a rather easy route out of the Halloween outfit hall of fame. Who knows what the next year holds, maybe we will go as Chucky and his bride or maybe we will go at something more challenging. But one thing is for sure that in the next 12 months I am sure to have a lot more fun! And to think Mr Warehouse have another one in a few weekends time! Roll on the 90's!

 'Til next time, Love A.Lou xx 

Trick or Treat!

Hello Dears!

So after returning home after Dreamboys last week to my very own Dreamboy, I decided to spend my weekend with him and his family celebrating the dead and dressing up for a frightful night of goblins and ghouls! Why its Halloween of course! 

Another big change was my hair colour this week and after quite frankly years (with the odd ginger phase thrown in for good measure) I had been blonde since probably the Mr. Workaholic days. And as scary as it initially was looking back at myself sitting in a top London salon (I had gone there as I had scouted out a girl looking for some training in colour correction to pass her hairdressing exams) I was nervous about what other people would think of my new luscious shiny brown locks. But my reaction has been mostly good, in fact better than I anticipated. Brown has been a big change back to something somewhat more normal, even if  it does remind me of the mother!? All day today at work I was being told how sexy, mature, grown up and attractive I looked now I was Brunette. Even caught the eye of some of the lads from the warehouse - Next to my very own Mr. Warehouse, who, after tugging at my head for several moments realised that this was for real and not just a wig. And so I am now Brunette and boring - I can safely say that four days into being a brownie; Blondes definitely had more fun. Or maybe it was that I can still have the same fun, just Blondes can get away with more!?

One reason, but not wholly, why I wanted to go to the dark side was simply that I didn't think my Halloween costume looked right with Blonde hair. Brunette Little Red Riding Hood certainly looks more a part than Blonde Little Red Riding Hood which made an appearance at a club Halloween disco one year. Mmm, yes definitely think I will be showing off the naughty Brunette do for a few months yet, might even keep it for summer too!?

But yes this week in the UK and I am almost certain the rest of the world it was Halloween! This year I went as Brunette Little Red Riding Hood, or as I liked to put it, Little Dead Riding Hood completed with scratched face as if from a mysterious werewolf. Now if I could get away with it, and not upstage completely my other-half's family, I would throw a hum-dinger of a partay. But unfortunately Mr. Warehouse's cousin already beat me and is now such a mainstream tradition in the family that even if I threw a small one it would look as if I was trying to out-Halloween-party-him. But don't you worry, give me a few years, maybe a family of my own and I will start to throw some crazy parties around here! No dinner parties allowed - Boring arses!

But it got me thinking about Halloween in general because in Britain, unlike in the States it is a very small, almost insignificant holiday. Well in fact its not even given that title here. In Ireland I know for sure they celebrate it as the Eve of The Day Of The Dead which is held on the 1st or 2nd of November to celebrate the dead and their lives - But in England, we don't. I think, or at the very least it is an old South American thing but I like it and the The Day Of The Dead is a celebration and the costumes and make-up, whilst scary are very much beautiful and artistic. I am seriously considering this as an option for next year already! Although I am not really sure if this is something Mr. Warehouse would feel comfortable in ... 

Halloween is also the time for little snotty nosed kids and spoilt brats of teenagers to walk around houses, pumpkin indulged or not and knock on the doors until sweets, money and any other piece of materialistic value appears to have been plonked in their buckets. I suppose its like a poor man's backwards Santa Claus.  Now I myself would have loved to go Trick or Treating. My parents had explained it to me that in the olden-times children would knock on the door, someone would answer and after screaming joyfully "Trick or Treat" the home owner would ask for a trick. The child, or children, would then perform a trick - Singing a song, doing a magic trick or telling a joke or a poem. I knew the values of this sacred day in children's calenders, but alas I never got a chance to. My father, but mainly my mother, found it as a form of begging and as a result whilst my friends called round to my door and everyone else's on the street, I was forced to shamefully open that said door and hand out the years supply of sweets and chocolate no-body had eaten since the last time they came a-calling. 

This in turn I think made me more determined to go all out when I was old enough to not listen to them, opting for going out out and staying late to parties I didn't know the host of. I still have yet to this day to throw a banging party or go trick or treating, but I know that when I have my own kids they will be able to have those opportunities I did not. Heck, I will probably even dress up with them! Probably in something cliche and cute like a Franken-family or a cool family get up like The Addams Family or a Twisted Batman inspired clobber! As for my pre-mommy stage of life though, the standard anything-goes Sexy Halloween Costume will have to do. Since turning seventeen I have been as a Bat, Witch, Goth, Fallen Angel, Little Red Riding Hood, Cat, Snow White, Wolf and a Dark Fairy. But what will I be next year?! That is the question?! Maybe a freaky take on a couples dress up like Disney's 101 Dalmatians, or Corpse Bride?! Maybe Something different like a Broken China Dolly, a better version of Kim K's Poison Ivy or Sexy Skeleton! Hmmm ... 

'Til next time, Love A.Lou xx