#9: how to 'halloween' every dang day of the year
Welcome to the spookiest month! In true “fashion person” fashion, I’m a big fan of the concept of Halloween: the narrative dressing! the main character moments! the thrift hunting! the big reveal! Come Oct. 30, however, you’re much more likely to find me half-heartedly pinning photos of Freud to an old slip than confidently sewing another layer of tulle into a bespoke spooky gown ~situation~. I just can’t get it together for the big day, though I do love to experiment with narrative outfits on the regular. If you’re anything like me — that is, somewhere on the spectrum between Halloween-agnostic and Halloween-curious — but want to play with lite costuming in your everyday ‘fits, here are a few possible ways at it.
Don’t be too quick to show your hand.
While an easily-understandable Halloween costume is the goal (don’t ask me about the year I went as a NYC subway dog), narrative outfits perform at their best when they’ve held a few things back — less caricature, more ‘cheeky hint’.
Plunging bodysuit, corset & collar inspired by bicon Cassandra "Elvira” Peterson, made suitable for date night w/ washed-out black jeans and a slim flat.
Go full out, then swap in a few comfort pieces.
It can be hard to find the just-right balance between full costume and cheeky allusive hint — I’m a big fan of copying the look completely, then swapping out or pulling back a few key accessories or pieces. Doing all of this in front of the mirror will help you identify the key point (or the key accessory) that keeps you looking like yourself, while still tipping a hat to your inspiration.
Ghost of a Ghost World allusion, thx to the graphic tee, plaid skirt and made ‘everyday’ with the substitution of the Mary Janes and red wristlet.
Accessories to start.
Not quite ready to go full out? Throw on jeans & a tee, and try to allude to your inspiration with accessories only. A great way to dip your toes in, and might spark inspiration for a future ‘all in’ outfit.
You know it. 🧸
Try a colour story.
Similar to alluding to a costume with accessories only, copping your inspiration’s colour palette is another great way in. (Green trousers and a purple crop cues Ariel … but only a well-seasoned Disney Adult would ever catch on! [It’s me. I’d catch on.])
Very sad I couldn’t find a fork necklace?!
Mix & match.
Ever the fan of “thinky” Halloween costumes that truly no one else but myself would ever guess, I’m a big fan of a narrative mash-up for daily outfits too. No one needs to catch on, but mixing up two sources of inspiration can open new pathways into your closet that you didn’t think possible. (To save you seconds, why yes, the below is Charlie-Brown-meets-Kate-Moss.)
Ok but imagine a NYFW walk to the Peanuts theme song? C’est chic!
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