The Friday Night Costume Event

Last Edit September 28, 1999

Friday night at the 1999 Romantic Times Romance Writer's Convention is the costume contest. In which a whole lot of us creative sprites, of various ages and creative bent, don a costume of our choice and parade around admiring others.
Beats Halloween.
This is a major highlight and what the rehearsals were for all week long. I dress up, because Janice made me do it.
It's the fabric and the pattern I bought on Long Island after Fabio stood me up at the View taping last February.
I consider this an $800.00 dress. (I added the cost of the airplane you see.)
But the event is fun and colorful - and follows a dinner where we all try valiantly not to spill anything on our costumes. And have to sit in odd positions so as not to wrinkle them.
There are a select group of us who are competing in the actual competition - and these models are paired up with the book authors on which the costumes are based.
This reminds me of the Start Trek conventions - I was always one of the people handed a prize-winning sketch and then went off and made it. Because I can sew. Because I am creative. Because I only weighed in as 122lbs then and could carry it off.
Those fashion shows I can still vividly recall - and it has been nearly 25 years!
If you've ever seen one of those shows, this is a similar event. Just no alien life forms. Well,.....
The authors in this event may be dressed straight (i.e., like normal people) - or they may be decked out as well.
The authors are escorted on and off the stage by selected cover model hopefuls. Who ham it up perfectly, when they can remember which side of the stage the author is entering from. There is, fortunately, a prompter. Whom we all can hear!
Each costume was from a book - and the author was seated on stage as a character description was read. The costumes are presented in little sketches. The sketches - some a little wilder than the others - represent a scene in the book.
With Mr. Romance 1998 (Ryan Storm) running around to assist.
The set is an elaborate castle. Hand-made and unbelievable. We even have "smoke". And a paper dragon.
The prizes are masks - made by a lady with Mardi-Gras experience.
I have ordered one. I am not completing - but I bought a raffle ticket for one earlier - a black and red one. I didn't win it - but I want one anyway. I think I want mine to be black and purple. My true colors.
I await her call.
One of the prizes for author costume goes to a woman parading around in a drape - complete with a 6' decorator rod and tassels. Something that was "Just hanging around".
The competing costumes include a regency dress modeled by Janice - from a novel by Mary Balogh - one of my favorite Regency authors. She breaks rules in her stories. (From "The Last Waltz".)
Another was a western dress - and the model was Beth - from the Regency workshop. She has a gun - and stalks the hero (played by Ryan). (Sandra Chastain's "Shotgun Groom".)
She does this entirely too well!
And the heroine who came out 9 months pregnant! And mysteriously came back for an encore carrying a --- wait for it ----monkey.
The audience is about as colorful as the cast for this event.
I am my Regency pink puffball dress - I swear it is Cinderella's ball gown!
There is everything on display - from Harem to Victorian, Medieval, western, highlands, and nuns.
Remember that this is a group of highly creative writers and their readers - mostly female - a few men thrown in for good measure (who have to having the time of their lives). The men are in costume too.
My son is parked at the end of the runway - and catches every one of them on film.
The finale features a peacock throne - carried by two hunks (cover model contestants) and escorted by two more.
A testosterone feast!
Because, guess who leads the chair - carrying it lightly.
Troy of course!
The buffed-up boys are in black pants and vests, and take this very seriously. Perfectly done.
The throne is magnificent too.
The more so because the occupant is a woman who was in an accident and who cannot walk. She is gloriously dressed. The effect is a perfect ending. (Karin David as Nan Ryan's "Sun God".)
Troy remains (with the other bearers) off to the side.
While voting is being done, the entire costumed audience - every one of us in a costume - is herded to the stage by Kathryn Falk.
I am, of course, Cinderella, regency style. The lights are blinding. I make it across the stage and pause. I was "looking for my prince". And trying not to fall down.
Actually, I was trying to spot Troy!
My son caught that pose.
Perfect picture!
Good going, kiddo!
The costumes are all fun to see, and we all have that extrovert's ego - the one that makes the performances come out just fine.
The peacock throne is escorted back to the stage in the finale.
Then comes the next part. It has to be, next to the Mr. Romance contest, my favorite event.
Playing dress-up is OK.
Forming into hunting packs and molesting the cover models (with cameras) is even better.
My group sets out to hunt down Troy. Of course!
We are consistent. We've annoyed him all week!
There is something about playing dress-up. You don't have to be your normal self.
You can be as bad as you want to be!