Trained Circus Bear

While some parties are just parties, other parties are genius. The latter was the case when my friends threw a Three-Ring Circus party in celebration of three birthdays: Margy, Erik, and Amy. It's the perfect party theme in that it's fun, bizarre, has the possibility for lots of cool costumes, and adds a certain level of nostalgia.

The party also has the clown factor. People are terrified of clowns to the point where they threatened not to come if anyone dressed up like one. For this reason, I encouraged clown costumes. I wanted people to be creeped out and perhaps even cry. Think of all the Halloween parties that are meant to be frightening but scare no one -- this party has the potential to actually arouse fear. Coulrophobia (fear of clowns), albeit fairly common, is a funny thing to exploit and witness up close.


I used to take costumes seriously, but as of late haven't been motivated to gussy myself up. For example, my most recent Halloween costumes have been a mask that I've had in my closet for years. The circus party had me excited, however. I wanted to be something cool and unique. I went through many ideas: clown, ring master, lion tamer, Siegfried and Roy, acrobat... or maybe a throwback to the circuses of yore: siamese twins, bearded lady, strong man, fat woman, etc. After racking my brain at length, I decided to go for a human cannonball. Later I found out that Amy was going on as that, so I didn't want to take the wind out of the birthday person's sail. It was ultimately a good call -- I couldn't compete with Amy's hot self-painted jacket.


Without a solid idea, I hit a couple of thrift stores for some inspiration. Spotting a giant teddy bear, it occurred to me that I had been thinking of this costume all wrong. Rather than being a person, I should be an animal. A pathetic animal, no less. I could be a circus bear, a sad animal that parades around for humans' amusement. I searched for a tutu to no avail, so instead I located a pink curtain. Lastly, I picked up some birthday party hats.

I brought home the items and realized I might be in over my head. I've never really made a costume before, so my plan to be a circus bear was certainly easier said than done. Turning a stuffed animal into a wearable outfit seemed possible, but not necessarily by my own hands. Heck, I decided, I've seen Project Runway, I can give this a shot. I took the teddy bear and literally slit its throat, pulling the stuffing out of its limp body. From there, I cut open its rear. There was a lot of guess and check work involved and I probably made some cuts I wouldn't/shouldn't have made had I been more experienced at my craft, but it fit over my body, so I was pretty proud. I cut the curtain until it looked somewhat tutu-like, strapped on a party hat, and added some roller skates.


It was great fun playing a bear. Sure, I seemed friendly, but as soon as something went wrong (like the music suddenly stopping mid-song), I lashed out and attempted to maul someone. And I thought the clowns would be the scariest. I bandied about a couple hibernation jokes, but my main shtick consisted of how my life sucked, forced to wear a tutu and a party hat and perform tirelessly for people. I'm good at playing pathetic.

In short, the circus party was amazing; I wish I could have stayed up later, but I'm not nearly as nocturnal as I used to be.