Nosh.org: Le Moulin Rouge!

Tish Headings threw a birthday party last night - the theme was "Moulin Rouge", and about 40 people showed up in full 1890's Paris outfits to wish her a happy birthday and dance their asses off.

I'm a big fan of costumes and costume parties, but I found it a true challenge to even envision what Moulin Rouge entailed. I mean, sure I can put together a cowboy outfit or a 70's disco outfit in a New York minute.

But Moulin Rouge is a little more of a challenge. I never saw the film, and when I looked online at photos from the film, all I could determine was that it seemed to involve men in tuxedos, top hats, and with crazy mustaches. Seemed a little dull overall, to be honest. I think I was a little frustrated by how to make it interesting.

Then I got lucky. The first and only store I went to for costumes was Stop the Clock, in Berkeley. It's a small store, and I sidled up to the counter and explained what I was looking for. Evidently, someone else had just come through looking for costumes for the same party - so they had actually taken some time to think through what would work. One of the staff (I think named Michael Moore!) is a former Broadway costume designer. It was a true stroke of luck for me. He immediately showed me an outfit that he assured me would be the best-lookin' mens outfit of the night.

Lo and behold, he may have been right. Most guys showed up at the party in variations on tux and tails. I was wearing a white tux shirt, striped pants, and a bright red smoking jacket that seemed to be a big hit. AT least two people bought me drinks in honor of my smoking jacket. I even took it off at one point to dance, and many party goers asked me "where did the smoking jacket go!?"

Either way, it was very fun. I even found a fake plastic monocle for $2 and a wooden cane for $5 at a costume shop. And a fake mustache. The accoutrements really helped.

And here is the result...not bad, eh? Helps to have a pretty lady draped all over me...