Costume Couture: A High Fashion Halloween
As a stylist, there is nothing I love more than playing dress up. So, when it comes time for Halloween, it should come as no surprise that I get verrrrry into the holiday spirit. However, try as I might, it seems every year I run into one snafu or another. For example, when I was living in Hollywood, I went to an industry party dressed as a mermaid. The whole night I was fielding questions about which mermaid I was – from which film? The Little Mermaid? Daryl Hannah from Splash? Who knew I was supposed to have a character reference? The following year, I went to that same party dressed as the pop star Ke$ha when she was still rolling around in glitter and wearing feathers in her hair. Upon my arrival, excited over having an exact reference point, I was met with “Oh, Hey! You’re a Native American!” I was puzzled.
Those are times I took for granted. I didn’t know how easy I had it. In your twenties you can basically do anything, wear whatever you want, and chalk it up to the infamous catch-all phrase, “I was in my twenties,” and all is understood. Now at the ripe age of thirty-three (although I hope my botox deceives you), Halloween has gotten tricky for other reasons. For one thing, I don’t have kids and in this area at my age, Halloween is entirely centered around the kids. It becomes a “now what?” moment for my husband and me every year when we approach our holiday plans. Yes, I did consider getting pregnant solely to make Halloween run a little smoother.
The thing is, when you’re a mom you get a similar type of pass you get in your twenties. Except this time it sounds like, “the kids wanted me to dress up as X.” Whether they like the idea or not, you can always resort to the old adage of doing it for the kids, and the pressure is off. Ultimately, the moms typically end up wearing something the kids will like or a matching family costume.
So this year, I approached my costume hunt cautiously optimistic, considering my lack of built-in excuses and my desire to have a snafu-free holiday. I found myself at a loss upon remembering the infamous point made by Miranda in Sex and the City – “Witch and sexy kitten. That’s it. The only two choices for women.” This is the first year I knew what Miranda meant. I perused the internet for options that fit my demographic and the options were slim. Forgive me if I don’t feel comfortable dressing up as a skanky version of a Disney Princess, nor do I want to flop around in a baggy “Adult Owl Onesie” complete with attached bat looking wings to boot! Hard pass. And pardon me if I’d like to look attractive without being a total cliché but also not so unattractive that I look like I could pass out in the corner on a bar crawl. (I’m not saying that happened, but I’m also not saying it didn’t!) Realizing the pickle Miranda and I were in, I sought out a way to overcome the obstacle of being a costumey mess of a faux pas on my favorite night of the year. I thought, how can I infuse ‘me’ into Halloween? Therein I found my answer: Make it fashion!
When I considered the advantages of being in my thirties over my twenties, one point was especially glaring. I have acquired awesome stuff! Unlike my twenties, when I once literally wore a raw piece of rainbow fabric pinned together to go as Rainbow Brite to a frat house, I have means and a fabulous collection of pieces to make a really cool, custom costume. So, I decided why not create a fun look from clothes I have and love in my closet? And that’s just what I did below.
The thing I love about this styling approach is that I’ve gone to galas in these dresses, celebrated holidays, birthdays, even hosted events in these pieces. I’ve had some of my best memories in these looks and I probably would never have a chance to wear them again since they were intended for a special occasion that already had their “Instagram” moments. Below, you can see my photos from the original event and how I restyled the looks into what I’ve dubbed as “costume couture.” I invite you to shop your own closets and create your own high fashion Halloween moment. Tag #costumecouture2020!! I’ll share my favorite looks of yours on my page @lindseyevansstudio. Also, shop sustainably at my curated vintage site @CuratedClassix to find a fab look that literally screams fashion.
Thanksgiving 2015, Dress: Topshop
Halloween 2020: Fawning For Ya
Capitol File’s 2018 Fall Fashion Frenzy Issue Release Celebration, Gown: Halston
Halloween 2020: Just Like Heaven
JDRF Hope Gala 2019, Gown: Nasty Gal
Halloween 2020: Fallen Angel
Best Friend’s Birthday 2016, Dress: Forever 21
Halloween 2020: Unicorn Dreaming
Date Night 2018, Dress: Curated Classix
Halloween 2020: Fashion Forward Feline
- About the studio
Lindsey Evans Studio was established in the DMV area in 2017. What Lindsey Evans Studio is most known for is her ability to provide a luxury service for modern men and women of every body type, size, and budget. The client, as an individual, is at the epicenter of her personal styling philosophy. Whether you are a working professional, a D.C. socialite, an individual experiencing a transformative time of life, someone seeking a serious style upgrade, or just an organized closet facelift, Lindsey ensures that you fulfill your every aspiration through the careful curation of a wardrobe that is exquisitely tailored to your needs, lifestyle, and goals. The studio maintains Lindsey's Style for Self-Care Philosophy, which teaches clients how to use their personal style as a tool for leveling up all their goals. What to change your life? Change your outfit! Clearly this philosophy has been a hit as Lindsey Evans Studio was recognized in 2019 and 2020 as the Best Styling Service/Personal Shopper of Northern Virginia.
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1 Comment
Excellent fashion show Lindsey! I loved how you transformed your former outfit into something perfect for the season. And hair and make up is spot on!! You have such an amazing wardrobe to pull from. Very inspiring! And what will you be doing on Halloween this year? Any chances to actually dress up? What is your favorite costume that you came up with? My favorite is “fawning for ya” but it’s hard to pick just one!