The Wolfman is Everywhere!

Where were you in '62?

American Graffiti
Romance, Racing and Rock n Roll.
This has to be my parent's FAVORITE film. It's their time, their story, and their romance with hot rods and music of the 50s and 60s.

Watching it over and over again growing up, I always thought mom was a little bit Laurie Henderson- the good girl, a little bit Debbie Dunham- the wannabe bad girl, and a touch mysterious like the blonde in the T-Bird.

And Dad, well, he was Milner through and through.

The soundtrack to this film is burned into my memory like rubber on concrete.  And the Wolfman, well his was the voice of my dreams...See ya later alligator!

Wolfman Jack Show 1

Wolfman Jack Show 2

Cheers and Gears!

                                  

Secret Identity

From dashing Don the boy reporter to... SUPERBOY!

Lady in Red

The  girl his mother warned him about. He's under her spell.

Devil Woman 

Written and recorded by Marty Robbins in 1962. 

Coincidence?

Pye, Pye, Pyewacket

Bell Book and Candle (1959)

Gillian and Pyewacket

Gillian is a modern-day witch, destined to be without love because "witches can't fall in love", or so they say. Gillian, played by Kim Novak, sets her sites on neighbor Shep Henderson, played by Jimmy Stewart. Casting a spell to turn the direction of Shep's affection from his fiancee to herself, Gillian employs her familiar Pyewacket, a finicky siamese, in her spell... only to fall in love with Shep for real.  

 

Familiar spirits are supernatural entities believed to assist witches in their practice of magic. They would appear in numerous guises, but most often as feline. The main purpose of familiars is to serve the witch or young witch, providing protection for him/her as they come into their new powers. 

Familiars are a Miller family tradition, on our mother's side of course. 

 

Mom & Stinky.                         Mom and "The Muff"

But Mom didn't stop at felines. She enlisted canines as well. 

Patches and Roger- looking like mythological gods.

Psychopomps are Guides of Souls, Ushers of the Dead, particular spirits, angels, animals or deities whose responsibility is is to escort the newly-deceased souls to the afterlife. Psychopomps appear in many and diverse forms, but no form is more impressionable than the hound. 

• Early Sumerian people paid homage to the dog-headed goddess Bau, the principal goddess of the Lagash area, associated with healing. Bau's alter ego was a dog. 
• In ancient Egypt, Anubis was portrayed as a man with the head of a jackal-like animal. 
• Hades' guard dog, Cerberus, was carried up from the Underworld by Heracles in one his Labours.
• The similarly-named Cerbura is the three-headed infernal dog of the Krishna legend.

Black dogs are said to be friendly guides and protectors to travelers.

Today we lost a family member, a warrior and a guardian- Caesar. A friendly guide and protector of our family.

We love you Caesar.

   

The Man with the Golden Girl

Happy 50 years to 007!

October 5th, 2012 marks Global James Bond Day. Dr. No, the first of the films based on Ian Fleming's British Secret Service Agent, was released in 1962, propelling the post war anti-hero to international playboy fame. My parents were hooked from the start. Seeing each new James Bond film was an event in our family and the soundtracks were always spinning on the hi-fi. 

Don and his Golden Girl, circa 1965.

To celebrate with us, why not dress the part? Come as one of the characters- hero or villain- there are so many to choose from. I found this tribute on youtube. Amazing. Maybe it will give you a few ideas...

Radar Love

They've got a thing that's called ... 

Radar Love

He's Her Boogie Man

A couple favorite film scenes with a Halloween twist to get you into the dancing mood.

Love At First Bite
A world-weary Count Dracula travels to modern-day New York City (1979) in search of a bride, and falls for fashion model Cindy Sondheim whom he believes to be the current reincarnation of his true love, Mina Harker. In this scene, a disco dancing Dracula attempts to woo the street smart Cindy to the tune of "I Love the Night Life" by Alicia Bridges. 

In the last scene, Dracula and Cindy are transformed into bats and fly off into the moonlight headed for Jamaica (and I don't mean Queens).

Pulp Fiction
Crime-boss wife, Mia Wallace, goes on a twisting date with lovable hitman Vincent Vega.
Mia and Vincent arrive at the retro rock 'n roll diner Jack Rabbit Slims staffed by lookalikes of 1950s pop icons. They have stumbled upon Jack Rabbits' famous twist contest. Mia wants to twist, and she wants to win. Vincent is the perfect partner, and Chuck Berry's "You Never Can Tell" the perfect twisting tune.

Both of these tracks are on the "Til Death Do Us Party" playlist. So be ready to boogie and twist into the night! We're not sure what song will be the Wicked Couple's first dance, but you can be sure it won't be their last.

Do As the Romans "I Do"

Fresco of an Ancient Roman Wedding Night.
Casa della Farnesina in Rome. Ca. 19 BC. Museo Nazionale Romano.

The Western bridal party tradition is thought to have originated from Roman Law.  Ancient Romans believed that jealous demons where out to get the married couple.  The Law required ten witnesses at a wedding. These witnesses would act as protection by dressing identical to the wedded couple so that the demons couldn't tell who was getting married.

Even as late as 19th century England, there was a belief that ill-wishers could administer curses and taint the wedding. In Victorian wedding photographs, for example, the bride and groom are frequently dressed in the same fashion as other members of the bridal party.

For more found images go to Flickr: Early Photography Wedding Portraits

Have you ever been a member of a wedding party? Did you save that dress or waistcoat and tie combo with the thought of wearing it again someday? Is it shoved deep in the back of your closet or in a trunk in the basement or attic? Well bust it out! This is your opportunity to wear it again.

OR

Come dressed as a Bridesmaid or Groomsman and be a part of the Anniversary Party! Pat and Don have selected Pumpkin and Eggplant (or, orange and purple) as their Anniversary colors. The colors of Autumn, the harvest, the reaping, the moon and the sky.

October 27th is just around the corner. Don't forget to RSVP! We look forward to hearing from you.

October 27, 1962

A Touch of Class

The couple looking très distingué in 1968.

Don't Wig Out!

Don't let this whole costume thing stress you out.

A simple and fun costume idea is as close as your local wig shop.

Or you might be lucky enough to possess a few fashion forward family heirlooms like we have.

You may not know this, but our mother graduated from beauty school back in the early 60s. Growing up, we not only had wigs, but falls (a fancy word for hair pieces), bags and bags of rollers, and a fabulous old dryer chair. In the winter I would just sit under the dryer to get warm, sometimes flipping over in the chair to take the chill off my feet. That chair was my favorite piece of furniture in the whole house.

Our mom really rocked those wigs. Looking back, I'm not sure if she was channeling Marie Antoinette or emulating Priscilla Presley. All I know is I wanted to be just like her when I grew up.

Mom- it was the 70s.

Me, the wig, and cousin Paul

This particular wig was worn by all three of us girls for Halloween costumes year after year. It was braided for Pocahontas, teased and tamed into a Bride of Frankenstein beehive, then twisted, rolled and pinned for Princess Leia.

And that wig goes on and on. Resurrected every year, it gets a thorough raking as part of mom's wickedest witch costume. I wonder if it will make an appearance this year?

 

And the moral of this story is: Hair today, Goon tomorrow.

Cowboy, Soldier Boy, Bad Boy

Bewitched

Welcome to our Blog!

The Wicked Couple

You've come to the right place! 

As the party day approaches, check back with us often for more stories, pictures and costume ideas. 

And don't forget, we'd love to hear from you too!