In which it's fun being green

[zeborah]

A friend of mine is one of triplets and another friend of his has a birthday on the same day so he and his wife threw an "Attack of the Clones" birthday party, sci-fi costume compulsory. (This was also inspired by him ordering a stormtrooper costume from the UK and wanting to show it off.) So I decided to go as a Vinvocci.





Also at the party (besides sf-themed food, sf theme tunes playing in one room, and a Star Trek movie playing in a control panel decorated with LED lights by a spot marked as the transporter - it took them a few weekends to decorate, apparently) were:

• a model of a dalek and the front of the Tardis opening towards the bathroom (both made by another friend -- they're excellent models, it's his hobby), a tinfoil-on-cardboard cyberman, and the Fifth Doctor complete with celery;
• the abovementioned stormtrooper, Princess Leia, a few Jedis, (at some point the Stormtrooper, struggling with his awkward costume, had recourse to say, "Help me, Obi-Won Kenobi, you're my only hope!") a Death Star t-shirt, and a two-year-old Ewok;
• three Star Trek redshirts (one of whom had helpfully pinned a target to her back; another had the perfectest thigh-high boots though the heels were apparently quite painful), a Vulcan, and someone in a blue shirt;
• and miscellaneous fandoms: Starbuck, Cordelia Naismith (who was very excited that I knew who she was), the Men in Black (with business cards and memory-wiping devices), a combat person from Stargate, my friend's mother wearing robes and a sign saying "Attack of the Crones", and - gah, I've forgotten her name and I wanted to look her up: apparently an evil female character, wearing the awesomest long black robe/coat thing ever, neck to toe and so sleek. Anyone know?

The other fun part was beforehand - getting there on the bus. I decided I'd just wear the whole costume all the way (I needed my sister's help to get the helmet on with all my hair inside, and since I was wearing that I felt more comfortable being completely anonymous) so I left the house and went out to the main road. *Everyone* stared, which made me a) giggle and b) hope I wouldn't cause any car accidents. Some guys yelled out a car window, "Have a great evening!" which was nice; some other guys catcalled, which was meh - I get catcalls wearing my normal clothes, thanks, try something more original maybe?

The bus driver asked if it was a fancy dress party, which I affirmed. More stares and smiles from passengers trying not to laugh. In the bus exchange in town I was waiting for my connection and a young woman came and sat down by me:

Woman: Why are you wearing that?
Green alien: ...It's for a fancy dress party.
Woman: Oh. Did you make it yourself?
Green alien: <explains the virtues of papier mache and paint>
Woman: Cool. ...You know, it's kinda scary.
Green alien: It's okay, I'm a friendly alien.

Then the bus came and I got in line, and the driver didn't see me until I was right up paying, at which point -- this was my favourite reaction of all -- he bit his lip to keep from laughing, and tried really really hard to be completely casual, like green aliens take a ride on his bus every day.

Comments

[aquaeri]

gah, I've forgotten her name and I wanted to look her up: apparently an evil female character, wearing the awesomest long black robe/coat thing ever, neck to toe and so sleek. Anyone know?

That's not much to go by! Servalan was always very elegantly dressed IMHO.

[zeborah]

That's who I'd have guessed from the elegance of it but the name someone mentioned was different. (It looks too like Servalan favoured white). I got the impression at the party that the character was instantly recognisable from the costume, and I have a vague memory the name might have been an existing Western female name. A few syllables.

--Goodness me, how fascinating what turns up in a Google Images search with Safesearch turned off. Not this costume, alas.

[(Anonymous)]

I don't generally stalk people's journals, honest, and I don't know how I found you but I somehow found my way here and was rather chuffed because I was at that party (I had a target helpfully pinned to my red shirt and my husband is the extra friend who has a birthday the same day and was the fifth Doctor, complete with celery).

Anyhoo, I thought I'd clear up the costume confusion. She wasn't in fact evil at all -- she was Trinity from the Matrix, but was only occasionally wearing her sunglasses because of the already extreme darkness of the lighting system. Hope that helps :) I need to get my hands on some of those pictures and put a post on my LJ actually.

[zeborah]

Oh hi! I've, um, never seen the Matrix so know it only from parodies and of course the famous slo-mo bullet-dodgy scene, so would never have figured it out by myself - thank you!

[(Anonymous)]

Yeah that would do it. To tell the truth I had to ask her myself and I have seen all the movies so your not knowing is understandable. Then again, I thought the Men in Black were also from the Matrix at first so my costume-guessing abilities aren't all that hot :D

> rumpelsnorcack on LJ.