Halloween is just around the corner which means that, if you are anything like me, you have approximately three weeks before the time will come to throw open your closet doors in a fit of last-minute, pre-party costume-creationary panic. Now, sometimes that panic is the key ingredient for inspiration; a few of my best costumes of all time have arisen in this manner. But it is always nice to have a backup. And since I know at least one thing that most of you readers have in your closets, I am going to do a little roundup of prom-dress-utilizing (but not ruining - mostly) Halloween costumes.
1. Carrie
Okay, this one totally will ruin your old prom dress. Or maybe...your sister's? Anyway, if you happen to have a long, plain, strappy, v-neck, and no-longer-in-use dress lying around, this costume is easy, appropriately gory, and fun. All you need is a wig of long, straight, brown hair (if yours isn't already like that), aforementioned long dress, and a LOT of red food coloring applied in an artfully "blood-splattered" manner. And, done! TOTALLY CREEPY.
2. Marie Antoinette
Now, this one requires a slightly fancier dress and many more crazily elaborate accessories (although if you're feeling indie- and Sofia Coppola-inspired, you could always substitute the kitten heels for hot-pink hi-tops). But it also offers endless opportunities for creativity: think layer upon layer of tulle, funny hats, long, golden curls. Obviously the best part about this costume in the Halloween sense of things is that you can include a post-guillotine sort of theme. Eliminating one's head altogether would be tricky to do as a costume, but it would be fairly easy to imagine that the fair Marie had reattached her topper (with a green ribbon, say?) and ... well, I'll let you use your imagination for what exactly that would mean.
(Sort of like this:
but, you know, undead)
3. Morticia Addams
One of our favorite style icons of all time pulled off the Morticia Addams look to great effect years ago, in the film adaptation of the beloved Addams family tv series. Of course, Anjelica Huston always brings her own witchy charm to the table, but for Halloween what you really need to know is: long black dress. Now, lady Addams didn't really show a lot of skin so, if the prom dress in question is a strappy sort of thing, I would suggest covering it up with a drapey, jackety, or flowy (but definitely black) garment on top. (A long cardigan or blazer would be suffiicent.) Then, throw on a long black wig and some white face-paint and you're good to go. (Excessive black eye makeup optional but recommended.)
4. Cleopatra
In (my) recent memory, Cleopatra had a long white toga thing going on, but on the off-chance that you do not have a long white prom dress hanging in your closet, follow the Elizabeth Taylor take: something sexy, faintly toga-like, and accessorized with LOADS of gold jewelry, tons of black eyeliner, and that blunt, black hair. Which means, any plain-colored, simply-cut dress can be given a quick makeover (thick belt, a little toga-esque twist, if possible) to full effect. God, that hair is so amazing:
Please feel free to go for the mini-braids.
Those are our favorite examples of the moment, but get creative: when you think about it, there are so many things you can do with a prom dress. We'll leave you with a little list of inspirational figures:
** Cinderalla, Snow White, Belle, or basically any other Disney heroine other than Nala and Pocahontas (unless you happened to have a really amazing prom dress of past)
** Passengers on the Titanic. Lends endless possibilities in re: the death element
** The White Witch, the White Queen, or any other regal/evil witch-queen
** Mrs. Lovett from Sweeney Todd, or really just Helena Bonham Carter in any iteration.
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