the best and the worst: week 05

first things first, thanks to all your support and constant readership, it's kept me writing and this post is our 100th post! *claps claps happy dance*

'the best and the worst' post is one of the toughest to write weekly because of the constant change in tally. what do i mean, if you (the reader) decide to tweet about a certain post or share it on your social media platform, it could very well change the rankings which means the best and the worst is never certain till the very last moment.

this got me thinking about the week that went by here on The Online Edition. many days when i put out material, i am highly uncertain if it is going to be a hit or miss, but i learnt that lesson last week. this week is really about the end result. writing this post is much like life itself. we cannot truly conclude till the final moment. i was just at dinner with a teammate, lots of thoughts were exchanged; some confidential, others not so but i really got down thinking on my way home. there will always be a 'best' and a 'worst'. the important lesson is to accept both and then continue growing from there...

well enough of my ramblings, the results are in. here is your best post of the week...

best: spooky clothes

(*shameless self-praise alert*) this was truly expected. in fact, i knew that it was either this post or one of the other two that revolved around the review of sentosa spooktacular (spooky faces or spooky mess) that will become top of the week. in planning the material, i put myself in the shoes of the reader. would i really just want to know 'oh, the event's scary!' or is there a fresh insight? guess i found it and hit the nail on the head. not only did the post make it to best of the week, it is now an all-time favourite too. i'm glad my difference in perspective has earned the validation of readers.

and the worst post of the week is...

worst: pretty bloody

you know how when you have an interesting post before, it is a tad tough to outdo yourself. this is the gist of the struggle i had. coming into this post, it was a difficult game to beat. from reviewing an event to the fashion of halloween and then the makeup, i felt fatigue in putting out so much material about halloween hence i decided to keep it a lot simpler. was it deliberate? partly, i guess. like earlier mentioned, there will always be a post that needs to take the bottom so unfortunately, it's just pretty bloody at the bottom.

usually, in the midst of the best and the worst, i will also make certain recommendations that i think you should read. well, since it's the 100th post, i would ask that you read the very first post on The Online Edition and join me in this moment of reflection.

fash'on... BAM!

@dd it: fashion fear

so for the entire week, we have talked about halloween. on monday, it was about a fashion spread inspired by halloween and what i wore to a halloween event. then over the next three days, it was where to go, what to wear and how to look. hope you managed to see the underlying connections between the three daily posts. as for today, i wanted to share the background to a couple of halloween stories with everyone but in all honesty, i got really freaked out after writing the section on the pontianak hence i dropped the rest of the material. my friends know that i am one that does not like to scare myself. the last post is really a 'full circle' post where we look at fashion accessories that can be used during halloween. something light for the last 'content' post of the week.

but the question looms and remains, what can we possible trend this halloween? well, i would first encourage you to look into your closet and find one piece of garment that you have not worn in at least a year. ask yourself why have you not worn it for the longest time. 

this is what i found in mine... 

so what exactly am i getting people to trend? it can't be as cliche as old clothes, right? well, it's worse... a lot of times, we stop wearing a piece of clothing because our bodies change or we do not look as good as we think we should.

for my pair of jeans, i outgrew it in the year that passed. much as i would like to squeeze myself back in, i can no longer do that. one of my biggest fears: weight gain...

same for the two tees, one just hangs loosely and the other is also skin tight but both give away the weight that i have gained. 

so why wear them if they do not make one look good? i'm asking us all to take a look at our biggest fashion fears. why do we avoid certain articles, colours or patterns? is the fear of not looking good that scary? perhaps it is. it's normal to feel insecure about the way we look but there needs to be a point of balance within ourselves. 

there are days that we will feel and look like our worst nightmares come true but that is fine. this is why i say we should add to our true closet. a dose of confidence and a touch of reality that we cannot look our best everyday. there will be days when we look into the mirror and staring back at us are our fashion fears... let's face them with a tinge of courage. 

fash'on... BAM!

last warning

i promise you, no more scary faces for this post. by now, i hope that you have selected your halloween outfits and decided on your makeup. however, if your decision is to go as you are, without costume or makeup, there are still things you can do to stay with the halloween theme. let's explore what they are.

carry the right bag...

i'm kidding...

these are the bags you can carry!

or accessories...

shoes, earrings, hair clips

purses, brooches, rings

or just wear a fun shoe...

