We are sure you can think of many others, so why not drop us a line?
Whatever happened to the Bermuda Triangle? It used to be such a major talking point. Barry Manilow sung about it! Did it disappear into itself or did the supposed phenomenon just die out as more interesting theories (such as alien abduction) took hold? We are prompted to ask, because it was around this date in 1918 that the USS Cyclops just vanished without trace in the relevant region, causing the greatest loss of a ship and its crew in a non-combat related event. This is only one of the many mysteries that has never been fully explained and as, the X Files people used to say, ‘The Truth is Out There.’
Also ‘out there’ and helping the man in the street (with a suitable telescope) delving the other mysteries of the Universe is Sir Patrick Moore whose birthday is today (he was born in 1923). Coincidentally, yesterday (March 3rd) was the birthday of another person famed for shedding light on the wonders of the solar system, that of particle physicist Brian Cox who was born in 1968. Spooky or what?
Meanwhile here at Props n Frocks we are not entirely unfamiliar with the concept of Black Holes and mysterious disappearances, but noting the universal truth that something is always in the last place you look for it, we’re going to try and save some time and look in that place first.
Having mentioned the Hammer House of Horror earlier in the week, today is the birthday of the American writer Edgar Allen Poe, whose works provided the basis of several Hammer films. Born in 1809 and dying in mysterious circumstances in October 1849, even after death the mysteries continue: For the sixty years leading to his bicentennial in 2009, on the anniversary of his death, a mysterious stranger, clad all in black but with a white scarf, would deliver three roses and a part-filled bottle of brandy to his grave in Baltimore. Observing this stranger, who became known as the Poe Toaster, became something of a cult, although out of respect for the tradition, no attempt was ever made to trap or identify the mysterious mourner, which led to several people claiming to be the individual in question.
So today’s theme is down to Mystery and Imagination, perhaps with a toast to Poe and a glass of Amontillado sherry!
Once you start to think about it, there are some great Mystery Costume Ideas including paranormal Ghosts, Angels, Devils, but what about some of the big conspiracy theories for your costume inspiration, as they are mysterious in many different ways. And then we have The Scooby Doo gang who solve many mysteries in their Magical Mystery Machine, Cluedo Characters and Gods and Myths & Legends including Fairies, Father Christmas & of course, The Bermuda Triangle – think of the fun you can have in a pair of Bermuda shorts and holding a triangle!
Murder Mystery is today’s fancy dress theme suggestion as today we are watching the detectives as the creators of two of the most popular – Sherlock Holmes and Tintin – were born today. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, born 1859, famously tried to kill off his best-known creation in a fight to the death with his nemesis Professor Moriarty, but was forced to bring him back from the dead ‘by public demand’. Meanwhile, Hergé (pen-name of Georges Remi who was born today in 1907) created comic strips about the Belgian boy reporter-cum-detective which were collected into over twenty-four story ‘albums’. These have translated into numerous foreign languages and Tintin is destined to reach a whole new audience with a series of three Stephen Spielberg films, the first of which ‘The Secret of the Unicorn’ is due for release at the end of October 2011. What better way to celebrate these anniversaries than with a Murder Mystery evening, possibly based around one of the many ‘off-the-peg’ games on the market? These can be great fun but we have found that, for some reason, those having food and drink between each ’round’ of clues, don’t always get to the end of the game so the whodunit is never solved. Why is a mystery, or is it?
If you do not want to go to the effort of organising a Murder Mystery dinner party, why not have this as a theme for a standard fancy dress evening? Take a look at these blogs that will give you some Murder (&) Mystery costume ideas….
Still need costume ideas?
Any detective (real or fictional)
Anything that is unexplained, ghosts, vampires, werewolves, gods & goddesses, angels or fairies
You may think that today’s fancy dress themes are not linked at all, but you would be mistaken, just read on to find out more…
Grim Reaper Costume - Myth or Legend?
October 11th is marked by activities underwater. In 1982, Henry VIII’s flagship, the Mary Rose, was raised from the waters of the Solent in which she sank in 1545. The wreck was actually discovered in 1966 and although artefacts and treasures were recovered from the site, this salvaging of the remains of the ship was a moment of historical importance. Why not celebrate with a Tudor costume party. Props n Frocks stocks Tudor costumes for men, women and children (ideal for school dress up days).
Less willing to give up its secrets is Loch Ness. Although many sightings of the legendary monster were claimed after the 1930s, when a Mr & Mrs Spicer said they had seen a 40-50 foot creature crossing a road by the loch, (makes a difference from the ‘Heavy Plant Crossing’ we’re often warned about), a detailed sonar survey, concluded on October 11th 1987, found nothing larger than a large shoal of fish beneath the loch’s waters. The high spot in the search for Nessie came in 1970 when a picture, appearing to show an unusual triangular fin was published. Sir Peter Scott, the famed naturalist even gave the find a name ‘Nessiteras rhombopteryx’, all of which was very exciting until someone noticed that the name was an anagram for ‘Monster hoax by Sir Peter S’. So today’s theme is ‘Myths & Legends’.
Now, if you want to take the Myths & Legends theme a bit further, you could always include people who you consider to be a legend, this may be Elvis, Marilyn Monroe, or even your favourite footballer!
