c THE GUIDE TO HALLOWE’EN
Material ghouls maybe accessorise a tie.
FANCY DRESS IDEAS!
E D I N B U R G H Lenny Love is sartorial adviser to the cast of Edinburgh’s most glamorous clubnight, VEGAS! He gives his costume tips
Hallowe'en – an excuse to get dressed up in a monster of an outfit that people will point/stare/laugh at, or a creative opportunity to show your spooky style? Well, truth be told, it could be either, or both. Personally, I'm hoping to see some spectacularly stylish ensembles at the VEGAS! Hallowe'en bash. Although an abundance of black-clad bodies is likely to be predictably prominent. If you're planning an outfit to die-for, then you'll do well to remember the mantra, ‘the devil is in the detail’. Yes folks, I'm talking accessories, and if you want your natty black ensemble to stand out from the rest of the all-in-black crowd, with a bit of creative thinking you won't have to spend a fortune or do too much work to achieve something special.
How about a hat? It could be a bowler, a topper, a fedora, or a good old 'bunnet'.They work for either gender. But if you add a bit of sparkly bling to it, your tired and grubby old head-warmer becomes a piece of magnificent millinery. Jazz up a vintage jacket, shirt or blouse. Pin on some sparkles, add a necklace, or
G L A S G O W Carrie Maclennan, author of The Busy Girl’s Guide to Sewing and member of Glasgow’s Made in the Shade collective, lists her favourite dress up options
Abracadabra! Alakazam! It’s that time again. Cue flashbacks to getting basin water up your nose dooking for apples, being force-fed treacle (you hate treacle) and being involuntarily dressed up by older siblings. Then there was The Great Costume Flop of 1988. You remember. The time you tried to fashion an alien costume from a bin bag and a stick
I'd hesitate to suggest joke shops – they're full of cheap and cheerful Hallowe'eny stuff, but you've seen it all before. You might find something that makes you go 'wow!' at a car boot sale, or eBay. Or how about some ethnic/third-world swaddle instead (take note of my hat, pictured)? If you're still stuck for inspiration, then I recommend that you try the following:
FABHATRIX 13 Cowgatehead, 225 9222. fabhatrix.com If you want to get ahead, get a hat. Point your noggin in the direction of this bizarre bazaar for all things headshaped.
ARMSTRONG’S 83 Grassmarket; 64-66 South Clerk Street; 14 Teviot Place Edinburgh, 220 5557, armstrongsvintage.co.uk Vintage vestments? There are three Edinburgh outlets of Armstrong’s (pictured, right), with insanely friendly and über-helpful staff in each.
SHELTER 39 Forrest Road; 134 Nicolson Street; 104 Raeburn Place and other locations, scotland.shelter.org.uk
Charity shops? It’s all for a good cause, so browse around your local Shelter for bargains galore. The Stockbridge branch at 104 Raeburn Place is a particular treasure trove.
THE CLOTH SHOP 169 Bonnington Road, 554 7733. Material ghouls (guys or gals) can get their fabric-fix at this Leith warehouse store.
■ VEGAS! The Hallowe’en Ball, The Voodoo Rooms, Edinburgh on Sat 29 Oct. vegasscotland.co.uk
of blue iridescent lipstick? I’ve said too much . . . Moving on from any previous debacles, let’s not dismiss the humble bin bag tunic as the budget friendly basis for some fun(ny) Hallowe’en costumes. Attach white circles in dice-formation and you’re a domino. Strap on fuzzy wings and a pair of shades – you’re a bat. Embrace the bare bin bag look and you are . . . a raisin?
The Chanel of Hallowe’en and close fancy dress relative of the bin bag tunic, the cardboard box costume never goes out of style. Paint horizontal stripes on and you’re a liquorice allsort. Add some dials and buttons then paste on a movie poster/TV Times cut-out and you’re a TV set. (Fashion a little
headband/tin foil antenna for extra pizazz). Armed with poster paint, a craft scalpel and a heap of imagination, you can easily transform your box into a prize-winning fancy dress outfit. Whether you are searching for the trappings of
the perfect costume or on the hunt for that singular Hallowe’en accessory, here are some top shopping destinations to help solve those costume conundrums.
comedy glasses and cheeky tricks galore!
THE PARTY SHOP First floor, 291 Sauchiehall Street, 332 3392, partyshopglasgow.co.uk More costumes than you can shake a broomstick at. From witch, wizard and cowboy to Adam Ant and Cleopatra, you’ll be sure to find something that tickles your fancy, available to hire or buy.
THE SALVATION ARMY 91 Dumbarton Road, Glasgow, 334 7253. Get thrifty. Unearth shiny catsuits, Pat Butcher- esque florals, rockstar leathers and a whole host of shoes and fun accessories.
MANDORS 134 Renfrew Street, Glasgow, 332 7716; 131 East Claremont Street, Edinburgh, 558 3888 mandors.co.uk (pictured, left). Nab bargain fun furs, glitzy chiffons and disco-ball sequins from the scraps bin or find embellishments and trims to jazz up charity shop treasure. Hot-seal gems and punk studs? I think so!
TAM SHEPHERD’S TRICK SHOP
33 Queen Street, 221 2310, tamshepherdstrickshop.co.uk The go-to place for all things Hallowe’en. Find fake blood, wigs, stick-on moustaches, ■ The Busy Girl’s Guide to Sewing is available now, published by David & Charles. bit.ly/sewingguide
20 Oct–17 Nov 2011 THE LIST 19