2014 best parade

2014 Parade

2014 best parade

2014 Parade

2014 best parade

2014 Parade

2014 best parade

2014 Parade

Welcome to the 14th Krewe of Muses Parade!

This krewe began in 2000 with a few diverse women lead by their determined Captain Staci Rosenberg. They set out to inspire the women of New Orleans, first parading in February 2001…and what an inspiration they are!

Today the Krewe of Muses owns their entire fleet and boasts 1032 riding members and over 500 non-riding members. The Muses can be found throughout the year raising funds for worthy charities, with special attention to the needs to women in our community. In addition to community parades for senior citizens and AIDS patients, this year they auctioned a coveted riding spot – raising funds for the NO/AIDS Task Force Clothing Closet program and it raised $6,500! Muses can also be found at Jazz Fest this year in the Folk Village demonstrating the decoration of their beloved Glitter Shoes! A new kind of folk art.

The Muses are famous for their glittery shoes, but also for amazing and innovative throws and the annual Cup Design Contest! The winner of the Krewe’s 2014 annual student Mardi Gras Cup Art Contest is Brigitte Breaux of Lusher Charter High School. The annual competition is an activity planned by the Muses Community Arts Committee. Lusher Charter High School will receive a $1,000 donation towards its art program. Brigette and her family are here with us in the stands tonight! Congratulations Brigette!

Muses Board member and Chair of Community Involvement Kathy Conklin said, “The artistic talent shown in the submissions continues to amaze us every year. We are proud to support art programs across the Greater New Orleans Area. Our mission is to ensure that students like Brigitte have opportunities to express themselves artistically and contribute to the rich culture of Mardi Gras and of our city.”

The cup design is printed on more than 80,000 cups!

Other items being tossed from Muses floats tonight include:

The fabulous Shoe of the year bead, a new series of light-up shoe beads – collect all four, Muses Shoe bracelets, a strobe 2014 theme bead. A Bling Muses bead, a special new Muses dog tag on a chain, Light up Heart Keys on a bead, Light up parade ball beads, a new lenticular bead, basketballs, can koozies, light up stickers and Muses fabulous light up diamond rings.

Also be looking for Muses earbuds in a pouch, a special Fashionista tote bag and a special Muses scarf!  Even more hot throws include the return of the Musie Doll, Muses makeup brushes, Muses nail files, Muses friendship bracelets and a 100% locally produced Micro comic book – the first in a series by local artist Caesar Meadows. And don’t miss the Muses 2014 Faux Fur plush collection including a fox, rabbit, leopard, chinchilla, mink and baby seal.

Get ready for the 14th Krewe of Muses Parade led by the always-recognizable Muses Balloon!

  • The Hurricane Runners Band
  • The Big Easy Roller Girls are back and handing out a special Muses 2014 poster!
  • Band – St Augustine High School
  • Marching Unit – Muses Walking Shoes and Butterflies

Float 1 - The 9 Muses 2014 – The Muses Officers

This signature float hosts the Captain and officers of the Krewe of Muses, floating down the route of a glittery cloud featuring the recognizable Muses tiles, borrowed from the streets of New Orleans.

  • Band – Landry – Walker High School Marching Band
  • Flambeaux
Muses 2014 Honorary Muse Julia Reed

Float 2 - Honorary Muse – Julia Reed

This year the Krewe of Muses celebrates honorary Muse Julia Reed.

Reed grew up in the Mississippi Delta and now lives in New Orleans.

The Krewe is honored to have Julia Reed as 2014 Honorary Muse. As an accomplished author and editor, she embodies the spirit and grace of a Muses woman. Her joie de vivre will be apparent to parade-goers as she leads the Muses in the signature red high-heel shoe tonight.

She is the author of: But Mama Always Put Vodka in the Sangria, Adventures in Eating, Drinking and Making Merry; The House on First Street, My New Orleans Story; Ham Biscuits, Hostess Gowns and Other Southern Specialties: An Entertaining Life with Recipes; and Queen of the Turtle Derby and Other Southern Phenomena. Her book One Man’s Folly, The Exceptional Houses of Furlow Gatewood will be published by Rizzoli on April 1.

Reed began her career at Newsweek magazine’s Washington Bureau. For 20 years she was a contributing editor at Vogue, where her profile subjects including everyone from Oscar de la Renta, Robert Deniro and Sister Helen Prejean to George and Laura Bush, Condoleezza Rice, and Bill and Hillary Clinton.

  • Band – Katherine Drexel High School Marching Band

Float 1b – Mt. Olympus Brass Band (Coolbone)

  • Band – Edna Karr High School Marching Band

Float 2 – The Bathing Muses 2014

  • The Glambeaux – New Orleans first all-female flambeaux-carrying troop!
  • Band – George Washington Carver Sr. High

Float 2a – Molly Marines Chapter LA-1, Women Marines Association

  • Marching Unit – Molly Marines
2014 title float
2014 title turquoise

Float 3 – Title Float – Ready-To-Wear You Out

Tonight, we step into the world of Muses fashion! These ladies are off the rack and out of control!

SEPARATES

Float 4 – Separates

Is that celebrity chef Paula Deen? Yes, it is and she is all about Separates – because she thinks in the south we don’t mix and match. She has got some white sugar, white meat, white beans, white onions…al her favorites. It’s egg whites only for Miss Paula! And no colored food allowed.

EMPEROR

Float 5 – The Emperor's New Clothes

John Georges, our own New Orleans Emperor, is sporting some new clothes…made entirely out of the New Orleans Advocate! And he is buying up the town – no, the state! What’s left? The naming rights to a major event maybe? A nearby city?

