This is a recap-ish of the latest podcast episode. You can listen to the episode below before or after you read. That’s because I tend to expand on topics from the pod as well as straight-up write about things that we did not discuss. The choice is yours in how you want to proceed!

• Vampirates’ Dinner Adventure – 3:42
• Hadestown – 10:36
• MJ’s Spooky Season – 17:01
• Spencer’s Spooky Season – 27:40
• Ethan’s Spooky Season – 39:59
• Wrap Up – 1:12:53
  

https://soundcloud.com/styleanddirection/e148-spooky-season-2025

Hadestown

We start the recap of 2025’s Spooky Season with Hadestown, Anaïs Mitchell’s Depression-esque retelling of the story of Orpheus and Eurydice. 

Can you believe that I, a wannabe theatre kid who gleefully sings “For Forever” at Karaoke, hadn’t seen – or heard – it before? My brother has always been a super fan, but I was never able to see it, even when it first toured. I knew that I’d get to it eventually, so I declined to listen to the soundtrack; my friends aren’t big theater people, so they never played it in front of me. That’s how I never heard a lick of Hadestown, apart from a slight TikTok trend for cosplayers to use “Wait For Me”. And boy was I glad, because seeing it in person was amazing.

The music was quite phenomenal, blending elements of blues, folk, rock, and jazz. It was all played with the band right there on the stage, allowing the audience to appreciate their virtuosic solos– especially for the trombone player! This really gave the musical a meta-feel, making it feel like the audience was indeed in a 30s-ish world where the performers recount the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, perhaps as a way to distract us from the Depression. It is no surprise that this musical was so beloved! The Pantages felt like it was sold out, on a Wednesday night, nonetheless! 

Thanks to my menswear sickness, I instantly noticed that the costuming was really well done! It was clear that the costume designer worked hard to make the outfits expressive of the characters while still fitting into an overall aesthetic (and time period). It’s all quite discernible and iconic, as there were many bounders (cosplaying but with regular clothes) out in the audience! After watching the musical, I knew exactly who they were trying to be. I’m always on the side of making an outfit inspired (or prompted?) by the thing you’re seeing!

Eurydice had a bit of a dark, 90s “indie” look, cobbling together a big coat, black slip dress, tall boots, an unbuttoned waistcoat, and a jaunty neck scarf. She really looked like someone who has been down on her luck and has been fighting to survive, all for a semblance of respite or stability. I thought it was a bit funny that her lover Orpheus, with a henley, suspenders, workpants, and a loose bandana,  called Mumford & Sons to my mind, as our protagonist, like indie folk music from the 2010s, is idealistic and quite the optimist, aiming to bring back Spring and inspire the people with his music, all while remaining in the same, dreary shit as the rest of that world. As a contrast, Persephone was dressed like a 50s celebrity in an elegant green dress, which clearly helped in bringing joy and life everywhere she went; she is Spring, after all. Similarly, the Fates had a vintage musical look, instead looking more like flappers than early divas. 

Tailoring was served by our two dieties, Hermes and Hades. Hermes wore what seemed to be a shoutout to the platonic ideal of 30s suiting: a strong, peak-lapeled SB suit, a contrast waistcoat, and of course, a striped shirt and foulard tie. All of it is silver, framing him as a bit of a heavenly beacon for humanity while also separating him from Persephone’s vibrant green buoyancy. If you look closely, his suit sleeves have feathers as a nod to his winged classical depiction. 

Hades was also in a full suit, being first seen in a three-piece black pinstripe BD suit, complete with a foulard tie, black leather trench, JMM-style dupes, and, in an interesting move, snakeskin cowboy boots. He’s clearly a bad guy, but the look (specifically the pinstripes) helps emphasize his framing as an industrialist who preys on desperate people to sign their lives over to him to help build his wall. I loved seeing such a dandy yet edgy look and was quite disappointed when they “Tumblr-ized” him in the second half by dressing him down to just a waistcoat and unbuttoned dress shirt, complete with the sleeves rolled up. 

