We all know that immortal Mean Girls line. ‘In Girl World, Halloween is the one night a year when a girl can dress like a total slut, and no other girls can say anything about it.’ This time of year, women up and down the country dare to bare and go ‘sexy’; sexy nurses; sexy Snow Whites; sexy animals of unconfirmed identity a la Karen’s ‘mouse’… most having little or nothing to do with the true purpose of Halloween; celebration of the supernatural and scary.
Not only is this depressing- why should having a good night with friends be affected by how much skin you show?- it also seems way too wasteful for a student budget. Why splash out on a paltry piece of ‘Smokin’ Hot Firefighter’ polyester when for the same price you could snag a classic LBD, outfitting you as a witch; a vampire; a Black Cat- as well as probably every other Coco Tang for the rest of the term.
So, this Halloween, ditch the Bunny Girl getup and go back to the roots of October 31st with one of our classic costume picks. You won’t just save your dignity and your style credentials, but probably a good bit of money.
A WITCH
Fairytale and fantasy were huge on the A/W 2014 runways, and what Halloween ensemble could pay better homage to the collections of Dolce and Gabbana, Alexander McQueen and Valentino alike than the perpetual witch? This beautiful cape from Topshop is bang-on-trend (feathers being another key look; very Marni), and, with its black, emerald and indigo tones, will tie together your outfit whether you go for a lacy LBD or this zesty green skirt- a witchy take on a Carrie classic. If you’re looking to treat yourself, search no further than these ASOS courts. Spendy for a student budget, but their exquisite embroidery is so D&G, and with their versatile colourway they could take almost any outfit to the next level. A shoe that is definitely for life; not just for Halloween.
With shoes this fab, you won’t need much further embellishment. Simply add a pop of colour in the form of a statement green eye; this Charlotte Tilbury palette is highly pigmented and is supported by its own online tutorial video to ensure perfect application. For a final touch of glam, this Topshop nail polish, with its rich, jewel-like tones, will stretch the fairytale fabulousness right down to your fingertips.
A DEVIL
Even if you’ve been good all year, we think it’s time you went over to the dark side for Halloween, if only to spoil yourself with this gorgeous red Nasty Gal dress for your big night out. Waist-whittling with its fit and flare shape, with the scalloped detailing making it stand out from the crowd, all eyes will be on you in this- quite literally!- red-hot number… especially with these fun Missguided heels to match. Not the dressy type? Consider investing in a classic pair of disco pants to be teamed with a ruby-toned top. Don’t be scared off by their subtle sheen and close fit; their firm fabric means they suck in and lift up in all the right places… and should last you through a fair few Ocean seshes!
Admittedly, an all-red outfit will pack a serious punch, and risks verging on OTT; keep the look classy rather than brassy with a deep, bronzey smokey eye and co-ordinated, old-Hollywood style lips and fingertips (and what could embody dangerous, demonic glamour better than the exact shade worn by Uma Thurman in Pulp Fiction?) Looking to make a statement? Try these striking feathery lashes from Body Jewellery Shop- as we have seen, on point trend-wise (particularly given the prevalence of statement eyes at Dior and Altuzarra A/W 2014), and the perfect piece to take your makeup from the ordinary to the otherworldly.
A VAMPIRE
Shake up another time-old costume classic the fashion-pack way by dressing up another key A/W 2014-15 trend- sleek, smart tailoring- with vampire-inspired glam. This Nasty Gal dress’s textured bandage fabric will flatter and fit just like that Herve Leger frock you wish you could afford, and it stands out from the bodycon crowd with its cool asymmetric shoulder.
At just £29.99, these gorgeous strappy sandals from Missguided defy their price tag, and with their sparkly back detailing also hit on a massive A/W footwear craze; all that glitters, as championed by Hedi Slimane and his glitzy go-go boots at Saint Laurent. With the heel clocking in at 4.5 inches, they should bring the boost to render this ultra-sophisticated Oh My Love jumpsuit wearable even for the most petite of Notts girls.
Add a terrifying twist with scarlet nails and lips, faux fangs (these ones from allfancydress.com will fit over your own teeth, letting you speak and- most importantly!- drink freely on your Halloween night out) and lashings of fake blood. This cute clutch from ASOS ties in great with the novelty trend in accessories as espoused by Chanel’s Coco Lait clutch, Moschino’s Maccy-D’s inspired ‘Happy Meal’ and Anya Hindmarch’s take on Tony the Tiger; whilst the earrings add the perfect touch of Gothic Victoriana… just a little bit Dracula with their spiked tips, yet their statement beauty and neutral tone make sure they are far from a one-hit wonder.
A CORPSE BRIDE
Why not take the Cady way out of the Plastic zeitgeist with that old favourite; the ghost bride? Dress-wise, For Love and Lemons’ Antigua dress has got to be the dream. Ethereal, beautifully crafted in barely-there lace, but coming in at £141.72, it’s sadly beyond the reach of most loans unless you’re lucky enough to have a very special excuse to splurge on the horizon… do I hear Christmas formal?! Luckily, Topshop have a brilliant alternative at less than half the price; the Victorian vibe on this recalls many a horror-movie hit, making it an eerie yet enticing choice for Halloween. This Claire’s veil is perfect for purpose; cheap, cheerful, and coming on a hair comb for secure hold.
Once you’ve got the ‘bride’ part down, be sure to toughen up the look with vampy black heels, goth-glam makeup and a chalk-white base unless you want to get mistaken as part of that hen party in Vodka Revs! Simply pick up a good old white hair spray and face paint; or, if you feel your pores clogging at the mere thought, try Illamasqua’s Skin Base Foundation in 01. Pure, thick-coverage white but based on Asian BB creams for conditioning coverage, this will provide a great guilt-free ghostly base for your undead disguise. Check out Illamasqua’s website for a free tutorial on how to proceed with a full-on zombie look if you want to go down the ravaged route… or skip the shadowing and work a china-doll red lip as above.
A CAT
Let’s admit it; the Corpse Bride look isn’t for us all. Sometimes you just want to look cute, not creepy, on a night out; and what could fit the bill better than these fluffy black kitty ears… complete with matching tail? For a playful plug on this, try this Missguided marabou trim minidress- a wonderful way to work this season’s Sixties-chic trend (with mod styles reigning at Gucci, Saint Laurent and Miu Miu), and, what’s more, quite Victoria Beckham; see the fabulous white fur trim piece from her latest collection.
Accentuate the luxe sequin detailing on the ears with these gorgeous glittery heels from Topshop; very Studio 54 (watch out: 70s-era style is set to be BIG) in iridescent silver, and sublime for boosting the fun factor of this light-hearted ensemble. Add a cool-girl vibe and crucial pop of colour with a slash of bright bubblegum lipstick. Only accessorising needed: A long swishy ponytail.
Not feeling that much of a Barbie Girl? Snag the sleek swag of Catwoman with a sleeved jumpsuit from ASOS; making this enduring Halloween look totally irresistible… whatever your tastes.
Jenny Skipper
Credits: bodyjewelleryshop.com, asos.com, topshop.com charlottetilbury.co.uk, uk.accessorize.com, missguided.co.uk, debenhams.co.uk, selfridges.co.uk, narscosmetics.co.uk, allfancydress.com, claires.co.uk, illamasqua.com, maccosmetics.co.uk.
