Chicago Gay Pride Parade - Post 8 - Outfits... or the lack thereof (alpha) - 6.24.12

I found myself editing these pictures on a plane.  I was looking at 6 folders of different outfit categories and trying to decided where to start.  When I noticed the five year old sitting kitty-corner behind me, I realized it would probably be poor form to start with the folders called "a whole lot of skin" or "topless or nearly topless".  The little boy could see my screen after all. ;)

So I'm starting with the costume characters.  People dressed as other people/things, sometimes despite the heat and what had to be a ridiculously hot costume.

 What parade would be complete without an Elvis impersonator?

 This guy cracked me up.  When the float comes through it looks like just another float full of people, waving and tossing out candy...

Then you notice something... "Hey! That guy looks just like President Obama!"  He's just stuck in the crowd with nothing to call your attention to him.

I find that hysterical.

Also, this guy totally should be doing Obama impersonations... he looks remarkably like the guy.  Unlike a few impersonators I've seen.

I'll talk a little more about the composition of this post tomorrow, but this was a party bus full of pirates.  Well, mostly pirates.  Some of them were just people decorated with skulls and crossbones. 

But I love the effect the bubbles had.

This crew... a little more piratey-looking.

Then there was the "mascot"...

This started off as a nice, normal blow up orca.

I have no idea what they made the lips from, but then...

• Blue frisbees for eyes.
• A bikini top (no bottoms...) stuffed with something
• Flip-Flops
• A wig

I'm not entirely sure why... but I guess it is pretty funny.


Another example of reclaiming language...

And the Queeros in question.  Or should I say, "outfits inspired by"?  Because I'm pretty sure the 'actual' Iron Man outfit looks a little different.  And I'm sure, was a lot hotter.  Accompanied by Captain America and Wonder Woman.  I'm not sure who the purple and black character is, but I'm absolutely no authority on comic book heros.

And last but not least, Tofu Man.  Who, you know... looks like a stick of tofu.  I had to think that it was pretty warm in that box.  I did like that if you look carefully you can see the guy behind the actual mask.

So those were the fun and recognizable characters. Tomorrow I'm going to talk for a minute about motion in pictures, but then I'll be back to being amazed (and occasionally dismayed) by what people wore (and didn't) during the parade. :)