What’s even funnier is that I was unintentionally dressed up as Hades when I watched the show! I obviously thought that theatre night was the perfect Occasion for getting dressed up, but I didn’t feel like wearing black tie (something I reserve for the Symphony). Instead, I wore a dark DB suit and bowtie– well, my navy pinstripe, as it was more intersting and vintage than a plain navy one, and a grey/silver foulard bow tie, which is more elegant than my other foulard bows. And so yes, I was dressed like Hades, in my own way. I don’t think anyone really got it until I walked by a poster on my way out, at which point my friends pointed it out to me. 

If only I had as deep a voice. Nickolaus Colón really killed it as Hades! 

Halloween 2025

My beloved navy pinstripe DB suit got even more play thanks to my chosen Halloween Costume: Mr. 5% himself, Anatole “Zsa-Zsa” Korda. You know, from The Phonecian Scheme. 

I actually struggled quite a bit with choosing a costume for this past spooky season. There wasn’t really anything in the culture that really intrigued me, at least not in the same way that the Emcee from Cabaret did last year (which was honestly one of my favorites). Obviously, going with something menswear-friendly would be the move, but I wasn’t sure what to do. Perhaps doing the Big Bad Wolf again could be fun? A part of this conundrum was that I didn’t have a crazy party to attend; the big shindig would come the day after Halloween. In short, I wanted something low-effort, by my standards, and festive (or at least interesting) enough to work for casual bar hopping.  

The inspiration came when James and Claire told me that they were going to dress like Sam and Suzy from Moonrise Kingdom— a certified cute couple’s costume. It made me remember that I’ve done a Wes Anderson character a few times: Steve Zissou’s black tie outfit (complete with red beanie), Max Fischer (a favorite), and Zeffirelli from the French Dispatch (a look I may have to come back to, now that I have proper heeled boots). I decided to return to this wellspring of inspo and do Korda from Anderson’s latest flick.  Even though the movie was just okay (it is growing on me), the look was absolutely something I could easily do. 

After all, the mustachioed industrialist simply wears a pinstripe suit, spearpoint collar, and a conservative tie; all I needed to add were a cane, an assortment of small bandages on my face, gauze around my forehead, and a sling. I think I pulled the look off pretty well, if I do say so myself!  At this point, it’s pretty clear that my slightly quirky approach to classic/vintage menswear is quite Wes Anderson-coded, especially as his latest films have been more period-focused instead of being eccentric people in the “modern” day.

To match me, my girlfriend borrowed my bowtie and corduroy sportcoat, which was stuffed with paintbrushes, pens, and was the perch for her stuffed spider, to send up Michael Cera’s Bjorn, who, as you may remember, was the delightfully awkward entomologist/tutor-turned-corporate spy. As the only main female character in the movie was Korda’s daughter, we thought it would be best to avoid odd implications and to spur some fanfics with our Halloween pairing. I don’t think anyone really got what we were (not many people saw The Phoenician Scheme), outside of telling us that we were dressed nicely.

To my surprise, no one called me Gomez Addams, though that was likely because of my bandaged head (using a cream neckscarf), muslin sling, and cane. Quite a few passersby genuinely inquired about my well-being, which I thought was kind and wholesome. On that note, I was able to have two cocktails without a gout episode, which is a victory in its own right!  A few of my friends did say that the cane matched my everyday vibe, so perhaps if I had a flare-up again, I’ll still be able to get around— and look stylish.

It was a decidedly chill Halloween, spent at just two bars chatting the evening away and taking note of what people were wearing this year. Here’s what we saw:

• Two Aunt Gladyses from Weapons (I didn’t see it, I’m too scared)
• A group of dudebros in orange flight suits
• Two Wes Andersons:
  • A Ritchie and Margot Tenenbaum
  • A group of Life Aquatics
• One Labubu (which was just a headband on a regular, but tonal, outfit)
• The dancing “Jesus Saves” guy, which spurred a conversation of other LA things people could dress up as
• A McLovin’
• Shohei Otani 
• A Formal Apology (a guy wearing a suit with a sign that said “sorry”)
• Brokeback Mountain
• Nosferatu
• Max Goof and Roxanne
• The Powerpuff Girls
• Two Ripleys
  • One chestburster guy 
• Various goths, vampires, and clowns in various interpretations

The Cosmus Academy Banquet

Now, let’s get to what was perhaps one of the most fun parties I’ve ever been to. No, this shindig wasn’t for Halloween, mainly because it occurred the day after, and it was decidedly not a costume party…at least for the attendees. No, it was the Cosmus Academy 2025 Banquet.

