Vintage Halloween Vibes

I've loved Halloween since I could walk.

The scent of brown leaves and foggy mornings hovered around everything. Pumpkins were carved by the adults while we kids scooped the slimy seeds for roasting later. It was the first holiday that I became aware of the ambiance of it all...lights in the darkness, the giddy feeling of being out at night, the witch, the pop star, the monster, the princess all taking to the streets to trick us or stun us with their costumes.

I've always leaned into ideas that were unconventional and weren't always easy to pull off. The year as a mummy was particularly challenging, especially as the bandages were not stretchy, so simply sitting down was impossible. Just a few years ago, I decided to go as a concept rather than a character, and that brought on a lot of curious questions and genuine laughter when the viewer finally understood the idea. So, needless to say, I'm interested in the interesting.

The concept of the Halloween party is highly contested, and though we know that many of the traditions came to the United States in the mid-1800s, the popularity became commercialized around 1900 with the mass production of decorations, greeting cards and costumes.

Your humble author as "life"- please consider the little "hat"

The Belrose Costume Shop has never leaned into the scary when it came to costumes. It was always about stepping into another era, another persona. Just wearing a flapper dress or a hippie vest can transform you for a night and make you feel mysterious and interesting. Just this year, I've had loads of requests for things like bunny suits and Santa costumes!

I think as time goes on, I'd like to incorporate some pieces that mimic some of the Victorian Halloween costumes I've seen drawings of. The usual bats, witches and clowns dominate, but also things like golden stars, hornets, and May Queens were represented as well. I'd love to gather a few key accessories, make it a real 1880s flavor to the silhouette and try to pay homage to such an iconic time period.

So many plans for future Halloweens, and I'm just now working on this one!

On that note, I should get back to my sewing projects. More on those later!