And who is that on the back of that float? Well, it looks like Jim Amoss of the Times Picayune doing the TP Streak!

HOUSE OF DIWHORE

Float 6 – House of Di Whore

Have you shopped for young girls lately? Well, it looks like their chief designer is the House of Di Whore…offering an array of inappropriate fashions for the next generation and led by our old friend Miley Cyrus! If it ain’t workin’ start twerkin’!

BAGGAGE

Float 7 – Designer Baggage

Some relationships come with baggage…Muses finds those with Designer Baggage – from Baby Mamas to back child support to living with his mom to Scientology…beware of Designer Baggage!

PRET A PORT

Float 8 – Pret-A-Portalet

We have all heard of Pret-A-Porter – ready to wear. Well, it’s Mardi Gras and we are featuring Pret-A-Portalet…ready to pee! Hmmmm. Seems the ladies’ line is pretty long…while for men there are only a few waiting. Why does that always happen?

INSINCERESUCKERS

Float 9 – Insincere-sucker

There is our Governor Bobby Jindal welcoming President Obama back to our state…or is he? He is holding a big fat file with a fabulous new plan for state income tax…or is he? Beware of the Insincere sucker!

Who is that we see peeking through the striped southern fabric on the back? Oh it’s New Jersey Governor Chris Christie saying, “It’s okay if you don’t support me!” Or is it?

PROJECT RUNAWAY

Float 10 – Project RunAway

We ALL saw the video…It’s our own OPP and a new season of Project Runaway! Throwing back, shooting up and busting out! With the Bourbon Street shuttle leaving nightly at 10!

Tim says it’s time for some Gunn Control. I bet he can make it work!

WHAT NOT to wear

Float 11 – What NOT to Wear

The Free Sean Payton Shirt, your fabulous Saints purse that is NOT clear, that Jeremy Shockey jersey, the Ingram jersey you had to have before he changed his number and anything and everything Hornets!

It’s what NOT to wear! Good luck Hugo!

Fashion Seasons

Float 12 – Fashion Seasons

In the Fashion world the seasons are Resort, Summer, Fall, Spring…but in New Orleans we do things differently! Our wardrobes are set for Festival season (your favorite sundress, Jazz Fest print shirt, boots, straw hat,) Hurricane season (those rain boots and ponchos), Saints season (jersey and black and gold everything) and of course Mardi Gras season (dig into that costume box!)!

POOCI

Float 13 – Pooci

Designer mutts in designers collars drinking out of designer bowls and sleeping on designer dog beds….what more can you say? It’s all about the Pooci! Is that Pharrell Williams’ Vivienne Westwood hat that dog is wearing?

PEDAL

Float 14 – Pedal Pushers

Oh, those crazy bikers! Almost as crazy as the idea of putting the bike lane smack in between the parking lane and the driving lane. Beware when you open your car door….you may end up sporting Pedal Pushers.

HOT PANTS

Float 15 – Hot Pants & Loafers

It would not be a Muses parade without a float celebrating ex–husbands and ex–boyfriends…we call this float Hot Pants (as in liar liar pants on fire) and loafers (as in get your ass off the sofa!)

HIGH FASHION

Float 16 – High Fashion

It’s a cool float man…I mean it’s a laid back totally rad float in some cool colors and stuff…what was the question again?

CROSS-DRESS

Float 17 – Cross Dressing Rooms

Yes, the Muses signature prop has returned. It has witnessed a Bond Girl of great proportions, a pole dancer, some beefcake and a visit with the TSA and tonight it’s a peek into the dressing room…the Cross Dressing Room that is!

FASHION WEAK

Float 18 – Fashion Weak

In Paris, Milan and New York they host the most beautiful array of fashion shows during Fashion Week…but what is strutting the runway at those shows? The Fashion Weak.

This float is dedicated to America’s next top anorexic model! Eat something girl!

SNEAKERS

Float 19 – Designer Sneakers

Oh! We found out a big secret at the Muses Den…Apparently Julian Assange has been found living inside of a Muses float.

And who else is one of those Designer sneakers…Edward Snowden of course. Looks like this float may be wired, so watch what you say!

CRUISE WEAR

Float 20 – Cruise Wear

Going on a cruise? Be sure to pack your bathing suit, flip flops, Hawaiian shirt, Depends undergarments and some good old Hefty barf bags!

HALTERS

Float 21 – Halters & Filabustiers

In Washington DC they are all the fashion! Especially on Capitol Hill! Looks like those on both side of the aisle are wearing a lot of Halters!

And Ted Cruz is sporting a lovely Fila–bustier!

FAHIONABLE HOODS

Float 22 – Fashionable Hoods

Neighborhoods are always in fashion in New Orleans! Tonight, we celebrate just a few of the most fashionable places to live…

Vivienne Westwego

Isaac Metairie (rhyme with Mizrahi)

The Irish Chanel

Bayou St. John Knits

Gentillyvenchy

NOLA Blahniks

And of course, the Kenner Bra!

SPANKS

Float 23 – Spanks

Well, every Fashionista knows the value of Spanx…This one is a bit less smooth…in 50 shades of black and blue.

BEST DRESSED

Float 24 – New Orleans' Best Dressed

In a city better known for food than for fashion we celebrate New Orleans’ Best Dressed!

SIRENS

Float 25 - Sirens

And the Sirens are back for the second year of this gorgeous signature float! Even more beautiful than the premier in 2013! The Muses have taken the legend of Sirens from Greek Mythology to the swamps of Louisiana. The Sirens are known to lure sailors to their deaths…some things never change…seems troop of zombie sailors are drawn to these beauties!