Ghostly Dresses DIY Costume Tips

Today's post shares some Halloween costume tips straight from the costume designers from the old 'Ghost Whisperer' show.  At least I think it's old...is that show still on the air?  I love how these 'Ghostly Dresses' look worn and tattered, musty and old.  Just what one would expect a Ghostess to wear?  And their tips are simple enough for even the most novice among us to be able to implement and come away with some 'rottenly good' Halloween threadbare frocks!

Halloween costume tips from the 

'Ghost Whisperer' costume designer!

 
Practical tips for perfecting a Ghostly Wardrobe from the TV show Ghost Whisperer:

PRACTICAL TIPS FOR PERFECTING A GHOSTLY WARDROBE

Use old clothing or buy items from the local Thrift shop

*You’ll find great treasures and keep your costs low

Age the items by using pumice stones, sandpaper, paint or oil

*Different fabrics will have various results: chiffon ages wonderfully, while denim is harder to distress

Be eco-friendly by using safe products such as water-based paints, glues and glitter

Layer fabrics to create dimension and visual interest

*Try using dirt with glue to age the garment

Throw the dirt and glue on, let it dry and see what happens

Here are a few Ghost Whisperer trade secrets:
PRACTICAL TIPS FOR PERFECTING A GHOSTLY WARDROBE
Use old clothing or buy items from the local Thrift shop
*You’ll find great treasures and keep your costs low
Age the items by using pumice stones, sandpaper, paint or oil
*Different fabrics will have various results: chiffon ages wonderfully, while denim is harder to distress
Be eco-friendly by using safe products such as water-based paints, glues and glitter
Layer fabrics to create dimension and visual interest
*Try using dirt with glue to age the garment
Throw the dirt and glue on, let it dry and see what happens
- See more at: http://www.monstersandcritics.com/smallscreen/news/article_1506854.php/Ghost-Whisperer-Costume-Designer-gives-great-Halloween-costume-tips#sthash.wbnSY1Fu.dpuf

Here are a few Ghost Whisperer trade secrets:
PRACTICAL TIPS FOR PERFECTING A GHOSTLY WARDROBE
Use old clothing or buy items from the local Thrift shop
*You’ll find great treasures and keep your costs low
Age the items by using pumice stones, sandpaper, paint or oil
*Different fabrics will have various results: chiffon ages wonderfully, while denim is harder to distress
Be eco-friendly by using safe products such as water-based paints, glues and glitter
Layer fabrics to create dimension and visual interest
*Try using dirt with glue to age the garment
Throw the dirt and glue on, let it dry and see what happens
- See more at: http://www.monstersandcritics.com/smallscreen/news/article_1506854.php/Ghost-Whisperer-Costume-Designer-gives-great-Halloween-costume-tips#sthash.wbnSY1Fu.dpuf

Here are a few Ghost Whisperer trade secrets:
PRACTICAL TIPS FOR PERFECTING A GHOSTLY WARDROBE
Use old clothing or buy items from the local Thrift shop
*You’ll find great treasures and keep your costs low
Age the items by using pumice stones, sandpaper, paint or oil
*Different fabrics will have various results: chiffon ages wonderfully, while denim is harder to distress
Be eco-friendly by using safe products such as water-based paints, glues and glitter
Layer fabrics to create dimension and visual interest
*Try using dirt with glue to age the garment
Throw the dirt and glue on, let it dry and see what happens
- See more at: http://www.monstersandcritics.com/smallscreen/news/article_1506854.php/Ghost-Whisperer-Costume-Designer-gives-great-Halloween-costume-tips#sthash.wbnSY1Fu.dpuf

'Ghost Whisperer' Costume Designer gives great Halloween costume tips - See more at: http://www.monstersandcritics.com/smallscreen/news/article_1506854.php/Ghost-Whisperer-Costume-Designer-gives-great-Halloween-costume-tips#sthash.wbnSY1Fu.dpuf

'Ghost Whisperer' Costume Designer gives great Halloween costume tips - See more at: http://www.monstersandcritics.com/smallscreen/news/article_1506854.php/Ghost-Whisperer-Costume-Designer-gives-great-Halloween-costume-tips#sthash.wbnSY1Fu.dpuf

