Non-Terrifying Gas Mask

1941: Charles Leguillon, a manager at the B.F. Goodrich Co., invented a "non-terrifying gas mask" that a pretty girl could wear "and remain a pretty girl and not become a gargoyle."

The media proclaimed that for this he deserved "female thanks," because of course all women want to continue looking their best, even during chemical warfare.

But was the new gas mask actually non-terrifying? I'll let you be the judge.

American Legion Magazine - Aug 1941

The Akron Beacon Journal - June 11, 1941

Posted By: Alex - Mon Jan 09, 2017 - Comments (2)
Category: Costumes and Masks, Military, 1940s

Mystery Illustration 32

[Click to enlarge]

Why all the same mask? The answer is here.

Posted By: Paul - Mon Oct 03, 2016 - Comments (1)
Category: Costumes and Masks, Dinners, Banquets, Parties, Tributes, Roasts and Other Celebrations, 1960s

Moonbump

The Moonbump company claims to be suppliers of props to the film and TV industry. I suspect sexual fetishes are really involved, but I hesitate to inquire more deeply.

Posted By: Paul - Tue May 31, 2016 - Comments (8)
Category: Costumes and Masks, Movies, Pregnancy

Robot Ballet

The Italian Futurists had a thing for robot costumes in their dance performances. They left behind some weird imagery.

Read about them here.

Posted By: Paul - Tue May 17, 2016 - Comments (1)
Category: Costumes and Masks, Futurism, Robots, Avant Garde, Dance, Europe, Twentieth Century

Carnival in Trinidad:  Then and Now

I don't mean to sound like an Old Fart, but the 1957 Carnival just seems to me so much more charming and weird and ingenious--look at those bipedal seahorses with the mermaid--than the current version, which seems to be about nothing more than bare flesh. Maybe the 2015 videographer simply did not film the weird costumes--but then again, every other video of the 2015 carnival on YouTube features the exact same stuff. Now, I like bare flesh as much as the next voyeur, but I would really prefer to see a papier-mache Godzilla any day.

Posted By: Paul - Sun Jan 10, 2016 - Comments (2)
Category: Beauty, Ugliness and Other Aesthetic Issues, Costumes and Masks, Music, Parades and Festivals, Sexuality, Outsider Art, Foreign Customs, Dinosaurs and Other Extinct Creatures, 2010s, 1950s, Caribbean, Body Painting

Texas Ranger Cowboy Outfit

[Click to enlarge]

Original image here. (Page 10).

Posted By: Paul - Thu Nov 12, 2015 - Comments (19)
Category: Costumes and Masks, Comics, 1950s

Nothing To Bragg About

What do you suppose would be the most inappropriate Halloween costume to wear to any military base, especially Ft. Bragg? Yep, emergency response was initiated and a gate was shut down over some idiot showing up to the base in a suicide bomber costume.

Posted By: patty - Sun Nov 01, 2015 - Comments (5)
Category: Costumes and Masks, Holidays, Military, Terrorism and Terrorists, Goofs and Screw-ups

Alexander D’Agostino at Labbodies

Be sure to check out the "performance" around 23:00, when ballet slippers and a Skeletor mask come into play.

Posted By: Paul - Sun Jul 12, 2015 - Comments (5)
Category: Beauty, Ugliness and Other Aesthetic Issues, Costumes and Masks, Fashion, Ineptness, Crudity, Talentlessness, Kitsch, and Bad Art, Performance Art, 2010s

Things Stuck On Face

Brazilian artist Edu Monteiro photographs himself with things stuck on his face. Things such as an octopus, lycra and polystyrene, or a container of dirt. Explore more of his "self transformations" at his website: edumonteiro.com.


via Yahoo! News

Posted By: Alex - Thu Jun 11, 2015 - Comments (4)
Category: Costumes and Masks, Photography and Photographers

Muskogee Stomp Dance

The level of ritual fervor seems decidedly low here. Also, lack of vintage garb is rather incongruous. All in all, I suspect, a pale shadow of what once was a vital artform.

Posted By: Paul - Sat May 30, 2015 - Comments (3)
Category: Costumes and Masks, Regionalism, Dance, Native Americans