So you want to be a Hollywood star? Oh, just

So you want to be a Hollywood star? Oh, just temporarily? Well, that can be done. If you've never been to Hollywood, you need to get a grasp on what a real Hollywood costume entails.

Marilyn Monroe embodied the classic definition of a Hollywood star, beautiful, curvy and classy. Along with Greta Garbo, Lauren Bacall and Rita Hayworth, Marilyn Monroe typified the Hollywood glamor girl. These women belonged to a bygone era, and you'll not find the likes of them today. That Hollywood is gone forever. So what's left?

In part, it depends on which side of Hollywood we're talking about. East Hollywood is rich and privileged turf, and any edition of the Enquirer will show you ample examples of movie star glitz. West Hollywood is the true home of the Hollywood costume. West Hollywood is home to the artists, musicians and more avant-garde contingent of stardom. Some of the most creative minds call West Hollywood home. This is where you'll find the real Hollywood costume.

West Hollywood is the underground of the Hollywood mystique. West Hollywood is the new Fillmore, of San Francisco 1960's fame. It's Berkeley rammed full of sparkle, shine and originality. The real Hollywood costume is nothing if not original, and not easily copied. This costume is often outrageous and the normal everyday attire to the native artist population.

H.G. Geiger, an icon of the 1960's San Francisco art movement, currently resides in West Hollywood. Gidget Gein, an ex Marilyn Manson band member, is a prominent West Hollywood artist, with several books and CD's to his credit, who also finds time to paint in the Pop Art genre with great success. These people are the real Hollywood.

For those in the know, the Hollywood costume is a subtle blend of old Hollywood with a healthy dose of imagination and outrageous individuality.

West or East, the Hollywood community embraces the corset for women's wear. A small waist is a must for a successful costume. Once you're properly cinched, the Hollywood costume requires specific undergarments, including stockings held up by old-fashioned garters and an alluring garter belt. Criss-cross and cone-shaped bras help to imitate the classic Marilyn Monroe bombshell look.

Vintage clothing provides the backbone of the costume. Stiff fabrics and dropped waistlines accent the desirable curvy figure. Soft, flowing gowns and 1940's vamp dresses contribute to the nostalgia, the quintessential Hollywood costume.

Wigs are the Hollywood costume lifesaver. Wigs come in every color and style you can imagine. Hair appointments being what they are, every woman in a ten mile radius is lined up for weeks. Get a wig, or two or three. All of these fashion items are just plain fun, and you don't even need to color or style your hair. Your own hair need not be perfect to effect the Hollywood costume look.

If you want to be a Hollywood star, if only for a day, get real with a real Hollywood costume.