GHOSTLY NAILS

Last Halloween post, I promise. 

I've experimented with Sally Hansen Salon Effects before in a glitter finish and didn't find them that great (I could have painted my nails with a glitter polish and gotten a similar effect for 1/4 of the price and half the time - tricky buggers to apply) but the image transfer ones have me hooked, as there is no way on earth I could replicate this with my own crappy shaky hands. 

The best thing about them is definitely that you don't have to wait for them to dry and you can get right on with your day or fall asleep without waking up to fabric imprints in your freshly painted nails (I never paint my nails past 8pm because it won't give them time to dry sufficiently before bed at midnight). I have leopard and cobweb ones ready to go but will be stocking up when I'm out in NYC very soon. 

All photos taken with Instagram

Rings - H&M 

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

All photos taken with Instagram 

FRIDA KAHLO HALLOWEEN COSTUME

I went as Frida Kahlo for Halloween. Got to say, I'll be repeating the look from now on, the hair accessories and makeup (extra strong brows) were working for me, although it did take about a gallon of hairspray to keep my style in place. 

I look even more serious in my stair photos than normal - blame Frida, she wasn't much of a smiler. 

Flowers - New Look & Superdrug 

Earrings - New Look 

Collar - Hobbs 

Bangle - New Look 

Dress (worn as top) - Chelsea Girl by River Island 

Skirt - Zara

Belt - Charity shop

Boots - Ksubi 

Scarf - market stall in Cambridge 10,000 years ago 

HALLOWEEN PREPARATIONS

I love Halloween. It's probably my favourite holiday (other than Christmas) and one that has been a big deal since I was little. As a child our family socialised mainly with Canadian ex-pats (because that's where I was born) and my parent's created a little social circle of similar Brits with Canadian ties or vice versa. Our little gang was often extended to include Americans living in London too and Halloween was always celebrated.  

Because trick or treating wasn't the norm at all back in the mid 80s, we used to go en masse to one another's houses, or other families we'd checked with first. I can vividly remember trudging through Blackheath Village in an uncomfortable homemade ghost costume with my little trick or treat bag - I wore the same costume every year until I was about 12. A ping pong ball halved with little slits cut out and put over the eyes, held in place by a pair of sheer-ish white tights worn over the head and a white sheet with a hole in it. High tech stuff. We also used to go to my friend's house to dunk for apples and then her Dad would hide a Rolo in a pile of flour (no drying of the face allowed) and the treat of the Rolo would be somewhat tempered by the mouthful of pastry like flour you'd accidentally inhale. 

Today Halloween is a great opportunity to cook some fun food, indulge in my love of kitsch and get dressed up in something amusing, oh, and have friends round to share it with so I don't look like billy no mates. I'm looking forward to tomorrow when I'll debut the costume my little brain has been hatching....

Slippers - Target 

Photo taken with Instagram 

Halloween Pt 4 - Chanel Bag Costume

Well this is my costume...inspired by the Beckerman Bite Plate doggie Chanel Bag. It's a bit hard to walk through doors / past people / go to the loo, but it's great for resting your drink on as you talk to people. The added bonus is that you can stash a camera and sweeties inside on the bottom ledge, so in terms of contents it's much like my real Chanel bag in many ways. 

And my pumpkin pie. Tasted pretty damn good even if I did cook it myself...

Halloween Pt 3

I've been cooking all day for Halloween, but even so I still have to be dressed up to do it. Went for a simple witchy vibe with new pinny made by my Mum. I picked up the cat print fabric at The City Quilter in New York and was hoping that might make a Halloween quilt (how cool would that be?), sadly she told me in no uncertain terms that this would never happen, but made this instead as a surprise. 

Dress - Charity Shop 

Tights - Target 

Apron - Homemade by my Mum

Shoes - Fabio Rusconi

And my pumpkins... Phew, my hands hurt after this - all bruised and red raw, but I think it was worth it. 

Halloween Pt 2

I thought I knew what my Halloween costume was going to be, but visiting Beckerman Bite Plate I found inspiration beyond my wildest dreams. It has taken 3 hours effing and blinding as I attempted to sew thick quilted fabric onto a cardboard box, 3 snapped needles, 1 shattered craft knife and fingers still swollen from getting jabbed every couple of seconds, but I think it was worth it...I will be going as a Chanel Bag. 

Photo source - Beckerman Bite Plate

Halloween Pt 1

It's the day before Halloween, which means I'm listening to the Labyrinth soundtrack, the house is covered in Martha Stewart print outs and pumpkins are waiting to be carved  (waiting because I've misplaced the bloody carving implements). Whilst I undergo my preparations I thought it only proper to wear something appropriately spooky - I bought this dress in Topshop a couple of years ago because the print looks like a haunted wood and I can imagine Sleepy Hollow going on in the background somewhere. Wouldn't it be awesome if Johnny Depp came free with selected clothes? 

Please also note my Halloween nails...I did them last night after the best part of a bottle of wine, so they are bit wonky. I used Barry M Instant Effects on the green nails and a black nail art pen to draw cobwebs on the orange. I tried to get my Mum to help with the right hand cobwebs, but sadly she was as squiffy as me. My family are all total lushes. FACT.

T-Shirt - Uniqlo 

Dress - Topshop 

Tights - M&S

Boots - Topshop 

Fang & Blood Necklaces - H&M

Best Halloween Pumpkin Ever?

Photo - unknown source