After giving it some thought I realize that many people buy into the idea that the less costume there is the “hotter” the costume will look on the wearer. Maybe it’s the “perfect” models that display the costumes at band launches and websites that sell the idea that if you buy the costume that’s how it will fit you. This sometimes leads to persons choosing costumes that are not suited to their body type simply because the costume is hot. For instance, if you have large breasts a halter top will not give you enough support, Nylon Pool was not an option for me last year for that very same reason.Which leads me to my point, a skimpy costume might have all the elements to be considered sexy but on someone who frankly does not have the body to wear it, it will not look sexy! And, it is not only about that person not looking the part but also about their self confidence.
I have a friend who is a slightly larger than average girl, and every year she chooses a two piece costume then starts worrying about how the costume looks when she eventually tries it on. Without fail, every Carnival Tuesday morning she is upset and sour about how she looks in her costume. And that attitude carries over throughout the day, with her either looking for a bandana to cover her stomach or obsessing over how her butt looks from behind! Lacking that self confidence to wear a skimpy costume is never sexy. I think she would be happier choosing a costume that is either more covered, like Jamette this year or simply accepting that she is not 120 pounds and love herself regardless, I have seen her on the beach many times in a two piece, there she is quite comfortable and looks good. My theory is that the added pressure on Carnival day of being surrounded by other women she perceives as skinner and sexier does in her self confidence
Similarly, if you have the confidence to rock a costume that might be considered having a bit too much clothing you can still look hot! One does not need their behind on display in a thong to look fabulous. The women who play with Mc Farlane, for instance, are not all older, plumper ladies, I have seen quite a few young women wearing a costume with fabric and looking quite sexy!
Ladies of Mc Farlane 2006
Mc Farlane 2005
This year I have noticed a few of the more popular bands offering costumes that went beyond the two piece; TRIBE has a few “covered” costumes this year with the traditional Dame Lorraine, traditional and regular Jamette and Jean and Dinah which offers a long skirt and corsette as one of the options. Trini Revellers has several sections with corsettes and more fabric than beads, notably House of Hapsburg which I adore and Les Aristocrats which are two of my favourites. Even Island People has Raiders of the Desert and Arabian Princess which I like a lot. I think the idea of offering a costume with the option to be more covered should be embraced more, even in the “bikini and beads” bands. There should be options beyond either a whole suit or tankini, for those looking for a sexy costume that is not skimpy. If the bands take the challenge we should start seeing more and more costumes that break the formula of just a decorated bikini and might just open the door to more creativity in costumes.
Island People's Arabian Princess
TRIBE's Jean and Dinah
So to answer my question, the costume does not make the wearer sexy. Sexiness is all about self confidence and that ability to wear even a paper bag and still make it look smoking hot! Wear the costume, don't make it wear you!
13 comments:
Saucy, your words at the end says it all: "Sexiness is all about self confidence and that ability to wear even a paper bag and still make it look smoking hot!"
Saucy I agree 100%. Every year I am amazed at how many women rush the skimpiest sections in Tribe, IP, or Poison simply because it is the most naked. That is NEVER a factor for me when choosing a costume! I'm a size 4 and not in bad shape so I could probably get away with the naked section but honestly carnival means more to me than prancing around with my bare ass in the road!!! I think MacFarlane's band this year is wayyy sexier than all the others combined. I believe it is sexier to leave something to the imagination than letting it all hang out & flaunting your body. I find the overtly sexy costumes like IP's Goddess to be vulgar, not sexy at all. That Arabian Pricess costume in IP is hot for days, it's sexy & the color combo is my all time favorite for mas. Too bad I have principles & standards or else that costume woulda been mine!
Once again, Saucy, you hit the nail on the head! One way I would expand on your last statement is this:
If it's all the about the costume making you look good, then the costume is wearing you. If it's all about you making the costume look good, then you are wearing the costume.
And to quote my boy Will Smith from Bad Boys II "I make this look good!!!!" :D
And amprincess, I totally agree that IP Goddess and Defenders bra top is waaaaayy too much for my taste as well.
thanks triniqueen! Nice way of saying it.
amprincess I am with you on leaving something to the imagination, vulgarity is not sexy.
anon I bet you can make a paper bag look somking hot :D
Saucy ..that Arabian princess costume is both skimpy and sexy!! Doh let that cloth fool yuh cause the cloth doh cover any important areas. I would have play in that section if I ws in IP.
