Halloween inspiration - black white grey & stylish

Mummified drink bottles by one charming party


Marshmallow goody bags by one charming party


Crushed Oreos adorn the top of the cake to resemble dirt, inside is red sponge. By one charming party


Halloween table display with pumpkin painting tutorial on Apples & Onions


Black lace candles on Family Chic


Table setting for Black Halloween in Sweet Paul Magazine


Black Pumpkin styled by Paul Lowe for Black Halloween in Sweet Paul Magazine


Framed Embroidery by Paul Vitale for Black Halloween at Sweet Paul Magazine


Spanish Moss tealight holders and white Ranunculus with wording make more grown up table decorations via One Charming Party.


Chiharu Shiota - In Silence - 2008


Sweet Paul's scary portraits tutorial is here.

So you have some ideas for the house, but what about you? I always think about how I'll do my hair, or my wigs. Here are some tamer than usual ideas for a more stylish party...


Désirée Dolron - Xteriors VI - 2003 (via Alain Truong, see more on Artnet)


Dusan Jaukovic working with Morpheum Couture for Best Shop (via Haute Macabre)


A Tribute to Dorian Gray. Shot by Vincent Alvarez for Soon International. Found via Haute Macabre.

Next up, what to wear? Perhaps that should have been before the hair, but I usually start with hair and work a look around it. When you are going for something stylish that shouldn't mean giving up on the costume side of things, dressing up is half the fun. One option is to think Couture or Avante Garde catwalk style take some Halloween fashion tips from the runway shows and magazines.


Gareth Pugh via About a Girl.


Gareth Pugh - Spring Collection, Women's 2010 via Million Looks.


Gareth Pugh - Spring Collection, Men's 2010 via Homme Times.


Gareth Pugh via About a Girl.


Peter Pilotto Franken-Fashion mask for model Guinevere van Seenus on Dazed Digital.


Chic Gothic Glam, shot by Craig McDean for Vogue Italia. Found via Haute Macabre.




Photographed by Jerry Bennet :: Modeled & MUA by Manchester
Wardrobe and Styled by Alex London. Found via Haute Macabre.


Photos from Max.Tan’s F/W 2010 collection via Haute Macabre.


Iris van Herpen - Capriole - Paris Haute Couture Show

I have so much more but don't have time to find the links, perhaps another time? FOr now I need to get on with my own Halloween arrangements, like dusting off Mr P's green lady painting 'Tina' by J.H.Lynch which is perfect for Halloween in a mobile home since it oozes kitsch. I'll try and get a photo if I have time.

Free Halloween invite & tutorial

Part of my 2005 Halloween Party Invite (180dpi 15cm wide)

Want to use this to make you own invites?
• Click the invite above to enlarge the black and white image.
• Save to your hard drive.
• Scale to the size you need and print out.
• Colour in the lettering by hand - orange, bright red and green work well.
• Leave it at that and add your details on the back. or read on for the 3D version...

Here is my original mock up (a bit streaky as the ink was running out).

Place party details behind the front flap in contrasting colour


Flip over tabs of different heads on the body.


Wig hand coloured to match the text.

Well, not so much a Tutorial as a 'Look how I did it'. When I made this originally it was actually part of a flip to change card showing the body with my head in various fancy dress outfits from previous years with Jack Skellington as the main one and Ghostly Woman, Dia de Los Muertos Skull and Edward Scissorhands as flip down options simply attached with a bit of Scotch tape at the top, like a hinge. The corners of the flip tabs are folded forwards on the left so you know they can be lifted and and backwards on the right to make the layers stick out a little from each other to give a better 3D look. I cut a slit in the centre of the card so that the text on the front would fold back to reveal party details in a contrasting colour underneath. The Tree and landscape silhouette was from a photo I took nearby and the oversized moon was added in Photoshop. Why not try making one with things related to where you live.

I hope you can have some fun with this or are inspired to try something of your own. I'd love to hear if you do. I hope to post more Halloween inspiration through the week.