Sum horrors. Scary or not.
Oh, the Horrors.
October crackles: Holler-Ring. Día de muertos. All Hallows Eve. Impossible to ignore. Increasingly difficult to tell yourself “It’s only my imagination. Not really there.”
As the fire snaps creating shadows, a few hauntings to shiver over. Scream at will.
Terrifying. What have they done to us? (Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello/USPD/Commons.wikimedia.org)
First fright: pucker up.
In what universe is her bathing suit attractive? This publicity photo not from “It Came from Outer Space”, but “Beach Party”(1977). Did wardrobe get the scripts confused?
Maybe the crew was just partying with Lovejoy Comet. That cosmic cocktail is certainly Hollywood’s style: 500 bottles of wine every second? Now that’s a party. (Much better than that spooky Halloween asteroid 2015 TB145 that’s sneaking around.)
Hint to beach party attendees: pucker is never pretty.
Not space invaders, although a bit spacey(1934Oxley Library, Queensland/PD/Commons.wikimedia.org)
Continuing the march of horrors: another beach beauty or beast.
Yes, white belts are always slimming. (Some will believe anything.)
But the real fright is the rubbery swim caps with chin snaps that were once required. Nothing like going back to school with a lovely ring of pale skin around the face (Like a halo? No.) and a white streak on the neck from ear to ear. As if teenagers didn’t have enough things to worry about.
Yet these teens look so happy. Delusional, candidates for heat stroke, or from out of this world?
Trophy for best outfit imitation of a table cloth or couch.(1920-1930/Oxley Library.Queensland/PD/Commons.wikimedia.org)
A horror terrifying enough to cause fainting: sports bloomers.
Someday it will be revealed: it was all a plot by adults to dress teens as ugly as possible.
You know what’s really scary? The thought that fashion goes in circles and that vintage sports bloomers could be revived. One retro clothing item that needs to stay buried. Get the vampire stakes.
Although in case of space alien invasion, the bloomers could make is easy to hide among the drapes and upholstery.
Stop Smirking. There really is a Death Star.
Vaporized its’ own planet. Next? Eating an entire solar system….
Odd, all this happening just as the Star Wars movie is showing up.
Life imitates fiction or is that the other way around? Hollywood confuses things sometimes. And the Universe does have a sense of humor.
It must be in human DNA to seek thrills and scares.
Not a Halloween costume! 1965. Annette Funicello dressed in tunic and stretch pants for Hullabaloo. Two potential horrors: the return of fashions/hairstyles, and you actually remember Hullabaloo show on NBC (USPD/Commons.wikimedia.org)
Actually your DNA could get you the scare of your life.
A horror story could start with simple curiosity. Who were your ancestors? Waaaaay back ones. Where did they come from? A simple swab sent off for analysis and then you know whether to wear kilts, lederhosen, or sari.
Only, some went over to The Dark Side: “Your relative’s DNA could turn you into a suspect.” There’s a tale of one man’s macabre experience to read and shiver over. “Cops are asking Ancestory.com and 23 and Me for their customers’ DNA.“
Just can’t get away from the scary stuff.
(Some spooky space sounds from NASA)
Some tales of horror to amuse until the masks come off and the costumes come out.
Sum total? Can’t boo without you!
Phil, the Philosopher Mouse of the Hedge.
(Production note: been dealing with internet issues, storm battered landscape, and The German is here for sunning in back yard which somehow magically cures her crummy tummy problems….We suspect a doggie pack plot. Will catch up with your blogs ASAP)
Noooo! Horrors! It’s the sock monster! ©
Discover more from Philosopher Mouse of the Hedge
Subscribe to get the latest posts to your email.
30 Comments
Trackbacks
Comments are closed.
Philosopher Mouse of the Hedge 
I swear my first two piece bathing suit had enough fabric to make a suit for Sunday church! And those rubbery caps. You poked up some really bad memories there. Although Annette was always a favorite here.
LikeLiked by 1 person
All the swimming pools required those caps. Some girls stuffed hair in them at the beach here to protect their hair from salt water and sun.(Great way to get a headache). The caps could get really fancy with attached flowers or fringe – I remember one girl bought one with flowers piled elaborately up in pyramid fashion…and we cruelly called her “conehead” (while whining to parents about suffering with cheap plain hats..).
Annette was always a little lady. Stars in that era were so different. Thanks for swimming along
LikeLike
Oh yes, I remember all that. I had one with plastic flowers (so embarrassing to admit!) Required! Didn’t want hair in the drain. That was until the boys started growing their hair and poof, they were gone. Yes, stars kept their clothes on (mostly) back in the day. No strategic cut-outs or wardrobe mishaps.
LikeLike
As school approached, moms sometimes cut the front edge of those caps back trying to tan that white face ring a bit. THe pools didn’t approve – and the cap looked raggedy (and you could rip or split it if you tugged it on hard enough). Other moms just said, swimming’s over for the season a few weeks before school.
Hollywood was glamour – not grime. Nothing wrong with a little too perfect dreams sometimes. Something to aspire to?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ahhh, the German is visiting for Holler- raine?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Actually this is an unscheduled visit. The German is/was pretty sick and needed someone with her constantly – and access to a backyard whenever she requested.(Crating for long periods is a bit hard on a large sick dog …who’s used to sitting on the couch and watching TV.) After a few doses of antibiotics, she’s better. Next they need to figure out why this is happening..which is a worry. Usually we have a large loud Holler-Ring crowd, so the German will return to her home as long as she is improving. (So Molly gets a bit of a rest, too…and RC Cat is being kind but mutters “3 days – fishy stink” you know. But never fear. Scheduled visit next week…after another big rain and the yard is swamp city. Mud is a beauty treatment, right? So glad you stopped in to chat – I’m trying to catch up reading, so where are you this week? (like being a moving target, do you/ HA HA)
LikeLike
https://willowdot21.wordpress.com/2015/10/25/if-we-were-having-coffee-october-252015/ Nothing too exciting. 😀
LikeLike
🙂 Now that’s worth more than a chicken!
