For some people Halloween is about fear, for others fantasy. Personally, we’re in the latter group. To us it’s a night when you can be anyone, and the veil between reality and dream becomes tantalizingly thin. For those who spend their lives fixated on fashion’s most spectacular offerings, that dream has a name — fashion month. This spring/summer season delivered a surge of heart-skipping moments, with designers offering up looks we’ll be musing over for years.
In honor of them, we suggest forgoing the usual gore and pop-culture references to take your costume inspiration from some of spring/summer 17’s most talked-about moments. Trust us, there are going to be enough Elevens and Harley Quinns this year.
Gucci tattoos
This season Alessandro Michele toughened up his signature romance by mixing poetry and face tattoos. The unexpected combination was carried off by Latvian-born male model Lorens, who took to the runway with lines from William Blake’s Songs of Innocence and Experience painted on his face. Depending on your budget you might want to substitute the Gucci sweatshirt with something from your wardrobe. But all you need is a mirror and a steady hand to pull off the rest of the look.
Hood by Air’s Vaseline dream
To be fair, you could pretty much close your eyes and point to any Hood by Air season to find an epic Halloween look. But we’re still hung-up on the Vaseline sheen from this year’s PornHub-sponsored event. Not only was it striking, but pretty easy to replicate at home. All you need is a family sized tub of petroleum jelly and an open mind. If you’re struggling to maintain commitment to the look while rubbing all that goo through your hair, try and think of it as a very cost effective treatment.
Yeezy simplicity
The models at the center of the Yeezy season 4 show, and surrounding debate, might be the perfect answer to any last-minute costume problems. Their simple neutral toned leotards, bare feet and minimal make up can be achieved with a quick trip to a dance supply store and a few sit-ups before leaving the house. Obviously the infamous fainting spells are optional.
Various VFILES
If we had to bet, we’d say the Alessandro Trincone creation that Young Thug wore on the cover of No My Name is JEFFREY is already on some people’s Halloween costume dream lists. But we recommend revisiting some of the other offerings from VFILES alumni for further inspiration. Barbara Sanchez-Kane’s pillow facemasks are a comfortable and striking option — they’ll also come in handy if your night turns into a snooze-fest.
Phoebe English’s women
This year British designer Phoebe English’s spring/summer presentation was built around seven female characters she created to serve as archetypes for the feelings flooding a post-Brexit Britain. They were the archer, water bearer, enquirer, smuggler, chanter, strangler, and mourner. Gleaning inspiration from any of them would form the base of a beautiful and thoughtful look, but we’d lean towards the water bearer. In the presentation she poured water from beakers into plastic sheeting and buckets to represent loss. At the end of a very heavy year, it’s a feeling many can relate to. Also, on a lighter note, it’s a tidy way to keep your party crew hydrated all night long.
Moschino arts and crafts
While recent discussion over Jeremy Scott’s latest Moschino collection has been focused on the debate surrounding his Capsule Collection, the paper dolls at the center of his spring/summer 17 show were the stuff of costume party fantasies. Now, unless you’re Jeremy himself, you probably won’t quite be able to pull off the same two-dimensional, living doll effect. But attaching some paper tabs onto your favorite outfit, or cutting a whole new one out of colored paper will win you massive arts and crafts points.
Advanced Chanel
Okay, at this point we’re moving into very advanced territory. But if you’ve breezed through our suggestions so far perhaps you’re looking for a challenge. If you have a significant amount of time to sink into your costume, and just happen to be particularly gifted when it comes to working with plastic molds, you could attempt to recreate Karl’s deeply charming, and just slightly unsettling, Daft Punk-meets-Stormtrooper Chanel-bots. Although if that’s too difficult, maybe just turn your cap sideways and call it a day.
Credits
Text Wendy Syfret