The Lainey Blog

October.

My favourite month. Leaves are falling from the trees. Autumn colours joyfully dance in the amber sunshine. The temperature drops into a nice cosy wrap-around coat, and hot chocolate is a thing again. But, the pinnicle of my birthday month, the climax, the star of the show belongs to Halloween.

Halloween in recent times has been a holiday for kids – parties, trick or treating… But this year will be different. No trick or treating. One of the longest standing traditions, gone. Many families have resourcefully arranged to have trick or treat at home. This year we will be dressing up, lighting the bonfire (bbq), toasting marshmallows and of course, watching scary movies!

Having already watched The Haunting of Bly Manor – now on netflix, earlier this month, (and by the way, if you haven’t already, make sure to watch it – I promise you’ll love it) I’m totally in the mood for supernatural entertainment (although, any wandering ghosts looking for a house to haunt this evening – stay away!)

But the best part of halloween is the dressing up.

When I was a little girl (about 9), I wore long black dresses and heels. I painted my nails and lips black, and revelled in all things mystical. In fact, for as long as I can remember I’ve been fascinated by the mystical, magical, haunted and gloriously (romantically) gothic (insert Meatloaf music video here). Stay with me by Shakespeare Sister was my favourite song, and the accompanying music video appealed to my campish dark side on a soul level.

Growing up in the 90’s provided the perfect cultural backdrop in which to explore all things shall we say, occoultish; The Addams Family, Hocus Pocus, The Witches, The Nightmare before Christmas, Death Becomes Her, The Craft, Casper, Matilda.. I really could go on. Even Harry Potter books started hitting the shelves in 1997. The decade of Halloween and magic indeed! And so, thanks to the wide acceptance of the weird and wonderful, I started to relate to one fictional character in particular… Wednesday Addams.

The fact that Wednesday’s pale complexion, dark hair and perchant for mischief mirrored my life in a way that I can’t even begin to describe (just ask my sister), what I loved most about Wednesday was her style. Black, oh glorious black! My wardrobe colour staple, and always has been (even when I went through my pink ranger phase. again – ask my sister). This sparked the beginning of a glorious love affair I would have with gothic fashion and how that style would eventually evolve ever so subtley into my wardrobe.

Hocus Pocus

I put a spell on you…

Or rather, Allison did when she wore that long red cape coat with the ever so slightly pointed hood. The red offset by the robust autumnal colours of the Salem fall weather, accentuated by Allison’s honey-blonde hair provided viewers with a stunning feast for the eyes. I recently purchased a similar coat from Zara which reminded me of Allison’s, showing that style – not fashion, can truly be timeless.

And an honourable mention goes to the gorgeous little Emily Binx. This cutie never fails to bring me to tears in the final scene of the movie when finally reunited with her feline-turned-human brother, Thackery. She escorts him through the pearly gates finally free of the curse held over them for centuries. “Thackery Binx what took thee so long?” I wanted her cream pilgrim-era nightdress and matching cap. Perfectly befitting for a little girl of 9 living in a housing estate in Clondalkin wouldn’t you think?

Alice in Wonderland

Though not strictly a halloween movie, the Tim Burton artistry of this movie will send you into a gloriously gothic style frenzy. Couture meets white rabbit. The thing I love most about Tim Burton movies, besides the amazing artistry of costumes, is the make up. Pale skin, accented by dark almost sunken tired eyes (A look I don’t have to work very hard to achieve). This look is simply stunning on Anne Hathaway as The White Queen. Paired with a dark lip – I’m ready for the school drop!

Beautiful Creatures

Okay, I know that you immediately think of Ridley – good girl gone bad when it comes to style queen. The gorgeous Emmy Rossum makes evil witch look so well alluring. The lace, the sunnies, the pixie cut. Stunning! And while I definitely do not have the bone structure for a pixie cut, (or any plans to lure random unsuspecting men to their deaths…) her style is one that I can most definitely integrate into my wardrobe.

The Addams Family

Well, I can’t very well forget about Morticia Addams now can I?! Godess of death, devoted mother, Morticia is just like any modern woman trying to have it all. Loving husband, a beautiful family and more time to seek out the dark forces and join their hellish crusade. Relatable. Morticia is the epitome of gothic queen. She does not need to cause a fuss in order to stand out, she just does. That long black hair, those cheekbones, those tell-all eyes. And the gowns! No activewear or pyjama days for our Morticia! It’s corpse glam all the way.

This year I won’t be dressing up as any character in particular, as always. I’ll definitely wear black though. Let my tired eyes shine through my pale foundation and at the end of the evening after my third glass of red, I’ll have that dark lip colour to compliment. And the teeth… Tim Burton eat your heart out!

Happy Halloween!

Lainey 😉