Monday Wear for SouthBeach/Dubai

Monday Wear - South Beach/Dubai by CarnivalBaby featuring a bikini swimwear

Early bird? Possibly. But I do not want to end up like I did last year. I ordered my Monday Wear at the very last minute and wasted $70 on a gold bikini that looked more Charlotte street quality than anything else. Also ordered my boots at the last minute only to realise that they were suede and not leather/pleather (how could i overlook that?!) and I didnt have time to get the spray paint for suede before I left for Trini. For the record NEVER use regular spray paint on suede, talk about a hot mess!
This year I promised myself that I will be better prepared and that I'll have all my stuff in order by December...we'll see how that goes~

Of course I will not be chippin anywhere in heels, those will probably be replaced by gold wedge heeled boots. AND all this is still dependent on if I end up in TRIBE or not... What with all this time on my hands and Polyvore being my new toy I can see myself doing more of these little creations, especially as I just realised I can clip my own pictures so persons will be able to find the actual source for the item.

Peer Pressure

South Beach Individual

After Saturday's launch I was adamant that I did not want play with TRIBE next year. I felt a little pressured to buy frontline as their backline costumes look kinda blah and under-decorated. Quite frankly the only backline I like is Santorini and I played in Amazon last year so that's out. Even when it comes to the frontline costumes the only one I couldsee myself in is South Beach, and I think part of that is because I missed Carnival the year that Charmeuse was an option. Also, I am not a fan of how crowded TRIBE felt last year and was willing to give BLISS' alleged intimate vibe a try.

Fast forward to today. The same friend who said she got our link lined up and BLISS was a surety goes,

"I'm not sure I want the intimate experience, I'm checking with
our TRIBE link to see if we can pre-register"

*blank stare*

I am the only non-TRIBE loyalist in my group of mas playing friends and it didn't click that this could be a deciding factor until today. I would much rather go with BLISS or YUMA but thats not going to work unless I have company. So for now I have to keep my fingers crossed that BLISS' costumes blow TRIBE's out of the water otherwise I just may end up with them again next year. Le sigh!

Dear TRIBE: I am NOT Impressed

I do believe that I may get some flack from TRIBE loyalists for this post, but I have to be honest with myself here. TRIBE disappointed me this year. I don't think that asking for some creativity or something 'out of the box' is too much. Last year TRIBE delivered everything I wanted and more and actually stayed true to their warrior theme. Silly me believed that this year would be similar.

My first issue is with staying true to the theme. Honestly those costumes are so run of the mill that they could be from any section in any band and for any theme. So the majority of the costumes look more or less like versions of each other in different colors, except for South Beach and Dubai which are the same colors in different designs -_- . Let me explain that statement. Its not that I am saying the costumes are exactly alike, but because they all have the same bikini, beads, feathers basis other than the colors there's little else to tell them apart. I also saw some repetition and similarities with 2011 presentations, See below for Exhibit A.

Gabrielle's Costume

This basically looks like YUMA's Scorpio version 2.0. Its like they took his leg and arm pieces...

and then the rest from this costume

tweaked it a lil and voila!

Now to all those who are saying TRIBE copied YUMA. Please recall that as I pointed out previously the designers who did Scorpio also did the very similar Spangled Cotinga, so if you want to go that way TRIBE copied YUMA who copied TRIBE :S

-----

South Beach looks a little Charmeuse meets Amazon/Amazonia.

South Beach pictured below

When I first saw this costume I was drawn to the wire bra, because its really well decorated. Then I realized it looks just like Amazonia's frontline bra. Strangely enough I cannot find a pic of anywhere on the web, hence the use of Amazon's frontline pic. The bottom is also essentially the same as Amazon's down to the triangle it forms on the back, however I was unable to get a back view to show you guys. May I take a guess that Lana Nobrega designed this costume?

Even Sandra Hordatt's Cyprus is bringing back memories. Take a look at YUMA's Leo frontline. See the uber naked back view. This post will be updated as soon as i can locate a back view of Cyprus, but again....very similar

This costume reminds me of TRIBE 2009 when it appeared that either a shipment of embellishments was lost or they were trying to cut costs with under decorated costumes. And of course the colors remind me of Osage.

Fiji is pretty but hypothetically speaking if I were to get this costume I would probably get my own backpack made, as for some reason this costume looks kinda naked. Maybe its that I'm not a fan of these mohawk headpieces, I prefer the more full ones that cover the entire head.

I wasn't interested in any of the other costumes other than Santorini and I couldn't find a pic of that on the web as yet.

Mention must be made of the lack of backline costumes. Firstly if the backline costumes are scaled down versions of what I saw last night then I am not looking forward to seeing them lol. there's barely anything to scale back! Secondly, how on earth do you have a band launch sans backline when the majority of you customers will be playing backline??? Don't get it at all.

Overall I do agree that that the costumes are pretty but they just don't get me excited like Way of the Warrior did. There's nothing there that looks 100% original and never before seen and I guess I had TRIBE up on a pedestal as it pertains to costume design. As I told a friend last night, next year just may meet me jumping up in an Angry Birds costume :P

Happy Blogversary to me!

One year ago, in the midst of preparation for Cropover and hype over TRIBE's teaser vid I decided to start a blog to express my views and opinions re: Carnival. IMO there was a lack of blogs/info on International Carnivals and I wanted to document my Cropover experience. I NEVER thought I would still be at it one year later, as I usually lose interest in things really quickly. I've found that I love blogging ...well maybe i just love hearing myself go on about stuff lol. I also like that I can give the layman's version/experience seeing as thus far my blog has remained anonymous :). So here's to hoping i keep this up!

Love this song!

SIDENOTE:
My friends dubbed me Carnival Baby years ago. One J'Ouvert morning in the Southland, around 11am, my crew was bun and ready to go home. I gave them my house keys and stayed with the band BY MYSELF and chipped/jumped/waved from Library Corner to Cocoyea which had been the band's starting point. I didn't get home til 3pm and this was after heading out at 5am. They couldn't believe I had been on the road all that time and still wasn't tired when i got home lol. That was when they learned that I don't play when it comes to mas, Go hard or Go home! Aiming to get back to that endurance level this year, no more draggin the flag come Tuesday evening lol.

Now THAT'S What We Talkin 'Bout!

Much betterrrrrr!

Woi Mas Teasers

Darren Cheewah is doing a great job with all these hints and teasers he keeps letting out. A new Facebook group has been created, titled 'X2012', with teaser pics of Woi Mas' 2012 presentation. I 'borrowed' a couple pics to give you guys a sample..I'm very intrigued, especially by the first costume depicted below, can you say frontline?!. It will be interesting to see how they make these designs come to life, assuming that they aren't going to literally put folks in black catsuits with colored ribbons dangling from them lol.

Modern Day Torture

Yes TRIBE, give us a teaser...thats 80% black and white and grey...and a tad blurred/out of focus at times lol. I feel like I'm practically salivating..chomping at the bit. I WANT MORE!

OMG tho did you guys see those HUGE white wings on that costume. I think that's one of Sandra Hordatt's sections. . Knowing her penchant for uber sexy costumes this year she could quite possibly present a front line costume with a C string or a tapasexo. For the 5th? time I am really looking foward to Saturday, I can't wait to see the rest of the designs!

SIDENOTE:
Are TRIBE models required to sign confidentiality agreements? So many of them are on my bbm, facebook etc and not one peep from them on the theme and designs..

Also I think i caught a glimpse of the alleged animal print costume...between that and the pink its going to be a close call for me!

O well, 3 days to Take Off!