4 Inspirations for Halloween 2015

Not only art but more and more fashion imitates life. The question is what do we want to emulate when we are making decisions concerning our Halloween costumes? If I was to judge just based on the majority of fashion choices of the participants of the annual NY Halloween Parade (slutty nurses, thousands of police uniforms, etc.), the conclusions could be devastating. However, this year I wanted to look at Halloween from an entirely different perspective. Let's face it, as a person born and raised in Poland, although I have been living in New York for a few years, I have never actually developed an intimate relationship with this holiday. However, it really fascinates me from a cultural point of view, and I would like to show you how this year Halloween can elevate your taste in art, fashion, and movies.

Vintage Halloween

First, I love the Mexican tradition of the Day of the Dead as it carries so many vibrant colors, symbols, rituals, and meanings. When I found the editorial by Rankin and Andrew Gallimore for Hunger Magazine featuring theatrical and masks, I thought that I would be more than happy to wear a mask like that at one of the Halloween parties or even better have a photo like that framed on my wall.

Epitaph Editorial via Trendland

I have to admit that, deep inside,  I am a vintage fashion gal and Halloween is a perfect time to discover a dramatic angle of that obsession in all of us. We can just let the imagination go wild, and it can be really glamorous. Sometimes minimal approach can work magic. If you are looking for inspiration, just turn to the pictures from Truman Capote's "Black and White Ball" held at the Plaza Hotel in New York in 1966. I love this photo of Candice Bergen with a white rabbit mask; a mix of movie star chic and Alice in Wonderland-charm in one.

Master of Kitschy and Brilliant Horror Movies - William Castle

If you have not discovered William Castle's brilliant cult horror films, you are missing on a lot of fun. He left school at the age of 15 but had a natural talent for the movie making, especially for all sorts of gimmicks related to the promotion of his films. He appeared in almost all of his movie trailers and was famous for his witty and sarcastically funny commentaries. Joan Crawford in Straight Jacket is an experience of craftsmanship I will never forget. Vincent Price in The Tingler is an example of cheesy old-Hollywood horror fun!

Manish Arora Fall 2015 via Livingly

Finally, recently I have discovered Manish Arora, a fashion designer known as the "John Galliano of India." His 2015 Fall collection had many versions of skull purses; each of them was like a piece of medieval art placed in a modern cultural context. To have a bag like that would be quite a fashion statement at any Halloween party.

Let me know what inspirations associated with Halloween you have this year and have a lot of spooky and glamorous fun this weekend!