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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 31, 1991)
s Holiday costumes reflect current Hollywood crazes By Terri Welch The Battalion Hollywood and Hal loween. The movie industry has a lot of influence on our every day lives and now it seems its making the moves on our hol iday dress. "Robin Hood, flappers and gangsters," said Michelle Rutland, a costume consultant at Cologero's Costumes and Masquerades, "are the most popular rented costumes this year." Their authenticity, the look of the time period and the fact they're fun seem to be the reason these particular costumes are stealing the show, she said. "People can really play up the part in the Robin Hood and gangster costumes," Rut land said. "There are lots of props like bow and arrows and guns; people love that stuff." All of these "extras" are selling quickly if they have not sold out already, said oth er local merchants. Sylvia Bouchard, a consultant for Hancock's, a fabric store, said "We've sold lots of wigs, boas, and sparkle stuff. People just love things that glitter." She said the clown pat terns and fabrics are the most popular costumes at their store. Genies and Cleopatras have been the draw at Pruitt's, a specialty fabric store in town. Many people have come in to buy chiffons and bright fabrics, a sales clerk said. Assistant Manager Tam my Isbell said the little things have sold like crazy at Am ber's, a local craft store. "Our make-up went real well and so did the wigs," she said. "We had long hair wigs in three or four colors and they sold out quick." As for costumes, there will be lots of kid Ninja Turtles around this Halloween, Isbell said. "We sold out of every thing for adults," she said. See Costumes/Page 5 ’alloween - a night when witches conjure .up spells and ghosts, and goblins and spirits of the dead are known to roam the earth. Witchery and superstitions prevail on Halloween. "It's a non-Christian holiday. It's not surprising that interest in the supernatural peaks at this time of year," Dr. Sylvia Grider, folklorist and associate professor of anthropology and history said. Grider said the celebration of Halloween originated with the ancient Celtics, who called it "Samhain." "They would celebrate the end of the harvest and the begin ning of the New Year, Nov. 1," she said. The Christians created All Saints Day in sixth century A.D. as a direct response to the non- Christian celebration. "On this day, they would hold a celebration to allow all the souls that died during the past year to pass onto the under world," Grider said. They would light candles during prayer and eat nuts and apples to celebrate. THESE PRICES ARE SO LOW THEY'LL YOU/ BLOUSES • values to $135 • Now $14.90 to $22.90 SWEATERS • values to $135 • Now $17.90 to $59.90 DENIM SKIRTS • reg. $65 • Now as low as $29.90 LADIES SUITS • reg. $355 • Now as low as $149.90 LEATHER SKIRTS . reg. $200 • *>" $79.90 Select group of KNITS, BLOUSES, & SKIRTS Now as low as $9.90 Select group of RALPH LAUREN and ANNE KLEIN II Values to $230 • Now as low as DENIM SLACKS -asiowas $23.90 ALL DRESSES • mm $29.90 to $74.90 MEN'S TRENCH COATS • Now $89.90 NAVY BLAZERS - Now $89.90 MEN'S SWEATERS from $9.90 RUGBY SHIRTS as low as $17 90 f»T MEN'S KNIT SHIRTS $14.90 & up TT SPORTS SHIRTS $14.90 & up Vr DRESS SHIRTS as low as $9.90 TIES $12.90 and up LEATHER AND SUEDE JACKETS as km as $99.90 Hundredsof MEN'S SUITS values to $575.00 • Now as low as $119.90 Siiiimfirs "The Irish are the direct de scendants of the Celtics," Grider said, "so they probably brought Halloween with them to the United States in the mid-to-late 19th century." She said All Saints Day later became known as All Souls Day. Thus the eve and day of this cele bration is associated with Hal loween in America, along with the pranks and ritualistic games. "The ritual of begging for food is an old tradition of the ear ly English people," Grider said. "Trick or Treat," the Hal loween threat of children is an American tradition that seems to be related to an English Plough Day custom. On this day, ploughmen of early England would go to homes and beg for gifts. If they didn't receive any, they would threaten damage to the grounds with their ploughs. According to old beliefs, the veil between the living and the dead is partially lifted. People are believed to be vulnerable to evil spirits on this night. The practice of dressing in costume to deceive them became common among the early people. People would also carry jack- o'-lanterns. They would cut out faces on pumpkins because pumpkins were a charm thought On Halloween, the spirits of living people are thought to have the temporary power to leave their bodies and roam the night. Children born on this day are said to have a second sight - they can contact spirits and communi cate with them. If a young person wishes to catch a glimpse of a future spouse, chances are good if cer tain rites are performed. Bobbing for apples seems to come from this belief. Ancient folklore said that ap ples named with labels would be put in a tub filled with water. The person would then be in structed to kneel over the tub with eyes shut and hands behind back. The person would then try to catch the apple between the teeth. The apple that was caught was the one designating the fu ture spouse. Another spouse-discovering ritual was to walk into a room backward at midnight and look over the left shoulder. The face of the future spouse would ap pear. People may not believe in the consequences, but there is always hope that there may be some thing in it. Freaky films for fun, fright- filled evening By Timm Doolcn The Battalion If trick-or-treating doesn't excite you, or if you just need a little something to get you in the Halloween spirit, try some of these movies for a few chills. Silence of the Lambs (1991) - Jonathan Demme proves in this recently released thriller that scary movies can also be very popular. Jodie Foster is an FBI agent tracking down a serial killer who skins his victims. In a des perate attempt to find out where he's going to strike next, she interviews Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins), who is a pleasant fellow that likes to eat his friends. Lecter, in jail, starts asking questions baclc, but does even tually help Foster track down the killer. This moviq is* Chijlirtg be cause we believe something See Films/Page 5 Noon - 10 p.m. 520 University Drive East T,tvA . 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