footwear from aliexpress

since it will be a long time before we visit the topic of halloween again (i did say two years in this post), have fun at all the events and parties this year! i'm pretty much spooked out for a long time to come.

fash'om... BAM!

if clothes could speak

every piece of garment tells a story.

halloween, like many other festivals, that we celebrate turned into big business events over the years. while here on the online edition, i do care a lot about the commercial aspects of the fashion and makeup. i also would like to take a little time off to share with you the background story of some asian 'ghastly' friends and spirits. think of it as a mood board for halloween.

the 'jiang shi' (vampire)

image from Jimbo Jones

they are reanimated corpses that hop around, killing living creatures to absorb life essence from their victims. these vampires are said to be created when a person's soul fails to leave the deceased's body. jiang shi, as compared to vampires, are mindless creatures with no independent thought. one unusual feature is its greenish-white furry skin, perhaps derived from fungus or mould growing on corpses.

the pontianak

image from msn

in folklore, a pontianak usually announces its presence through baby cries. if the cry is soft, it means that the pontianak is close. if it is loud, then it must be far. some believe that if you hear a dog howling, that means that the pontianak is far away but if a dog is whining, that means the pontianak is nearby. its presence can sometimes be detected by a nice floral fragrance identifiable as that of the plumeria, followed by an awful stench afterward.

a pontianak kills its victims by digging into their stomachs with its sharp fingernails and devouring their organs. in some cases where the pontianak desires revenge against a male individual, it rips out the sex organs with its hands. it is said that if you have your eyes open when a pontianak is near, it will suck them out of your head. pontianak locate prey by sniffing out clothes left outside to dry. for this reason, some malays refuse to leave any article of clothing outside of their residences overnight.

the pontianank is associated with banana trees and its spirit is said to reside in them during the day.

casper the friendly ghost

graphic from cracked.com

i am too spooked to write further on other folklore. so i need something to lighten the mood. anyway, casper is like a dead child, forever haunting the earth, unable to rest. it's a tortured apparition who spends all of his time in a graveyard, hanging out behind his own gravestone. only difference, he's born to loving parents before he passed on. (i think that is the first time i used the word 'love' the entire week!)

so as you roam the streets this halloween and happen to come across the various costumes, take time to appreciate the fashion and more importantly, the stories behind them. after all, ghosts were people too!

fash'on... BAM!

pretty scary

the scary part about theatrical make-up is not the final effect that you are trying to achieve but the process of application. in this case, only practice can make it perfect. for the rest of us, it just becomes a hot mess. hence if you are planning to do something really dramatic, i would seriously advise you to spend a little money and hire a professional to help you in getting the look that you want.

image from bestmakeup.info

however, if you are adventurous enough to try applying your own make-up / face paint, i have a tip for you (this was shared to me by a fellow actor) especially if you sweat buckets. before application of your first layer, apply a thin layer of peel-off masque. of course, you need to stretch out your face when doing that. when it dries, you can apply the makeup over the masque.

picture from favim

this little tip was good in a number of ways:

1) easy removal: because you were essentially painting on the masque, when it's time to be removed, just peel off. the colour does not stain your real skin. the last thing you want is to still have a green glow during christmas (unless you are the grinch).

2) longer lasting: this is a personal thing. compared to application on bare skin, the face paint seems to stick on longer when applied on the layer of masque. i remember having to do only minor touch ups for a good half a day and when it comes to touching up, it was just re-apply the masque then makeup over...

3) smoother application: because you are 'painting' over the masque. it gives a smoother texture and an easier face to work on. 

4) better skin: i totally agree with my fellow actor on this one! instead of having harsh make-up on the face, you are having a daily routine of masque application (we were in a two month production!) instead of emerging with outbreaks, we had much better skin to boost of.

image from fanpop

on a final note, you can also try other types of facial masks to achieve the look that you want for halloween BUT do try it out. under conditions of stress, we usually mess up our own makeups. anyway, another video to help you along.

fash'on... BAM!

pretty bloody

blood is inseparable from halloween. you may want to keep your halloween face blood-free but keeping a vial of 'blood' is always handy when you are suddenly inspired to bring the fun up a notch.

image from themeparks

probably one of my shortest post but i'll share two videos with you (because it's really hard to explain in words). the first is how to make 'blood' at home and the next is how to do the 'bloody' look if you have the time for it.

