Additionally, in the Free Dance performance at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics, Shabalin used belts on Domnina’s costume to help aid in some unique lifts on the ice for maximum razzle-dazzle effect. The Russian pair’s controversial costumes will likely prompt a total revision rules and regulations of dance attire in the Olympics in years to come.

While Russia’s skating duo haven’t been the only ones to generate controversy (Dutch speedskater Sven “Wrongway” Kramer who was disqualified for skating in the wrong lane and U.S. skier Julia Mancuso whose comments about her teammate, Lindsey Vonn have put several up in arms, and U.S. bronze snowboarding medalist Scotty Lago whose hijinx with his medal were the subject of some risque photographs), there are still an air of true competition sans controversy in the Winter Olympics.

Check out some Olympics costumes for yourself and pick up a Michael Phelps-inspired swimmer Medalist costume. Or, take a look at how to make your own Shawn White or Lindsey Vonn costume to get in touch with your inner Olympiad! And don’t worry, the Olympics aren’t just this winter… There’s still more to come this summer, too!

For now, Avatar fans will have to be content with concocting their own homegrown costumes. It’s not nearly as hard as it sounds. If you’ve been dying to figure out how to craft your own Na’vi look on your own without having to head to Pandora for a makeover, check out our step-by-step tutorial on how to make your own Na’vi Neytiri costume. While we used Neytiri as the basis for the costume and makeup, you can easily modify it to come up with your own favorite character — male or female — from the film.

While it’s doubtful that MTV will come out with officially licensed Jersey Shore costumes (hey, stranger things have happened… Look at how long Ronnie and Sammi Sweetheart have lasted as a couple!), you can still dress up as your favorite characters from the show. Guys can skip the gym time and check out how to make a Mike “The Situation” costume with our simple tutorials. And ladies, you know you’ve been dying to know how you, too, can transform your blah, limp hair with a poof as perfect as Snooki’s if you check out our simple DIY how to make a Snooki costume. (Yes, there is a step-by-step walk-through on how to get your hair that high with teasing and getting that ultimate guidette eye makeup!

With the last episode for the season coming up soon, grab some friends to come over and have a mini-Jersey Shore watching party with everyone dressed as their favorite cast members. For some bangin’ party food, head over to CZ’s forums and check out how you can cook up a batch of Guido Sausage and Peppers with a recipe that the guidos and guidettes of Jersey Shore would approve of!

Her multi-year tenure should be in full-swing in the very near future, giving you ample time to dust off your best conservative business suit and sexy librarian glasses or pick up a pair for a pundit party to ease the winter boredom. For some more ideas, check out our DIY hints on how to put together a great Sarah Palin costume or get some pointers to get FOX’s newest addition’s mannerisms down pat with a “Being Sarah Palin” tutorial.

Fortunately, the Mummers didn’t miss a step or a sequin this year and made their march with all of the feathers and finery that they usually sport. Some of the themes on tap this year were Star Wars re-enactments with nearly every major character and Storm Troopers and Imperial Guards galore. Flying Pigs were another fanciful costume for the Comics division. Meanwhile, the String Division played their banjos and other instruments on their stroll sporting colorful animal costumes festooned with sequins and glitz worthy of Liberace.

It all paled in comparison, however, to the Fancy Brigades who put on full-fledged shows chock full of costumed pageantry. Some of the themes for their performance routines ranged from Ancient Egypt, Alien Nation with bizarre, outer space creatures, and countless other unusual ideas.

Hopefully, next year citywide budget dolldrums will subside. Either way, it looks like the Mummers are here to stay in Philadelphia and will likely not take their show to another city. The tradition continues!

A great barometer of what’s new and hot in animated fare, as well as Broadway shows with a dash of nostalgia mixed in, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade offers some insight into some possible costume choices for the year ahead. As always, some of the classics were on hand including Sesame Street, celebrating its 40th anniversary, Snoopy and his pal, Woodstock, and Spongebob Square Pants.

Clocking in on the nostalgia factor this year was the Pillsbury Doughboy, looking as adorable and “poppin’ fresh” as ever and the Smurfs, those loveable little blue critters who are slated to be making a comeback in 2011 with a new feature film.

Broadway yielded some fun costuming ideas with the new musical interpretation of Shrek with actors donning costumes of the big green ogre, his beloved Princess Fiona and the rest of their twisted fairy tale pals. In terms of Broadway revivals, “Bye Bye Birdie” is back on the Great White Way with John Stamos as an agent who for a ’50s teen hearthrob going off to war. Slimline men’s suits and ’50s poodle skirts and crinoline with saddle shoes and pony tails.