The party was the brainchild of James and Claire, who, as you may have gathered from various stories on the pod, have been quite adept when it comes to themes, costumes, and all things nerd. We’ve huzzah-ed at the Ren Faire, dressed up for Star Wars Day, and got positively swashbuckled when we went to the Pirate Dinner Adventure. Hosting a wizard school-themed party seemed right up their alley. Not only is it quite ambitious to host a themed party, but, for obvious reasons, an original IP was needed. 

“In 1903, when Southern California was still tethered to a natural wilderness, a star fell from the heavens. Blazing across the night sky, what’s now known as the Cosmus Star landed in the foothills of Los Angeles. For three nights, the crater shimmered with strange colors, bathing the nearby forests and deserts in silver light.

It was there, amid the chaparral and canyon winds, that five magi were drawn together from different corners of the world, each feeling the same pull in their bones: the power of cosmic magic. Two years later, in 1905, they established Cosmus Academy of the Arcane Arts atop the star’s resting place in a hidden canyon, charmed to appear as a simple forgotten monastery to any uninvited onlookers.”

With those magi came our five Houses, each one distinct in personality and attitude and ripe for our guests to be sorted into. From the opening speech: 

• “The daring heart of Staghorn, bold beyond measure.
• The clever charm of Foxcourt, proving laughter is its own kind of sorcery.
• The shadowy curiosity of Hexpell, who lifts the veil of mystery without fear.
• The dreaming mind of Moonquill, whose wisdom is written among the stars.
• The steadfast soul of Wardwood, strong and true as the oaks that guard our gates.”

I say “our guests” because I was asked to serve as the current headmaster of Cosmus, likely due to my predilection for doing silly voices and the fact that the party was hosted at my apartment. James and Claire served as Deputy Headmaster and Potionmaster, respectively, though they really ran the show. Serhan rounded out the faculty, serving as the wandmaker, handing out each student’s wooden companion (which Claire and James actually carved themselves in the weeks leading up to the party). I love that James asked us to play a part! 

James and Claire’s Full Send efforts even translated to the immersive decor.  Vintage books, bejeweled goblets, and macabre skeletons decorated our shelves and walls. Candles floated above our heads, enchanted years ago to provide perpetual light to our hall. Decanters and medicine bottles full of arcane ingredients lay in wait, ready to be mixed into the two delicious potions that Claire had crafted for us. She had even prepared a wondrous spread, which lay on the massive dining table. A felted table with a golden hoop, our Circulus pitch, awaited the fierce competition that would overtake the night. But the most spectacular of all the decor was the felt banners that displayed the crests of each of Cosmus’s five houses.  All of it was an amazing sight to behold. They had transformed my apartment into a recherché estate, ready to house the revelry for these first years at the illustrious Cosmus Academy.

Of course, what was really fun, or at least pertinent to this blog that should still be about menswear, was the dress code that James instituted. As Cosmus is still an academy, everyone was expected to wear prep school attire. I loved seeing people interpret the theme: plaid skirts, khaki trousers, sweater vests, OCBDs, it was all great.   The only matching item was that everyone wore a collared shirt, which was specifically requested by James, so that each student could proudly wear a ribbon tie in their House colors (provided again by James and Claire during the sorting). This may have been the only time I’ve ever seen a group this large be quite ivy-prep, unless you count my high school, where we all wore polo shirts and khakis. Cosmus is decidedly much cooler.

I enjoyed that the handful of menswear friends who came out took the opportunity to break the mold. Nguyen got into the vintage ivy spirit and wore his flannel Yale reunion blazer (class of 1932).  Jack went 30 years into the future and had a 60s look with a madras jacket, vintage Brooks Bros. OCBD, and corduroy critter pants. Adam looked a bit Hagrid-coded thanks to his waxed cotton duster, a worthy alt to the Barbour Northumbria. Finally, Spencer went for a 30s press look, complete with a two-toned sweater vest, grey Wellema fedora (complete with a press badge), and a very long scarf, wizardly draped around his body. 

