Halloween costumes

How to put together your Halloween look

A successful Halloween look rests on one simple principle: one strong idea, carried through completely. A head-to-toe black silhouette, properly accessorised, always beats a pile-up of references. Three directions work particularly well.

The gothic look

Black lace, guipure, measured sheerness. This is the easiest direction to wear, because it's built on pieces you'll use all year round. Work in layers: a lace set, a fluid skirt or dress over the top, fishnet stockings, long gloves. Make-up does the rest: a dark lip, a strong eye. Nothing that reads as fancy dress, yet the effect lands immediately.

The vampire silhouette

Velvet, satin, deep red over a black base. More theatrical than the first, it calls for one structured piece like a corset, a bustier or a fitted dress, and a clear contrast of fabrics. A cape or a high collar is enough to signal the character.

This is the direction to choose if you want to be recognisable in photographs without resorting to a literal costume.

The masked ball

The most elegant of the three, and the most comfortable to wear all evening. A Venetian eye mask or a lace mask turns an ordinary dark outfit into a genuine entrance. The advantage is real: the mask carries the intention on its own, which means the rest of the look is something you're happy to be seen in on arrival and on the way home.

Masks and accessories: where the difference is made

A Halloween look rarely rests on its main piece. It's the accessories that shift a silhouette from clothing towards character.

Fishnets and patterned tights shape the leg and give instant intent. Long gloves, in satin or lace, lengthen the arm and bring a theatrical quality nothing else replaces. Body jewellery and chokers close the composition at the neckline.

The mask itself deserves to be chosen with the evening in mind. An elaborate design stands alone and calls for a restrained outfit. A discreet eye mask leaves room for a more constructed silhouette.

For lace pieces that extend this world well beyond 31 October, the Dark Romance collection explores the same dark register in a more timeless spirit.