And as for the Santa Fashion Report: Jolly Old St. Nick was decked out in traditional Santa red and white with a Germanic twist bearing brown leather trim on his jacket with golden jingle bells standing out against the brown leather — a little bit of the classic Norman Rockwell santa with a dash of “old school” Father Christmas flavor!

Hope you’re already catching the spirit of the season! Happy Holidays!

In Michigan City three girls were arrested for their antics the day before Halloween. The girls were 15, 16, and 17 years of age. They entered a Halloween store on October 29, 2009 and stole four pimp costumes. The store was located on 809 Franklin Street. Michigan City police announced on the 13th of November that the girls were found and arrested for their antics at Costume World.

Lt. Sue Harrison of the police department stated the arrests were made and the costumes recovered. The three girls went from business to business in the suits that they stole. The value of the costumes was $300 each. The costumes were returned to the store. Part of what made it easy to catch the robbers was the community. Many individuals in the community spotted the girls and reported to the department.

Sadly, this is not the only criminal activity to happen in a town for the Halloween week. Quite often crime, even of a small nature is carried out on Halloween. It could be eggings, toilet papering homes, or something as horrible as robbing a man. For the most part though, children are still able to have an enjoyable holiday without knowing the seedy side of things. It looks like next year these three girls will be going as convicts!

This Halloween Mario and Luigi were not the hero’s of the night. According to Eyewitness News four men wearing costumes in Staten Island robbed a cab driver on Halloween night. This story is still being circulated as the bandits are still on the loose. The two of the four men were dressed as Mario and Luigi. They were riding the cab in New Dorp. One of the suspects apparently tried to take cash out of the cab driver’s pocket. The driver is 48 years old.

The driver stopped at the gas station and asked the four men to remove themselves from his cab. This station was on Arthur Kill Road. When the driver stopped the cab and asked the men to get out, they dragged him from the cab, beat him and then stole his money.

Police are looking for any information from Halloween night. They are hoping anyone in the area could provide leads as to which way the suspects went and if they took off their masks. Eyewitness News is happy to field calls for information to help the police. Anyone who may have seen two men in a Mario costume and Luigi costume, with two other men are encouraged to report it.

If you are from Colorado like I am you may be a little tired of hearing about the supposed publicity stunt created by the Heene family. A few days ago the news was alive with a boy missing supposedly on a homemade air balloon. Many went out to help search for the missing boy and one person even managed to tackle the balloon in hopes of rescuing the boy. However, Falcon Heene was never in the balloon instead he was in his family home up in the attic.

Little Falcon was on CNN with his family and he let it slip to the media that the event was for “show.” His father supposedly planned the entire event. Colorado news media has suggested that the DA will be bringing charges against the family for the danger they could have caused as well as brining out rescue teams that could have been needed elsewhere. Nothing has been set yet regarding the criminal charges, but one thing has come from this massive hunt for a missing boy.

Balloon Boy Costumes hit the shelves not long after the stunt. A Canadian company has worked tirelessly to create the Balloon Boy costume in time for Halloween a week from Saturday. According to news reports these costumes are certainly flying off the shelves. In fact there may be as many Harry Potter costumes as there are Balloon Boy Costumes as they are so popular.

With just a little time left before Halloween, you might be scrambling for ideas. A new game by Nintendo has fired out an idea for us. Mario and Sonic have come together in a new video game called “Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games.” This is bringing together two of the most beloved characters from video games together. They have to join forces in order to win. It is the first time Mario and Sonic the Hedgehog have ever appeared in a game together.

The video game is being released on Wii and the Nintendo DS. Not only are these two title characters in the games, but Luigi, Knuckles, Yoshi, Tails, and more will be part of the new game. Your favorite character can race against others at the 100m track, high jump or even swim water. Numerous games from the Olympic Summer Games will be part of this fascinating video entertainment.

The game is complete with Olympic sports and events, as well as venues. Wherever the Olympics have been you too can be for archery, skeet shooting, table tennis and gymnastics. There are plenty of game modes with Mario and Sonic to go through the circuit, take a challenge, or go into mission mode. As you play the game you will be able to unlock dream events with power ups and much more.

You have the choice of being on Team Mario or Team Sonic when you play this game. So gear up and get ready. The new game has just lent us new looks for Mario costume and Sonic costume options. Furthermore it brings back some of our favs like the Luigi costume for winning the gold in this Olympics! Who knows maybe next year Mario will need a figure skating costume!