Running [a few] red lights on Memory Lane*
by chuckofish
It almost being Halloween, I thought I’d share a picture of the costume that epitomized the zenith of our mother’s costume-making endeavors.
In 1956 she made a Donald Duck costume for our older brother without a pattern and without all the add-ons that are readily available today. I think she even made the hat/mask. She poured all of her not negligible creative powers and seamstress-y talent into it. It was not easy to do and she was very proud of it.
I hope our brother was proud to wear it. Does he look proud? Somehow I think he would have preferred to have been armed and dangerous and Davey Crockett.
I hope our mother received lots of high-fives. Doubtful. This was mid-century California after all where I’m sure those newfangled rayon-taffeta store-bought costumes were all the rage.
A few years later she made a pretty awesome black cat costume for my brother and a clown costume for me.
But after that, she was done (except for a witch costume which we used for-ever after.)
Well, Sic transit gloria mundi…
On another note–happy birthday and a toast to Dan Castellaneta, who has voiced the character of Homer Simpson on The Simpsons for 28 seasons. Zut alors. Or should I say:
“Everyone knows rock n’ roll attained perfection in 1974; It’s a scientific fact.”
–Homer, aka the OM
*Dire Straights, Telegraph Road
dual personalities 
Those are some adorable pictures. I particularly love baby Katie in the carriage. What a cutie-pie!
You look *adorable* in the clown photos! And I wish that witch costume still fit me!!
Love the pics–and, of course, the Simpsons note.
Yes, you were super-cuties. The OM consoled by the belief that in the end Homer always does the right thing.
[…] So a holiday like Halloween was about candy and the hoarding of it thereafter. Our mother made some pretty great costumes early on, but later, when we got older, costumes were secondary and frequently were thrown together […]