After a Halloween costume, the zeitgeist? Look no further than the back of your wardrobe fashion
When it comes to Halloween, there are two camps.
There are those who are starting a WhatsApp group in September, where they assign people various party planning tasks along with creating a Pinterest board of detailed DIY costume ideas. Then there are those who, at night, reluctantly start looking for the headband they bought several years ago.
The Kardashians, Heidi Klum, and singer Janelle Monáe fall into the first category. For weeks, Kim has been sharing photos of her cobweb-bedecked entrance as she prepares for her annual bash, and Klum has been hosting her own Hideaway party for over 20 years, with her outfits getting more elaborate each time, and this week Monáe told Vogue Halloween is her “creative playground.” After dressing up as a headless bride and a fly that landed on Mike Pence, this year she opted for a Dr. Seuss Cat in the Hat, complete with mechanical tail.
For those of us in the latter group, these Halloween overachievers are enough to make us want to turn off the lights and pretend not to be there when trick-or-treaters start knocking on the door. But don’t panic. There is still time to convince. An outfit that’s in keeping with the zeitgeist is perfect for a last-minute party invite. A kind of inner IYKYK gesture, it gives the illusion of thinking deeply about your appearance, resulting in an instant cultural cachet. Best of all, there is no express [insert name of mass-market retailer] Order required.
Stolen idea
The group of thieves who recently broke into the Louvre Museum, stealing more than £76 million worth of jewelery while wearing security vests, have given us one of the easiest Halloween costume ideas. Just put on your cycling jacket and pile on all the jewelry you own. If you have a reclining chicken crown, wear that too. Empress Eugenie too.
Loyal accessory
Claudia Winkleman created a pair of fingerless gloves that have been her signature Traitors style since the reality TV show launched in 2022. Make your own by cutting the fingers off an old pair, then pile on eyeliner.
Jeans and shoes
Remember back in February when Kendrick Lamar commanded the Super Bowl stage in a pair of jeans — last seen in the early 2000s — and sparked several hundred memes? Root for the back of your closet for that pair you said you’d never wear again but can’t part with. Brown Winkle collectors optional.
Incognito mode
There was a lot going on at Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez’s June wedding, including a foam party and six outfit changes for the bride. But it was Leonardo DiCaprio who really caught attention when he tried to go under the radar at a Venice party by wearing a baseball cap over his face. Imitate at your own risk.
Sleeping while working
After promoting the newsletter
Finally, a costume that keeps you comfortable. Channel K-pop star Mira from Demon Hunters and wrap yourself in a sleeping bag. If it’s good enough for a fantasy Met Gala appearance, it’s good enough for a house party.
Best of the bunch
It wouldn’t be a Los Angeles Farmers Market without those weekly shots our photographers take of Jeremy Allen White He holds a giant bouquet of flowers. The Bear star has been seen laden with everything from sunflowers and tulips to sea lavender, explaining in an interview that he loves creating hand-tied bouquets. Just grab some carnations from your local gas station and you’re good to go.
hat trick
Is it a simple bucket hat or an excuse to talk about how seeing Liam and Noel perform Champagne Supernova live this summer was a spiritual experience? You decide.
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