The stern, Halloween photoshoot. (dream)

Image by Midjourney

DREAM

I'm looking in a thrift store window at some used clothing on mannequins. Some of the clothing is a little too fancy for me, but then I see a Christmas sweater with a kitten on it and it looks comfortable and cozy and it's in good condition and I love it. So I head to the store. 

I go inside the store, and it's a huge warehouse full of racks of clothing. I look through the racks. Some of this stuff looks too big, but then I move to a different size section and see some jeans that look like they're exactly the right size for me. The design is a little bold and quirky. There's a big, black blob sewn onto one side, and there are tears in the legs. But I think they won't look bad on me at my current size. 

If I were larger, my insecurity about being big would just combine with insecurity about the unconventional style and those insecurities would build on top of each other and amplify each other, like matching frequencies on a negative wave. 

I'm with a group of newer friends, but I feel comfortable hanging out with them all day. We dress in Halloween clothing like witches' hats, capes, bat and cobweb prints, and black and orange. We go out to eat in LA, then we decide that we want to do a photoshoot with a friend of one of the group leaders. We're running around on the street, having fun. We have fun in the car. I see our car trip being expressed as a toy 3D model. Then we arrive at the photographer's house. It's decorated for Halloween. 

I watch a friend twist her head sideways against a pot of witch's brew. The photographer points his digital SLR at her and sternly tells her to keep her head upright with her chin held low. I'm surprised that he's being that severe with us. We're just doing this for fun. I don't think there's any money being exchanged between the two of our parties. 

I watch his assistant put a purple pie on a Halloween poster on the floor, and I'm surprised she's giving us such a nice, professional experience when I, for one, haven't given her any money. 

INTERPRETATION

This dream is a combination of three experiences I've had. 

My clothes are getting too big and baggy. I reached my arms up to change the sugar water in my hummingbird feeder, and my pants and my underwear both fell down. I ordered some new clothes online and when I received them, they were all way, way too big. So I shipped those back and went to Walmart where I could use the dressing room. I picked up some jeggings and a flannel shirt that  actually fit me. 

Then I had an experience once with a professional cinematographer who was very stern with me. 

And I'm currently having an experience with a new friend group that I like hanging out with, and we do what feels like a lot together in spite of no money being exchanged for participation in this sort of club. I feel lucky because I mean... they have to charge something eventually!