'Ghost Whisperer' Costume Designer gives great Halloween costume tips - See more at: http://www.monstersandcritics.com/smallscreen/news/article_1506854.php/Ghost-Whisperer-Costume-Designer-gives-great-Halloween-costume-tips#sthash.wbnSY1Fu.dpuf

2014 Halloween Industry Forcast & Trends

So I stumbled upon this Halloween Industry Magazine on-line that talks all about everything Halloween related for the upcoming 2014 season.  It touches on all the latest trends to look forward to in everything from costumes, make-up and accessories, to party decorations and outside yard haunt decor.  There is a palpable excitement brewing for the upcoming Halloween season this year due to the fact that Halloween will finally be falling on a Friday again for the first time in awhile.  A Friday Halloween equates into ever-more Halloween sales of all kinds because kids and adults alike will be able to extend their partying through the weekend....no school the next day for all the little ghouls and goblins coming down from their candy binges, and no work for the adults hungover from their creepy cocktails.  For that matter, a true Halloween Head could theoretically host an All Hallow's Eve Soiree on Friday night, followed up by a Dia de los Muertos Fiesta on Saturday or Sunday!

2014 Halloween Trends via 'Selling Halloween'

Black and White All Hallow's Eve Party

Dia de los Muertos Increasing in Popularity

So just what do the experts predict will be popular this year?  In costumes it seems that DIY (do it yourself) costumes have grown in popularity, probably thanks to sites like Pinterest and Etsy.  So with that, comes a desire for accessories to add to and complete a one of a kind  ensemble, rather than a ready made store bought costume that can only be worn once.  Accessories can be mixed and matched for use with other costumes and even regular outfits, as well as being used again at Renn Faires and theme parties, and for Cosplay and Larping. Licensed characters are always popular, but research has shown that buyers want more quality in their costume pieces and are also prone to mix and match styles and themes like "mixing a fantasy anime wig with vampire fangs and 60's fishnet stockings to make a unique costume."  And..........love em' or hate em', pet costumes are big, with 14% of 2013 celebrants dressing up their pets last year to the tune of $330 million dollars!!!  Wow...who would have guessed that?

Buyers Looking for Quality and Reusable Accessories

Halloween Costumes for Pets is Big Business for Retailers

This coming Fall, many indoor Halloween Parties will be hosted in the 2 weeks leading up to Halloween....so what themes are retailers looking to stock for 2014?  Well as to be expected, the tried and true colors of Orange and Black, along with Purple and Lime, are always the most popular colors.  And as for 'Icons', apparently Cats came in on top in one analysis, followed closely by Bats, Pumpkins and Owls.  Vintage Halloween is always a favorite decorating style and for good reason I'd say.  And although Ghosts and Pumpkins are also perennial faves, the industry experts have seen an uptick in Skulls and Skeleton imagery on the rise.  However, there was also an alternate opinion...that many people dislike frightening imagery, so the retailer in that market was opting for a softer look in their party goods.  What about you all....are you hard core or soft core Halloween Heads?

Orange & Black Most Popular Color Scheme

Black Cats #1 Halloween Icon

Vintage Halloween Always Popular

Uptick in Demand for Skeletons & Skulls

Another hot trend, that I personally LOVE, is the Day of the Dead decor!  However according to industry experts, it tends to be more of a 'regional' trend with those on the West Coast and East Coast digging it more than those in the MidWest.  And apparently those of us who like it, also enjoy it as a year round aesthetic...thus making it a good seller in those areas all through the year. (I can personally attest to leaving some of my Sugar Skull stuff out year round in moderation.)  They also report that the Goth theme of Black and White is popular in costumes, thereby influencing its popularity in the party good sector as party-goes want to match the theme of their shin-digs.  They identified Zombies as a growing trend, with Witches, Tombstones, and Spiders good sellers as well. And lastly, anything 'Glittered" also sells well, much to the dismay and horror of the true die hard Halloween aficionados.