the problem with fake blood that we use in theatre is the smell. so if you decide to go for a 'bloodly' look, just get someone else to sniff you before you head out. you don't want people to run off for the wrong reason.

fash'on... BAM!

pretty ghastly

yesterday on the online edition, we had an extensive spread on the fashion selections you can make for halloween (the capes, conventional and centrepiece). i sincerely hope that it helped those of you who are still tossing and turning in bed about what to wear? (do not listen to your friends who tell you to 'don't wear anything'!) anyway, since the clothes / outfits aspect has been covered yesterday, today will be about the make-up element.

yes, the joke about going as yourself... i've heard that a million times. it's not funny anymore. is it scary? yes! scary because someone can still recycle that joke and expect people to laugh at it. NOT FUNNY... move on (i must say that i'm a tad angsty while writing this post.)

so let's talk make-up and you should know by now that foundation application does not end at the jawline... if you don't know, read this! for the pretty ghastly look, it's all about looking pale which means you want to go for a foundation that is many shades lighter. should you go for white? if you have to buy it, then don't bother... you won't use white foundation often unless you are a performer but even performers don't use white foundation frequently.

image from halloween emakeup

now, the ghastly look also requires a powdery finish. so after the foundation, go generous on the fixing powder... you won't need blusher or any contouring for this look... if you must, do a smoky finish for the eyes. 

as for the lips, i would apply a thin layer of foundation and powder over. of course, you can do the red lip or glossy lip if you have a little more time to spare.

the pretty ghastly look is probably the fastest one to do. start to finish, ten minutes... max! goes well if you are turning up as a spirit or a vampire (think twilight!)

fash'on... BAM!

freaky fashion - the centrepiece

in marketing and advertising, we learn that sexual images and innuendoes always sell. you are sure to get a lot of attention (especially if you have the goods to match). so if you want a ton of attention, dress down... skin tight is not good enough, there must be skin. 

you can go tribal...

image from zimbo 

fellow blogger, nikki

animalistic...

Joe Manganiello 

costume from malltop

uniformed...

Mariah Carey

Boy Scouts

sporty...

swimmers

San Diego Chargers

ethereal...

image from blogger, Daniel

Kellan Lutz

never mind if your hair or makeup is out of place, most will not notice if you choose to turn up as the skimpy (oops, i meant sexy!) centrepiece.

fash'on... BAM!

freaky fashion - the conventional

when it comes to halloween fashion, there are the conventions too, the safe outfits (think the fashion world's little black dress). when you don these outfits, people automatically know you are heading to a halloween event and not some themed costume party (although the two have been blurred in recent years). what i did is to group these costumes for easy selection.

the conventional scary

vampires, zombies, devils, mummies, dolls that come alive (think chucky!)... these are the ones who appear at halloween parties every year. strangely, no one really gets sick of them. perhaps they only appear once a year (much like santa) hence people are more than glad to see them and pose with them for pictures. 

Kate Beckinsale as the devil

therefore, if you turn up in a conventional scary outfit, expect some pictures but not too much.

the conventional silly

what constitutes the conventional silly? costumes that get you asking, 'which level of hell did that come from?' when you look at the conventional silly, you know they are hoping that you would laugh with them but unfortunately, you end up laughing at them. either the costume is totally whacked or the person deserves to be whacked! 

image from humorsharing

like seriously, which person in their right frame of mind turns up at a halloween party as a USED sanitary napkin? how is anyone supposed to have decent conversations with something that has been down... there!

image from geekfill

talking about down there, the toilet bowl deals with a whole load of crap, we don't need any further public displays. thank you very much. if you went 'so cute' at the picture, you need to be flushed down the pipes too cos that was plain cruelty. would people take pics? you're sure that they would, only because they will need to hold you ransom someday.

if you were planning to go with something totally different, out of this world, a trend setter... remember these wise words: DON'T!

the conventional smash-hit

this has everything to do with what is the biggest movie in the box office or what is in the trends. just think back the last few years when there was potter-mania, twilight fever (the number of edwards, jacobs and bellas) and even x-men. for the conventional smash-hit, when you dress up, you are probably expecting a lot of photo moments and everyone will be raving over you but when you turn up at the party, you will have the sad realisation that your halloween mother actually gave birth to a dozen of you. you will be unique, just like everyone else.

image source (clockwise) pic1, pic2, pic3, pic 4

so what's the BIGGEST trend now? 

