Everybody Loves Vampires

Everybody seems to love vampires, and it’s not even anywhere near Halloween! The latest installation of the Twilight Saga: Eclipse is winning at the box office, both in the U.S. and overseas. Though it doesn’t seem to have started off quite as strongly as the previous film in the series, New Moon, it has surpassed the film version of the anime series The Last Airbender.

The Twilight graphic novel is enjoying a 15th week on the top of the New York Times best seller list
for Hardcover graphic books. And in the world of Manga, vampires and the supernatural also rule. The top 7 include plenty of inspiration for darkly delicious cosplay:

1. Naruto – has demons
2. Vampire Knight – yep, vampires
3. Soul Eater – has Death incarnate and witches
4. Bleach – also has Death incarnate and evil spirits
5. Fairy Tail – Wizards (we’ve got Lucy Heartfilia, Gray Fullbuster, Erza Scarlet, Mirajane and Natsu Dragneel)
6. Hellsing – Vampire Hunters
7. Black Butler – demons (we’ve got four selections)

The vampire love is seen in other places too. Like on HBO, where the True Blood series is in its third season; on TV like in the new ABC series The Gates; and in movies like The Vampire’s Assistant. In recent years we’ve enjoyed Van Helsing, Underworld, Queen of the Damned, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel… the list goes on and on.

Whether it’s the promise of immortality, the strength, the sexiness, or the dark power, vampires seem to be more popular today than they’ve been for a while, so enjoy any opportunity to dress up and play the part outside of Halloween!

Egyptian Belly Dancers

One of the most interesting types of costumes are Egyptian Belly Dancing garments. These pieces of clothing are elaborately decorated and usually have extensive cut outs that are place in specific areas of the body. The “bra” piece of the costume can come in a variety of shapes, fabrics and designs and most often matches the belt piece to an extent. This creates a flowing reciprocation between the top and bottom aspects of the costume. The skirt section, however, can have many more variations than the “bra” section. The skirt can be fitted, straight, multi-layers, or in the form of pants.

In many instances, however, a flesh colored, sheer fabric is used to cover the midsection of the dancer’s body. However, due to the increasingly conservative views of the Egyptian people, belly dancers began to wear full body length costumes rather than a two piece design. Although the full length costumes would usually decrease the amount of sexuality associated with the dancers, many costume designers employ strategic cut outs throughout the costumes in order to add some individuality and excitement.

The popularity of this form of dance and exquisiteness of the dress has led to a number of different cultures attempting to emulate the design of these costumes including Americans. In order to add to the design of the costume, many dancers also utilize additional props such as finger cymbals, snakes, and veils. As part of the costume, these props create an exotic feel and bring a new and exciting element to the dance.

Overall, the look of the Egyptian Belly Dancing costumes creates an exotic and sensual feel for the viewers and adds a an additional degree to the entertainment.

Costumer Notable in Upcoming Film "Larry Crowne"

Tom Hanks' upcoming film "Larry Crowne" is set to be released in 2011. The film will be directed by Hanks who also co-wrote the screenplay with fellow star Nia Vardalos. The film's costume direction will be under Albert Wolsky who has worked on several notable films such as "Across the Universe," "Road to Perdition," "Striptease," and "Grease." Wolsky has recieved several nominations for his work over the years and has won two Oscars. In "Larry Crowne," Wolsky will be costuming not only Hanks, but also Taraji P. Henson, Julia Roberts, and Hanks' co-writer Nia Vardalos.



With a screenplay by Tom Hanks and Nia Vardalos, direction by Tom Hanks, and costume design by Albert Wolsky, "Larry Crowne" is sure to be a sensational film.

Spiderman On Broadway

SPIDER-MAN, Turn Off the Dark, was announced to open on Thursday, February 18, 2010 at Broadway's Hilton Theatre, 213 West 42nd Street (preview performances will begin Saturday, January 16, 2010).

Directed by Tony Award-winner Julie Taymor with 22-time Grammy® Award-winning Bono and The Edge creating new music and lyrics, SPIDER-MAN will be written by Julie Taymor and Glen Berger.

EIKO ISHIOKA is doing Costume Design for the show. She is a multidisciplinary designer whose internationally acclaimed work has made her one of the premiere visual artists in contemporary world culture. Her awards include an Academy Award® for costume design for Francis Ford Coppola's "Dracula", the Award for Artistic Contribution at the Cannes Film Festival for the film Mishima, Outer Critic Circle nominations and Tony® nominations for the sets and costumes of the Broadway play M. Butterfly, and a Grammy Award® for the artwork of Miles Davis' album Tutu. She directed a music video for the Björk and designed costumes for Cirque du Soleil's Varekai (Drama Desk nomination). Most recently, Ishioka was the director of costume design for the Opening Ceremonies of the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, China.

Costume Design in "Lost"