As Anoka, Minnesota is recognized as being the 1st city in the U.S. to celebrate Halloween (as we know it) in 1924, I wonder what if anything Bonnie & Clyde did to honor this holiday-- while trying to survive on the run?? I can't imagine Halloween being of much importance to these relentlessly hunted outlaws, but as it's known B&C would sometimes interact with kids in a kind way-- I wonder what if anything, they did differently on Halloween night??
Bonnie's sense of fashion gets attention, and her well known '30's sweater dress look is recognized as perhaps her most iconic image. This look is one Bonnie Parker Halloween idea-- although pretty much any combo with some sort of tam seems to work. With Clyde, the overt gangster look (although not accurate)-- gets play as a man's costume. And with the modern "gangsta" movement all the rage, a much sexier adaptation of this famous outlaw look now seems popular. 
With a little time and effort, I'm sure a great version of B&C's well dressed look could be created for Halloween. Vintage & coordinated 1930's clothing would likely be the key. Now wouldn't that look be fabulous, strolling into a down and happenin' Hallows Eve party!?! BTW-- as reported here in the past, "Boots" Hinton's told me that according to his father Ted Hinton-- Bonnie's famous sweater dress was black-- with red, yellow and light green stripes bordered in black. It seems, Bonnie didn't always wear red.
Happy Halloween!!
Happy Halloween!!
It's really too bad that so many of the so-called "Bonnie and Clyde" halloween outfits I've seen offered are designed much more like the oh-so-anachronistic costumes designed for the movie!!!
ReplyDeleteBonnie was probably best known for the little sweater dress with the bolero jacket in which she posed with the cigar and the gun - if I had been going to dress as Bonnie for Halloween (I don't - I'm closer to Clyde's size at about 5'5" and 110 lbs., plus I've got dark brown hair and eyes - definitely not the Bonnie type!) I would try to get hold of a knock-off of that dress. Everyone knows who you are if you show up in that dress. A lot of people who are influenced by the movie dress in outfits that are cut to the fashions of the 60's - but in every photo of Bonnie, you can see that she wore the long dresses that were most popular back then. In the 1930's, after the flapper era, women tended not to bare quite as much of their legs, and in most of the photos I've seen of Bonnie, you can't even see her ankles!
If one wanted to go as Blanche, I would go for the jodphur (or riding pants) look - that's the one she's most famous for, as in the photo taken when Buck was captured. Given the time and place, I can't understand why Blanche chose to wear them - she did look mighty fetching, according to those who saw her in them, but it was definitely not a look for a woman who wanted to blend in a crowd - most women definitely did NOT wear pants at that time!
I would imagine Clyde would be easier. Double-breasted suits were common in his era, and can still be obtained (even in the little pinstripes)! and you can still find hats of the type that Clyde preferred available. Men's fashions have changed since the 30's, but not quite as dramatically.
My favorite photo of Bonnie and Clyde has them both looking a little bit out of character - Clyde is sporting a moustache, holding Bonnie in the air, and she's wearing a frilly little airy dress that is very different from the more tightly-fitted sweater dress.
As I mentioned, I'd love to rock the B&C look with my husband for Halloween, but both of us are so far from having the right look that I think we'll just refrain!