For the past couple of years we haven't really 'partied' on NYE, so it was lovely to have a house party to attend on the night.  Firstly because we hadn't really seen many friends over the Christmas period so was a good opportunity to catch up but secondly because it had been absolutely AGES since we had been to a proper house party...they seem to be farer and fewer between as we get older.  I used to LOVE going to house parties, plastic cups of homemade concoctions and control over the music listened to, they used to be fab so we were really looking forward to this one.  But then...oh BUGGER...it's fancy dress   Not a theme, not a character based one...just fancy dress!!!  We were stuck.

 

NYE day arrived and we still hadnt got our outfits sorted out, the search had to begin.  We started in one party shop which sold those packaged polysester ones...they were all pretty awful, although Richard did contenplate a couple of the choices...an arab...or I think the other one was Jesus...I cant quite remember.

 

We left that particular party shop wondering if we had anything at home that we could 'fashion' into something fancy dress...we were so uninspired we contemplated going as each other...how very original

 

The next shop was an actual hire shop and they had a bargain deal of £15 for any hire...we MUST find something here.  We were lead by the shop assistant into what was a large walk in wardrobe style area with a good 4/5 racks of fancy dress costumes.  We started to rummage, and rummage and desperately rummage!  We nearly chose:

 

Hannibal Lector

Snow White

Noddy and BigEars

French Man and Wench

Soldier

Peter Pan and Wendy

 

and then after much deliberation, we found our outfits!!!

 

When it came to going to the party we donned our costumes and drove to our friends house.  As we walked up the path way we had that dreaded feeling that we would be the only chumps in fancy dress.  Nervously ringing the door bell we were even more nervous when we we heard the histerical laughter from inside the house but PHEW!!! none other than DOLLY PARTON answered the door!!!

 

EVERYONE was fancy dress and it was a fab party complete with homemade alcoholic concoctions, great music (not including the singstar ) and a room full of the greatest outfits. 

 

I just felt for the taxi driver on the way home, I dont think she expected Charlie Chaplin to answer the door and to drive a vicar, James Bond and us two home! 

 

I have place pics in my photo album and here are both Rich and I in our outfits!

 

 

With my semi new digi slr I decided to enter a photography competition in a glossy mag.  The brief was pretty broad as they just wanted FASHION shots and wanted to interpret as you please.  As soon as I saw the competition brief I know of someone who I could shoot, my colleague Saira.  Standing at about 6 foot tall with a great sense of style I was in luck that she was willing to participate, agreeing that we would split the winnings should we be the lucky ones!

 

We had lots of different ideas with some erm interesting input coming from some of our male colleagues, it was amazing how willing to help they were!

 

We finally decided to run the shoot from her apartment complex as it is right on the river which was supposed to prove a good backdrop for our shots.

 

Baring in mind I am far from a professional photographer and Saira wasnt that keen on having her photos taken under regular circumstances the night was certainly going to be a challenge, however, nothing that a few glasses of wine wouldnt cure ;)

 

First job was to sort out the wardrobe, we used everything that Saira already owned and fashioned a few outfits together.  Then the shoot began.

 

Once we got over the initial nerves the shoot went quite well although photographing outside proved more difficult than expected.

 

By then end of it I had about 200 photos!  The magazine wanted 5!

 

Below are the favourites of which we chose 5