Eras of human experience to choose from, but revolutionary periods tend to be particularly suitable for Halloween costumes. Maybe it’s the idea of turning a huge page in history, or the especially high death toll of these periods, but whatever the reason, there’s plenty to choose from when choosing a Halloween costume.
One of the most popular periods in history for choosing costumes is the French Revolution. Not only was there great upheaval, but there have been many books and works of art about this turbulent time in world history. There are many extreme character types to choose from, as well as specifically recognizable fictional or real people. From the dying poverty stricken masses, to the opulent lifestyle of royalty at Versailles, to Jean Valjean from Les Miserables and Marie Antoinette. Another deliciously apt reason to choose a Halloween costume from this era is the popularity of the guillotine as a method of execution.
The guillotine is a device used for execution by beheading. It consists of a clamp-like holding place for the victim’s head, and a high track on top of which is a very sharp weighted blade. On command, the blade breaks free and falls, rapidly severing the victim’s head. While it was originally created to be a more humane method of execution, its gory reality gave it tremendous notoriety in the history books, as well as a particular association with the French Revolution, as it was highly favored at the time. Since the French executed so many during their revolutionary period, the options for French guillotine costumes are numerous.
You could easily build a vintage costume and be Sydney Carton from Dicken’s “A Tale of Two Cities.” This important fictional character makes the ultimate sacrifice for love and is beheaded on the guillotine. With a simple peasant blouse, breeches and stockings, the attire of this costume is set, with the only other necessities being an authentic hairstyle and a fine line of blood on the neck to signify beheading. If your hair isn’t long enough to revert to a vintage hairstyle, there are plenty of places to find wigs online.
Another good option is Marie Antoinette. This notoriously selfish and spoiled queen was also guillotined, but her costume would be so much more showy. She was not only a member of royalty with seemingly unlimited resources for clothing and accessories, but she was also known for promoting fashion at court during her time there. For this costume, you’ll need a full skirted dress (preferably with cage hoop) with a corseted top. To achieve the best effect, it should be on a light-colored fabric and decorated with beads or jewelry. The make-up should be pale and the features simply defined. A dark red small mouth and flushed cheeks are complemented by a large fake birthmark somewhere on the face. The finishing touch to this costume is a large powdered beehive wig that can be embellished with beads, jewels, and veils for added authenticity.
Have fun dressing up for Halloween and don’t lose your head!