Day of the Dead Celebrations Going Mainstream

Black and White Goth Costumes on Trend

Witch Costumes Always Good Sellers

Zombies a Growing Trend

Breakdown of Top 10 Costumes for Adults and Kids

So there you have it....a synopsis of some of the tantalizing tricks and treats headed our way this Halloween Season.  So the big question is....what are YOU gonna be for Halloween this year?  Will you follow the trends or start a new fad?!  If you'd like to read more Halloween Industry Trend news, check out this link to Selling Halloween!
(All Images from Pinterest and Selling Halloween)

Macabre Opera Mask

Happy Friday!  It's the weekend....hooray!  So I had been contemplating a Halloween Masquerade Ball for this year's party theme, and I just saw this fabulous Skull Opera Mask that apparently had been available in the past on Amazon.  I LOVE this!  It's also versatile, and could easily be used for Dia de los Muertos themes and parties as well.

Since Opera Masks are traditionally held up with the little stick on the side, it only makes sense that this Macabre Mask is held up with a 'Skeleton Arm' of course!  How completely Creepy and Clever is that?!. Unfortunately, it's no longer available on Amazon, so if anyone knows where else this beauty could be purchased, I'd love to know.

A Halloween Theft and Aqcuistion

So first is the acquisition, which is this super cute and witchy Spider Web Skirt from Grandinroad that I ordered today...thank you to Old Fashioned Halloween for posting this, as I had been eyeing it for a while and I ended up getting it at the sale price thanks to their post...woo hoo!  Anyway,  while looking through the Halloween merchandise, I was distracted by a dapper pair of banjo dueling skeletons that I thought were pretty cute.  I would prefer them to be life-sized myself, but beggars can't be choosers I suppose.  I watched the little video of them and they looked pretty cool, and got good reviews too.  Then I stumbled upon Grandinroad's Preview Video for their 2013 Halloween Line.  It's called "The Witching Hour"!  The music was surprisingly hard core sounding for a store...but it was fitting.  It says it will premier July 31, 2013, can't wait to see the rest of the goods!  Check out the video here...

And now for the theft....so, last Halloween night, I set up one of my skeletons on the bench by my front door.  I dressed her as a witch, complete with clothes, hat, cauldron and potion bottles.  For my inside apothecary, I like to use old bottles and ones I make myself.  But I had an assortment of those colored ones from Michaels that I seldom bring out, so I decided to use them.  As the annual tradition mandates, we left my Mom to man the door for the Trick-or-Treaters, while we headed out with our gang on the golf cart.  Later in the evening we returned home, once the visitors had dwindled down to almost nil' and the grand-parental units were tuckered out inside.  But much to my horror...I noticed that most of my potion bottles were GONE! 
 
I assumed my Mom must have taken them inside for some reason.  But upon further inquiry, she had not.  NO, indeed....someone had stolen all of my potion bottles except for ONE!  (There were only about 3-4) But still, what vile lil' creatures dared to come up to my home, that I decorated so lovingly spooky for their amusement....and proceed to STEAL my decorations while my parents were distracted or gone inside????  That was disheartening for me to say the least!  I guess I should just be thankful they didn't steal the skeleton and the cauldron too.  But what kind of heartless monster does something like that?  And my poor Mom was mortified that they had stolen them while she was on door duty....ha!  I assured her it was not her fault, and that they weren't even my good bottles anyway.  But that's not the point...the point is that they violated my Halloween Property....curse them...curse them all!

I have a good mind to put a sign on the door this Halloween saying:  "HALT, Ye Thieving, Gutless Trolls That Stoleth My Potion Bottles Last Hallow's Eve....BE WARNED! The Witch that Resides Here Has Placed a most Heinous and Evil Curse Upon Your Wicked, Wretched Soul!!"  :o(

Monsteriffic Manicures

I love creative things that pertain to Halloween....don't you? I mean, it doesn't have to even be something that I personally would wear or make or even own....but if it's creative and done in the spirit of Halloween....then I tend to be a fan on principle alone.   One such clever and creatively artsy Halloween thing is Nail Art!  Just look at the variety of store bought nail art you can buy for Halloween that is much cheaper than having your nails custom painted.  And you can easily photograph your nails and share them online with other Halloween lovers, since we are always on the lookout for cool ways to spread Halloween cheer!