Last year I played in Angel fish which had a lot more cloth than most costumes I usually end up in. It was still sexy but funnily enough on the day I felt a bit uncomfortable cause it had too much cloth. It really did not suit my personality. I went with Dragon this year,it might be skimpier but its more me. I definitely would not go overboard with that goddess costume. That is too much,even for me.
Diva compared to the rest of costumes I found Arabian Princess to be more "covered" but you are right, the fabric does give the illusion of coverage. Still it is a nice change from beads hanging between your legs and barely covering your butt!! I also like the top and how it hooks to the front. Looks like everyone likes that costume, I love it!
That is another thing, Angel Fish is a costume I liked because of the fabric, but some people just not comfortable wearing too much cloth! Once YOU happy with how you look in your costume and have the confidence to rock it, man you will look HOT in aything.
In my opinion it is not about dress size. I have seem some size 2's that shouldn't have put on "skimpy" costumes. It is about knowing your body and understanding what looks good on you and having the confidence to wear skimpy - being in somewhat decent shape also helps. I agree will all who said that you should NEVER let the costume wear you BUT wear your costume.
we have become so misguided about what we wear and how it supposed to make us look. Its all about how you carry yourself (as a result of how you feel) no matter what you wear.
the funny thing is that some people feel that the skimpy costumes are what will get them the most attention - it get attention alright, and in most cases, it's the kind of attention you could do without.
Anon (sigh!) yes there are ppl who wear skimpy costumes just for the attention. But at the same time in an ideal world, if I want to wear a skimpy costume I should be able to do so without recourse and without judgement from those who want to assign a reason as to why I chose to do so. I for one doh give a rats ass who watching my bottom if it outside.When I am 50 and things heading down south I certainly won't be able to pull off what I can today.I for one look good for myself and not for no one else.
Its a double edge sword cause no matter what you still get 'unwanted' attention. In university I once had a man follow me into my apartment complex as I was walking home because he thought I was prostitute. Doh mind I was dressed head to toe in extra large sweat pants and an extra large hoodie, with sneakers and with a big school bag on my back.I was trying so hard to look like a guy so no one would try to rob me and yet there he was.
Carnival Jumbie, indeed you should be free to wear whatever you find comfortable without any concern for the "judgement police," AND WITHOUT ANYONE thinking you are looking for SOMETHING (the comments of BAD UNCARING PEOPLE who blame the victim.) But, is their a limit?
Would you have played in the "costumes" some women of Genesis "wore" last year, 2006? The costumes were pasties and thongs (with very small front cover; at least, the smallest ever see in Trinidad's mas). For me, that's going beyond what Trinidad Carnival should represent. What women (Trinidad masqueraders) fail to understand when they try to emulate Rio's women masqueraders is that Rio's bands are TOTALLY SEPARATED from the spectators. Many of the more scantilly clad or painted naked women (with the illusion that they are wearing something when they are in fact TOTALLY naked) are ON MOVING FLOATS almost always in the middle of the bands.
I think that Ian's wife (I forget her name right now), the main designer for Genesis, was a bit off for her need to push the evelope for "sexy" mas in Trinidad.
Trinidad mas is not Rio's, it is not New Orleans', nor should it ever be. It is we ting. I am not being judgemental ;) I love OUR sexy women with class ALWAYS. Skimpy is NOT automatically sexy. As been said already, it is how you wear yuh mas.
I observed in an earlier blog that the sexiest woman I ever saw in my 10yrs love affair with Trinidad Carnival was in Minshall's "The Lost Tribe." And that was pure fabric cover. It was how the lady moved her fabric that captured my imagination. I appreciated how sexy she looked without me thinking she is mine to have in pure lust. And I do appreciate many women in Trinidad who are sexy in their skimpy costumes (I wouldn't be a man if I didn't...:D). And Carnival Jumbie, you might have been one of those same ladies who are quite sexy without being lude. Believe me I have seen many of the lude on the streets of Port of Spain too, and that way is simply not sexy to me, EVER.
oops, lude(which I might be on...:P) s/b lewd.
"vjjuh" s/b dougla_1
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