It’s that time again.  A time when we usually hide our faces for fun—not by mandate.  It’s Halloween and it seems we are determined to celebrate it.  We refuse to let a pandemic stand in the way of our right to get hammered and dress like sexy Disney characters.

Why is it we look forward to the one day a year when we collectively decide to normalize masquerade?  Escapism?  Maybe.  I think people like to try on clothes to imagine a better version of themselves. They are more or less trying on a different persona.  A different life. Who would they be if they had chosen a different path?  And would that person wear clogs?

It’s the reason people go to paint and sip classes—they want to know if they have a hidden artistic talent that can only be tapped by consuming embarrassing amounts table wine in the company of fellow dilettantes.  It’s why adults love Halloween as much as children.  We all get a chance to be someone other than ourselves without having to commit to a whole new life.  

The same goes for galas and special events.  They allow us to escape ourselves for an evening.  We get to pretend that we habitually dine in tuxedos, tulle and organza.  I think our particular tastes (or those carefully styled for us) often come through, even in this highly polished state.  Even behind the crepe, there’s a semblance of the everyday You.  While it’s feasible to shine up like a new penny every once in a while, it takes effort to sustain that level of sheen.  It’s a lifestyle that many humans are not compatible with, which is why it is far more palatable to try in small doses.  

So, good luck in those glass slippers this weekend, but remember to get home before they turn back into house shoes, or worse yet—bare feet.