So when I started running across these photos of Halloween Fingernails, I decided to see if there was a way to get Halloween nails if you weren't adept at painting your own nail art.  I have such great respect for anyone who has the patience and wherewithal to maintain long painted fingernails. Especially those talented enough to paint their own and share them with other Halloween Nail enthusiasts!  Sadly however, I am not one of them. I use my hands for everything.....I make a living with them, I take photos with them, I design on a computer all day, I craft things and I clean with them. My hands take far too much abuse, and anything but short nails drive me insane. 

But IF I could get out the door without destroying all that work....I would totally be sporting some of these super cute Halloween Nails.The thing about these tiny little canvases of spooky art, is that they can be bought cheaply at many stores and come in a wide variety of designs perfect for spooky Halloween nails!  So whether you are a Frankie Fan, or a Vampire Vamp....there is a Halloween Nail Art Set made just for you!

Frighteningly Fantastic Fashions

This is a post that will undoubtedly appeal more to the females than the males, because it is 'fashion' related. But it is also Disney related, and Harry Potter related, and quasi-Halloween related too. So therefore, I believe that if you are secure enough in your 'manhood', you could at least appreciate the cleverness of what this gal has done. Men may not appreciate the style, or the perfection in the accessories...but the creativity should earn high marks. And although they're mostly translated for females, she also offers many 'fashion translations' for both male and female. To see the 'male' versions, you'll have to check out her blog. (The first image above is Dr. Facilier. My favorite character from Disney's "The Princess and the Frog." And the one below is the Mad Hatter, my favorite character from Tim Burton's "Alice In Wonderland.")
So my daughter stumbles upon this girl's blog and shares it with me. The girl is Leslie Kay, and I honestly don't know who she is, or even exactly what she does, other than this particular blog of hers. But I can safely assume that she is highly creative, loves fashion and is a huge Disney Fan. Her blogs are LaLa Couture and Disney Bound, and I can only tell you emphatically that you should go look through them, because they are really a treat. (The next set is Tim Burton inspired, with translations of not only Mr. Burton, but also Jack Skellington and Sally from "The Nightmare before Christmas.") So what is this all about? Well it's sort of hard to explain, but once you see the pictures (which she creates in Polyvore, by the way) you'll instantly understand. Remember how I did the Color Collages where I translated 'Color Schemes' to images that reflected that color scheme? (and I will continue these as we draw nigh to Halloween) Well she does something similar by taking Disney movie characters, and translating them through fashion collages. Have I lost you yet? Well you won't be lost once you view the images. She has done an incredible amount of work, and if you can think of a Disney character, or movie, or even a particular ride, land or hotel on Disney property.....then she has probably translated it into fashion. (Just look how clever this little 'Cruella DeVille' ensemble is....a Disney Villain translated into wearable fashion, and as thus, also into a unique piece of art.)Now they are all incredible, but of course being the Spooky Lil' Gal that I am....I gravitated right to the Harry Potter Collection, and other assorted Disney Villains, as well as The Haunted Mansion. And the only real way for you to understand her art...is to view it. So take a look at some of my favorite selections. But do yourself a favor and go stroll through the rest of them on her blog....especially if you have a love of fashion and an eye for details. (Check out her translation of my favorite Disney attraction, 'The Haunted Mansion' below. Now those are outfits to 'die for'!)
(And last but not least, are a few of my favs from her Harry Potter Collection below.) Don't see your favorite HP character here....don't fret, because she has them ALL, even down to translations of the 'Golden Snitch' and the 'Screaming Mandrake Plants'. And if your favorite Disney character was 'Nemo' or 'Eeyore' or 'Peter Pan'.....never fear, she has done them all, and is taking requests for more to do. She even has "Star Wars" translations! I love these so much, and I totally wouldn't mind sporting one of these fashion forward ensembles this weekend. Would you wear some of these, and if so, which one do you like best? Speaking of weekends...hope yours is magical!