Obviously, the Cosmus faculty had to match, leaning into the preppy, mid-century vibe. For James, that meant wearing a tan point collar shirt and repp stripe tie, pairing it with the waistcoat and trousers from his light grey flared suit. Claire wore a cardigan over her gorgeous green silk dress; she obviously had to wear a big witch hat to boot! Serhan felt quite inspired by his title of “wandmaker”, interpreting it into something more akin to an engineer, not just by wearing welding goggles, but also putting a denim apron (filled with various tools) over his OCBD and khakis. He also had a big beard and a pointy hat.

My look was basically an Ivy version of Safincore— but with a lean to being eccentric rather than dramatic. That meant my trusty brown suit, worn with a striped spearpoint shirt and geometric tie; a fair isle sweater vest was on top. Both the tie and the sweater vest were blue as a nod to my own house of Moonquill. To make the look more decidedly quirky, I wore my navy kimono coat and added the Turkish hat I got at the 2023 Ren Faire. With this take on vintage-trad, my look was a blend of the attire worn by old and young Dumbledore, played by Michael Gambon and Jude Law, respectively. I’ve done slightly similar looks before, but I think this one really leaned into the Spirit of the evening. 

The gang and I later remarked that it was a good move that the four of us went a bit extra with our outfits. It really helped sell us as the faculty and set us apart from the students once the festivities started. 

While I’m sure many drinks and conversations were had, most of the evening was spent doing various activities. 

The first move was for everyone to line up and get their wands from Sir Serhan, who had various instruments to help pair the first-years to their wands; he would use a paint roller on your arm or measure the span of your fingers to determine which wood and core was best for you. Then, after my short (and funny) speech introducing the students to Cosmos and recounting a bit of the lore and ground rules, the attendees were sorted by James, who would provide them with a small but potent concoction that peered into their soul and revealed the color of their House; they would then echo their newfound clan by the wearing the matching ribbon.

Sorting was important because it laid the foundation for the true theme of the night: competition for the House Cup. There were various ways for each of the Houses to gain points. Students could follow Professor Claire’s instructions and craft one of her potions, with max points afforded if the color was just right. There was the Circulus pitch, where students would get into groups and cast balls through the golden hoop and make it into their opponents’ goblets; defenders were afforded a bat to help protect their goals. And lastly, there was a Grand Treasure Hunt that took them around the grounds and led to a pile of treasure, of which they could take one. Each time the students would complete one of the activities (or win Circulus), they would let one of the faculty know so that they could be awarded points. Each time points were achieved, the magical screen across the Circulus pitch would update the House standings in real time, adding fire to the friendly rivalries that were rapidly forming. 

What made the evening even better was when the students realized that, much like the series that-will-not-be-named, there was no rhyme or reason to the points. Yes, you could get them from doing the activities–  that was easy and a no-brainer. But some students realized that you could also be awarded points at the whim of the faculty. And so began a sea of sycophantic students, racing to impress the four of us. They made sure our drinks were never empty, that we were eating enough food and drinking water, and that the grounds were clean (which saved us a lot of time the next day). A few choice students even went the extra mile by composing a House fight song (more like a chant), inventing new concoctions, or even conjuring up some snacks when the table was getting light.  What was most hilarious was seeing the students start to tattle on each other, to get us to deduct points. While it was quite close for most of the night, it was Hexpell who won in the end. 

As you’ll see from the photographs below, the party was an incredible success.  James and Claire really went all out, which is the best quality to have in hosts and in friends. These types of parties were always something that I dreamed of hosting or even attending, but as a sheltered kid, we were always limited. I was never invited to big house parties in college or as an adult, let alone attend anything as intricately planned (and yet easy-going) as this. Better late than never!

I guess that’s the power of age and time: I’ve been very fortunate enough to have met such incredibly creative people who take every opportunity to go all out. And not only that, I love that everyone in attendance got in on the fun. There was no room for half-measures here; everyone went Full Send.  I was actually quite sad for the party to be over, but I know that this is only the first of many such events. 

Now I do believe that there was an article from The Daily Quill about the festivities written by an intrepid first-year reporter at Cosmus. You can read it here!

– end of blog post – 

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Always a pleasure,

Ethan

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