impersonation to pull off a convincing vampire. You will need An elegant outfit Vampire fangs

White face powder Red or purple lipstick Pomade or hair gel Fake blood and a cape. Step 1.

Pick an elegant black dress or a formal black suit from your closet, or find one in a used

clothing store. Step 2. Buy plastic vampire fangs and a rubber bat from a costume shop.

Make sure the fangs fit comfortably over your upper teeth. Spring for moldable fangs and

follow the instructions to make them stay securely in place all night. Step 3. After

dressing, wash your face and then apply white powder with a puff or brush. Step 4. Highlight

your lips by making them very pale with a light dusting of face powder, or very dark

with a deep red, purple, or black lipstick. To make your face look even freakier, buy

colored contacts—especially a disturbing color, like red, or a shade that is the opposite

of your normal coloring. Step 5. Slick your hair back with pomade or gel. If it’s long,

put it in a ponytail. Step 6. Dribble a drop or two of fake blood from the corners of your

lips, and dot two small drops on your neck, spaced to look like fang puncture wounds.

You can purchase fake blood from most costume shops, or make your own with a few drops of

corn syrup, red food coloring, and soy sauce. Step 7. Don your cape with a flourish, and

start practicing replacing your Ws with Vs. Did you know Bram Stoker’s character Dracula

was based on Prince Vlad Tepes, a 15th century Romanian known as “The Impaler” for his

love of that method of torture.