BONE-afide Suit

I am a big fan of Jack White, and his band The Dead Weather. But I'm an even bigger fan of his 'BONEafide' suit! (Har Har) This is the photo of he and his wife that was on their 'Divorce Party' invitation. Yep, you read that right....D I V O R C E, just as Tammy Wynette crooned about back in the day. Seems they have figured out how to part ways amicably, and decided to throw a bash for their closest friends in honor of the impending implosion of their marriage. But who really cares to linger on that nonsense once you feast your eyes on that mondo-cool skeleton suit of his. I'm loving the ribcage detail on the matching vest. Perfect for Halloween, Divorces and other such festive occasions....like Funerals perhaps?! :o)

Mysterious Mask-querade

Why be Ordinary this Halloween when you can be Extraordinary! Forget those cheaply made store bought masks...try one of these beauties on for size and be prepared to dazzle. I am totally loving these intricately crafted Leather Masks from California artist,Tom Banwell. These are simply gorgeous and would look stunning for an All Hallow's Eve Masquerade Ball. Or perhaps for a Mid Summer's Night Festival under the stars. To me, these conjure up images of Puck and Oberon in Shakespeare's "Midsummer Night's Dream". (Except for that first one, the Victorian Steampunk Crow...that one is just super cool!!!) The masks themselves are crafted of high quality leather and are therefore extremely durable. Not to mention that due to the many cutouts of the designs, they are are also very lightweight which would make them rather comfortable to keep on through the evening festivities. He has lots of lovely masks available right now in his Etsy shop Tom Banwell Designs. With styles ranging from fancy to fetish...there is a lil' something something for everyone! He even gives tutorials for creating them on his Blog. I think I'd keep these artistic creations on display year round as the works of art they truly are! Aren't they fantastic?! Now if only someone would invite me to a Moonlight Masquerade Ball! {sigh}

Chapeau Season

I love hats! I wear hats quite often. Perhaps it is one of those things that help to up my 'strange' factor. Not that I find it at all strange to wear hats, because it really isn't. But I dare say that 'hat wearers' are in the minority in this day and age. Especially women who wear hats. I mean, yes, perhaps a fair amount of guys wear baseball caps, but I'm referring to women and men who opt to wear a variety of hats with more style and flair. Think Mick Jagger and Johnny Depp in the man department....yummy! I mean if men had any clue just how sexy Johnny Depp is to women in his multitude of hats....they'd bee-line it down to the nearest chapeau store to buy one of their own.

And of course that crazy Lady Ga Ga wears hats, as well as other assorted kitchen appliances and faux animals on her noggin all the time. Although she's not the greatest example for women. But women are beautiful in hats! Yet I don't see a whole lot of women sporting them very often. I don't know why though. I love women and men in hats. I love to photograph women in hats. My husband loves it when I wear hats. And I am constantly on the mission to single handedly start a hat resurgence here in the states.

Of course Halloween is the one time of the year when hats are de rigueur. Sure.....every Tom, Dick and Jane suddenly wants to wear a hat of some sorts with their costumes on Halloween. But I'm talking about wearing hats year round. Remember when people really knew how to dress? Neither men nor women went out of the house without a hat on their head. Style meant something back then. {sigh} Anyhoo...I thought I'd post a few pics of hats that are perfect Autumn/Halloween Hats for those crisp days and cool nights ahead. Some admittedly will take more courage and chutzpah to wear than others, but they're perfectly suited for the upcoming season. Spiders, Bats, Skeletons,Tophats and Crochet....these are Halloween Hats that can be worn anytime. (Well, perhaps the skeletons would be stretching it a bit.)

I must confess my adoration for the tophat, but it is one hat that I don't really find myself wearing. I'm 5-9" and can reach 6 feet in heels, so imagine how tall I'd be in a top hat AND heels...I think that's overkill. But I do strongly encourage others to wear them because I really dig their style. I'm more of a newsboy, slouchy hat kind of girl myself. Like this purple one shown here...that's what I like to wear. What about you guys....do any of you wear hats with any regularity? And if so, what kinds of hats do you wear? Do you ever notice other people wearing them much in your parts of the world? I'd really like to know, because if there is a place where it is en vogue to wear hats....I'm moving there!

Oh, and one quick warning....the photo below is to illustrate how NOT to wear your hat, or your clothes for that matter. Unless you are the Mad Hatter himself, this look will do nothing but cause my hat movement to go down in flames, so please refrain. :o)