i got to give it to psy's oppa gangnam style, so club owners and party people... prepare to be swarmed by this look this season.

courtesy of tumblr

fash'on... BAM!

freaky fashion - the capes

so yesterday, i shared with you about my experiences at a halloween event. so after we talked about where to go, let's talk about what to wear. in fact, for the whole of today, i'm going to focus on what you can wear to a halloween event if you plan to go in costume. 

for those of you who are regular readers of the online edition, you know there are three posts a day so do come back later in the day (and night) to check out the other two types of outfits that you can don during halloween.

by far, the capes / robes are the easiest of any halloween outfits. before i flood this post with images, a little more on capes. a cape is any sleeveless outer garment, such as a poncho, but usually it is a long garment that covers only the back half of the wearer, fastening around the neck.

in addition, capes (robes) gives a sense of mystery, that there is something lurking underneath. of course, if you wear a black cape and you open it up, the association with bats (or batman) is almost immediate and we have all heard of stories of how bats drink blood or how bats are actually vampires, hence enhancing the whole 'halloween' effect. 

from a fully fashion point of view, it is probably the easiest of all costumes. you can put it on within seconds, if you have a body to die for, then your halloween costume (which requires minimal time to put) can be this...

Rob Evans

but since most of us would prefer to exercise a little 'humility', here's a look at possible halloween outfits.

Harry Potter and friends

Snooki

Jennifer Garner

Kim Kardashian

Batman and Robin

fash'on... BAM!

spooky mess

no event or production in this world would be perfect. the question is, even when there are flaws, can we accept them and move on? like i promised in my earlier post, i would take this one to talk about things that got under my skin about sentosa spooktacular. after reading this, some of you might say that i am nit-picking and just overly fussy. perhaps i am but i guess, when attention paid to detail, the mileage earned is geometric. just think of the blankets and hot tea that chanel provided during their haute couture show.

so this post is going to be about the little tweaks that can be made to sentosa spooktacular to make the experience truly memorable...

1) getting out of touch with my roots

during any halloween events, there are bound to be the generous usage of wigs. so i would pay attention to the talent's real hair sticking out. this is something that can be easily resolved with hairpins.

see what was wrong? i didn't noticed the bandana during the event because it was dark but in photos, the bandana stood out like a sore thumb. my guess is that the talent was supposed to keep his hat on with the bandana holding up his hair but he took it off and got caught on camera by a fussy blogger.

2) do you see my true colours?

while the hair faux pas were acceptable, i cannot say the same for make-up. one of the biggest rules in the application of make-up is: when putting on foundation, do not end at the jawline. this is even more important when you are creating the illusion of a character. 

compare the two photos (picture on the right is from another halloween event)... one definitely had more attention paid to makeup. notice that you do not see any skin in the picture on the right. you can afford to use a thinner layer when it comes to the neck and body but it is still essential to avoid two distinct skin tones... lots of blending is needed to prevent patches of bare skin (the other way is to apply beyond the costume line.)

next, you will get your best pictures at the beginning of the night because by the later part of the night, most of the make-up on the faces of the talents have faded due to perspiration. i felt bad for the talents because i know how it feels like to have on theatrical make-up in an outdoor event. well, i do have a couple of tips for those of you putting on scary makeup this halloween but i'll share them later in the week.

so my tip for you: if you want to take pictures with the 'spirits' that have elaborate make-up, do it as early as you can... 

3) spot the brand under my costume

generally, the costumes were fantastic and gave a whole list of photo opportunities. but some attention can be paid to what the talents were wearing underneath. there was too much 'sticking out' of tee-shirts for me. it's like 'hey, i know where that is from because i have the same thing in four colours'. the worst part of this undershirt glitch is when one can actually name the brands (and probably the price!)

after all, halloween is the season of creating the ultimate illusion of spirits back to haunt us. i want to be chased by a ghost who wants my soul, not one who is fighting me for the last discounted piece. ghosts were people too but after these people pass on, i would appreciate if we shopped at different stores.

4) land of lost soles

i saved the best for last. after three pointers, i think i'll allow the pictures to do the talking in this one...

not that scary anymore eh?

yes, i'm picky, fussy and every mean word that you can find in the dictionary but here on the online edition, details are important. after all, there is a reason why haute couture is in a class of its own.

fash'on... BAM!