2-in-1: M is for Masquerade/N is for Noire
It's a two-fer
So I couldn't really think of something to do for N that's explicitly Halloweeny. Probably I'm missing something really obvious. (spoilers: I was) So since both of these are short, and I have a non-explicitly Halloweeny post lined up for tomorrow, I decided to combine these two. They're kinda of a theme so hopefully it'll work!
M is for Masquerade
A masquerade is a costume ball of French origins, which became very popular in Venice during the Renaissance. In fact, do any famous 16th century Venetian masquerade balls come to mind?
via GIPHY
That's accurate to the time.
The masks
Masquerade masks are typically based on a white or black base which is then decorated or designed to fit your costume.
1. Bird
A favorite for masquerade masks is decorating in feathers, sometimes with a beak for a really dramatic effect.
Photo by Magda Ehlers from Pexels
2. Butterfly
The shape of the traditional masque really lends itself well to the butterfly. This was the first style I had when I visited New Orleans for the first time!
3. Freestyle
Focus on something that looks awesome or gorgeous, instead of trying to look like any specific thing.
Make your own!
What’s a better Halloween project than making your own mask?
Print out a mask template (glue to some cardboard for extra sturdiness!) and get with the decorating. We used markers and tissue paper, but I'd highly recommend all the glitter if your household isn't one that has it banned. A dowel or some kind of craft stick can be used to hold it up.
Decoration ideas:
- Glitter
- Feathers
- Markers
- Paint
- Tissue paper
- Rhinestones
N is for Noir
Noir (or noire, because of how Romance languages have a gender for everything) as a word, is French for black. Noir is also a style of fiction, most notably film, but also literature. It is a subgenre of crime drama where everything is just a bit darker. Hence, noir.
So if you haven't figured it out already, Ladybug's sidekick's name, translated to English is just black cat.
Meanwhile, if you're not watching Miraculous, les aventures de Ladybug et Chat Noir aka Miraculous Ladybug, either with or without your kids, what are you even doing with your life? It's like an updated Sailor Moon that is just a dream for shippers.
It’s about a clumsy, boy-obsessed teenage girl - Marinette - who gets tapped to become Paris’s savior superhero. Her classmate Adrien is chosen at the same time, and they work as a duo, but because they must protect their secret identities, even they don’t know who’s behind the masks. The only one who does know is the ancient guardian of their Miraculous, which is a piece of jewelry they wear that is connected to a kwami - a cute little friend who gives them superpowers.
Meanwhile, Chat Noir, the boy, has the biggest crush ever on Ladybug, only rivaled by the crush that Marinette has on Adrien. Oh and also their kwamis know about all of this, but can’t say anything, because, again, secret identities.
Additionally, the bad guy doesn’t do his own fighting (generally) - he’s got his own Miraculous and kwami to do his bidding. He feeds off negative energy and can turn anyone in Paris with strong negative feelings into a supervillain - but only until defeated by Ladybug and Chat Noir. Also his name is Papillon which means Butterfly, regardless of the fact that the English version tries to convince you that his name is Hawk Moth.
For a shipper, my favorite thing is that they do all kinds of combinations with Marinette/Ladybug/Adrien/Chat Noir. My favorite combo is Marinette/Chat Noir because there’s no romantic awkwardness there and they’re just comfortable with each other and total besties.
So if you’re not already watching, get to it! There’s new episodes on Netflix!
Your thoughts?
Let me know if you made some masks. Or if you have thoughts about Ladybug and Chat Noir. Hit me up in the comments or on Discord!
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