What I Wore: Halloween

© Ciara Pickering 2009

Halloween was AMAZING!  My best friend is up visiting me and he and I and The Boyfriend put together some pretty fun costumes.  I was inspired by a slashed top from Rodarte  Spring 2009.  I remember seeing it on Karen O on the cover of Nylon’s June/July 2009 Music issue and even back during those still hot days of summer my costume idea began to take shape.

(Pardon the low quality of my one full outfit picture – cell phone pic was the only one that kinda turned out.)

© Ciara Pickering 2009

© Dalton Hughes 2009

My bestie and me.

© Ciara Pickering 2009

My zombie boyfriend.

© Dalton Hughes 2009

© Dalton Hughes 2009

© Dalton Hughes 2009

© Dalton Hughes 2009

© Dalton Hughes 2009

 

© Dalton Hughes 2009

 

I hope everyone had a great Halloween!  We certainly did!

Halloween (Eve) Inspiration: Eraserhead

© Ciara Pickering 2009

My best friend, Dalton, is here visiting and so I don’t have the time to make a huge post but…  I didn’t want to leave you hanging, so here is my look for tonight.  This is not my Halloween costume or really a costume at all I just got inspired by my favorite film, David Lynch’s Eraserhead.

 

tattoo by Dave Hammett © Ciara Pickering 2009

We’ve been making things for our costumes all day today so tomorrow promises to be incredible!  I hope to have a lot of pictures to share.  Have an amazing weekend!

 

 

Halloween Tips & Tricks

 

© Ciara Pickering 2009

Halloween Week has officially begun!  … and yes, because of my love of the holiday, I am in full support of extending the celebration all week long!  I have been planning a fun costume for myself for a few weeks now.  Of course, I don’t really need an excuse to play dress up!  This week I will share with you some of my favorite Halloween pictures from when I was a little kid.  The above photograph taken when I was about three during my cat phase – I was a cat for three years in a row at least. 🙂

There are some fabulous costumes out there, ready to buy and wear but personally I find it a lot more fun to get creative and see what happens!  Funds are tight for a lot of people this year but don’t let that dampen your Halloween spirit!

• Thrift-store finds are begging to be transformed into your holiday finery!  Any  character you might be inspired by can easily be outfitted with a simple trip to Goodwill.  Not to mention many thrift stores’ proceeds go to benefit the less fortunate and with Thanksgiving and Christmas coming just around the corner the small amount of money you spend can definitely do some good.  Better than picking up a costume-in-a-bag and cheaper, too!  And if you decide to go gore-y this Halloween you won’t feel too bad about mucking up something you acquired with pocket change.

• You’d be amazed at what a pair of cheap panty hose, some corn syrup, and food coloring can get you!  I’ve found some remarkable tutorials on YouTube for making all sorts of ghoulish delights for under $20…

 

• Okay, so maybe blood and gore isn’t your ticket.  I found myself searching for inspiration photographs and making a style board.  The more images I collected the more inspired I got and the more my idea has progressed.  See something you like – rip it off!  There’s no need to shell out big bucks for a costume a bunch of other people will be wearing!  Instead, get a picture of it (or 50!) and figure out what key pieces you will need.  Usually there are distinct elements you have to nail – with my Margot Tenenbaum costume I knew I needed the fur coat, wooden finger, heavy eyeliner and blonde wig.  Sure I would’ve loved the Lacoste polo dress but I  knew if the other elements were right the costume would be a success.  Got the wig for $10, fur coat was my great-grandmothers’, and I made the wooden finger with papier-mâché and wood-look contact paper.  Total spent?  $15  Fun had?  Immeasurable.

• This brings me to my next point:  Use what you’ve got!  Get inspired by your own wardrobe or that of a close friend or relative.  We all have things in our closets that we rarely wear.  What better time to utilize these unique pieces?  Take a shopping trip through your own closet or host a clothes swap with friends and come up with ideas together.

• For my costume (which I will reveal in good time…) I took inspiration from the runways!  (Particularly Rodarte with their sometimes spooky, goth edge.)  Some trends really lend themselves well to being reinterpreted as costumes.  There is no need to make Halloween too oh-my-gawdy and sacrifice being chic…  unless of course that’s your goal! 🙂

• Finally, if you’re having trouble cementing a killer-costume (okay, pun intended) then find a buddy to make your Halloween statement with!  Dressing up as a pair or in a group is always fun and it is much easier to get into character when you create an atmosphere with others.

With all of this said, I would LOVE to hear some of your ideas for Halloween!  Costume ideas, tips and tricks of your own, memorable Halloweens past…  all of it!  Spooky or otherwise, what are you going to be for Halloween?

 

Inspiration: The Craft

via Polyvore

View this set and my others at Polyvore.

So, tonight I sat down after a full day and found The Craft on tv!  This movie came out when I was in middle school and I remember loving it.  Watching it again I was not disappointed.  It is so perfectly 90s!  Not to mention how amazing Fairuza Balk is – terrifying but amazing.  It was a great movie to watch while I sketched out Halloween ideas this evening and hummed along to “How Soon is Now”.  haha.

Get Creepy!

via Polyvore

See this set and others by me at Polyvore

Oh, it is almost Halloween!  I’m not going to try to hide just how excited I am.  Last year The Boyfriend and I went as Margot and Richie Tenenbaum which was fabulous:

© Ciara Pickering 2009

I’m not sure what his plans for this year are…  I’m thinking maybe a new twist on the classic skeleton for myself (obviously this thought informed my polyvore set for today) but we shall see.

I hope everyone else is excited for Halloween!  I very strongly support dressing up at every age (and, to be honest, regardless of the time of year 🙂 )  It is such a great opportunity to be anything you want if just for an evening.  What are you going to be this Halloween?

Claw Polish

In my opinion, Halloween is one of the best time to shop for makeup!  Finding out-of-the-ordinary colors and tools for dramatic looks makes mid-September through the clearance sales in early November a fun time to be on the look out for something rare and, perhaps, fabulous.

Case in point (of many), my current nail polish obsession.  A glossy pop turquoise called “Masquerade.”

© Ciara Pickering 2009

© Ciara Pickering 2009

As I wear a lot of darker colors, I like having a bright nail polish shade.