Best of the LA Party Scene 2009

When your faithful correspondents weren't geeking out at conventions this year, we were searching L.A. for parties, preferably ones where people donned cosplay and we could engage in conversations about Nerf herders (really, I wish I was kidding about that last part). Fortunately, there was no shortage of party geek nights on the town. Below, we spotlight some of our favorites from the past year.

Best Dolls Mistaken for a Club Kids
Ball-Jointed Dolls @ Mad Tea Party

Shannon Cottrell

Were it not for the size difference, it might be difficult to tell the difference between an Asian ball-jointed doll and a club kid. They share lanky frames, angular faces marked by dramatic make-up and outlandish wardrobes. The lion and unicorn dolls we saw at Royal/T's Mad Tea Party aren't a far cry from the looks we would go on to see on real people at events like Labyrinth of Jareth. It's all sort of eerie.

Best Absinthe Gizmo
Steampunk Drink Contraption @ Malediction Society

Shannon Cottrell

Erika Diehl of Glamour Lush (formerly LA Absinthe) served absinthe at Malediction Society‚s Steampunk Ball from this large, knob-covered DIY contraption. It may be cumbersome, but it looks as though it harks back to a past that never existed and, when you're at a steampunk party, it's machines like this that make a difference.

Best Moment on the Dance Floor
Waltzing @ Labyrinth of Jareth

Shannon Cottrell

It's not that often that you see people waltzing at a nightclub, but when L.A.‚s party people are dressed in formal masquerade fashion for the annual Labyrinth of Jareth ball, they will waltz. When you see them move oh-so-properly across the dance floor, you will wonder why this only happens once a year.

Best Literary Cosplay
Tiny Tim @ Wig Out! "Get Your Dickens On"

Shannon Cottrell

It's not the holidays without Tiny Tim. So, when Wig Out! threw its "Get Your Dickens On" party this December, we were excited to see the beloved character of A Christmas Carol alongside other Dickensian creatures like The Ghost of Christmas Future and Miss Havisham. Here's to hoping there are more bookworm club nights in 2010.

Best NSFW Comic Book Character
Catwoman @ Devil's Playground Presents Comic Book Vixens

Shannon Cottrell

Just before Comic-Con, Devil's Playground threw a Comic Book Vixens night of burlesque. Kitty Cadillac portrayed Catwoman not only by donning a very Batman Returns sort of costume, but by crawling through a massive cat habitat and pouring milk on herself.