LikeLiked by 1 person
my granny had such a bathing suit with a white belt, she worked a whole summer on a farm with her friend to buy such an artpiece. that wasn’t clever… the summer was over and they only could wear it in winter :o)
LikeLiked by 2 people
Oh, my. And worse – the designers/fad probably changed by the next summer season. A real horror story! Thanks for pawsing to chat.
LikeLike
The swimsuits are certainly notable. What’s also notable is how much the body habitus of our celebrities has changed over the years. If you look at Frankie and Annette there, they look like normal people. But you wouldn’t see those average physiques in movies now. It’s all about toned muscles and six-pack abs. I’m all for healthy bodies, but Hollywood images distort what’s “healthy” and what’s not. They make it look easy to whittle down to 5% body fat. Hardly.
Very weird about the DNA application.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You bring up an important point. Marilyn M, Jane Russell, Sophia Loren, and the list goes on and on of popular glamour girls of the past. Between photo shop and plastic surgery, bodies now no longer have to be what they really are. (And most people knew photographers/fashion editor staff had “tricks” when presenting a model’s shape in a magazine – but with computers now, what is “touched up” is totally illogical.Sad more pictures than words in magazine/media these days – all done with smoke and mirrors and presented as the truth.
Data. Once it’s out there… Sci-fi becoming real. Thanks for sculpting a comment
LikeLiked by 1 person
I read about that DNA business with the various genealogy research sites. I used to belong to Ancestry.com (although I never got involved with DNA testing). Interesting that just 48 hours or so after that report about the government wanting access hit the news, I started getting “SAVE NOW! Speicla Offer!” emails for DNA testing from Ancestry. I guess they wanted to make their money before the word got around.
LikeLiked by 2 people
After talking the other day, I went back and found that article. It’s a stunner – who would have guessed – probably not the early computer developers….computers were supposed to help and free mankind, right? Even some of the heritage/historical groups like DAR have been collecting and allowing DNA for membership – so that’s all up for grabs, too. Some people can take the fun out of anything. HA HA
LikeLike
Instead of going the DNA and natural beauty direction, thanks for making me smile with thoughts of Beach Blanket Bingo (and others like it) with the character Eric von Zipper.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Who can listen to that music and not smile? Thanks for kicking a sandy comment this way. (Hope you are feeling all better – queasy is simply not Halloween HA HA Loved your Alhambra photos!)
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂 … Glad you enjoy Alhambra … La Sagrada is up now … leaving Barcelona sometime today … pr
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ready to travel along!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oops … leaving Barcelona sometime today … probably tonight.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I cracked up laughing in the middle of my coffee!! Awesome writing this one… and the comments too, – especially Kate’s – were hilarious. I am thankful I was born of a later era. Of course we may look back at the 70’s and 80’s (I was born in 1961) and make mockery of those fashions too. I’ve never worn a swimming cap. I’m not even sure back in my time you could find them in my native Nebraska. As for the glamour girls back then – it was mostly natural beauty enhanced with a little makeup. I never trust anything I see today. Silicone, plastic surgery, implants, air brushing and all sorts of image-enhancing (photoshop) technology – takes away from natural beauty.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Shoulder pads. Need I say more?
As soon as the boys started showing up with Beatles haircuts or long hair and they were’t required to wear swim caps, the girls said “Enough, already.” First feminist revolt? It’s not like the caps kept hair dry or protected from the strong pool chlorine anyway, but probably saved the pool’s filters and pumps.Thanks for dipping in these waters
LikeLiked by 1 person
Shoulder pads, GAD’s they were horrible!
LikeLike
Olivia Newton John hair. Legwarmers…you have to laugh
LikeLike
Weird fact: my father actually dated Annette Funicello when she was a Mouseketeer in the 1950s and my grandfather drove the Mickey Mouse Club van.
LikeLike
OMG.Bet there’s some real tales to tell there – back when stars’ public image was closely cultivated and guarded. Drove the van – now that’s cool. almost makes him a Field Mouseketeer. Thanks for spotlighting that fun stuff!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I remember those bathing caps well. Particularly the ones with the wavy, loopy rubber flowers. What were they thinking??!!
LikeLike
Those big flowers! Ester Williams films had an impact on swimwear (according to mom and other younger mothers who watched the fashion pages) Could fancy hats be part of the girls should be decorative and not sporty era? Thanks for laughing along
LikeLiked by 1 person
Our local pool required swimming caps! Ugh, I can’t remember how long the hair was supposed to be, but in those days, boys might have needed one as much as girls. Sigh. What I wouldn’t give for a culture that emphasized comfortable clothes and individual preference over “fashion” dictated by the design police.
LikeLike
Hated those caps. At the end of the summer, mom would cut the front edge back all raggedy. THey must have used really strong chemicals back then as swimming with unprotected hair did tend to turn it green after a bit…probably paid off by hair cut salons to increase business just before school?
The one nice thing about owning your own business or telecommuting: wardrobe!
Shouldn’t there be a rule that if people revive/adopt the elegant Hollywood/real Paris designer style fashions of the past that they should be required to also adopt the manners, courtesies, and style of conversations of the era? That would certainly give a pause? Thanks for designing a thought for the comment rack
LikeLike