Beetlejuice

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Dress: Mika & Gala lace & cotton

Top: Palm Tree Fashion mesh

Heels: Novo satin pumps

Bag: Sportsgirl

Bangle: Wallace Bishop silver & elastic

Indian Bangle: Adorne

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Inadvertently channeling the movie 1988 movie Beetlejuice with my look today, owing to the mix of draped black lace & the striped shoes. 

I suppose I am getting the jump on Halloween a few weeks early, as it is something we seem to be celebrating in Australian now. When I was younger, it was purely seen as an American thing, although having recently watched the television adaptation of Agatha Christie's Halloween Party - featuring the Belgian super-sleuth Hercule Poirot - I have come to realise it is also a feature on British calendars & we appear to be merely "catching up" with our Northern Hemisphere counterparts. 

And hey, who doesn't love the opportunity to dress up?! 

A comedy-horror-fantasy film from legendary auteur Tim Burton, Beetlejuice is the story of the Maitlands, a recently deceased young couple who become ghosts haunting their former "dream" home - which has subsequently been purchased by an obnoxious real estate developer, his social-climbing second wife & goth daughter from his first marriage - & the obnoxious, miscreant ghost named Beetlejuice who tries to scare the new owners away... permanently. It was a box office smash back in the day, launching the careers of many of its stars including Geena Davis, Alec Baldwin & Winona Ryder & is now considered to be a cult classic. 

And speaking of stars, say what you like about Winona but I have always thought she had serious acting chops underneath that sweet pixie face & absolutely ADORED her in both Edward Scissorhands & Beetlejuice. What I particularly loved about her character Lydia was the costumes... and I'm not alone. Apparently Marc Jacobs spring 2014 collection was inspired by the movie! That's what I call timing...

www.stylecaster.com 

But back to my outfit... 

The black lace maxi dress piqued my interest as it clearly had the "swish" factor that I love for spring but I was still unsure due to the drawstring neckline, as I really didn't want to commit to a strapless bra. Solution? This black mesh short-sleeved top which provided more coverage without losing the tie feature of the neckline entirely. Furthermore, it created a layered look, adding yet another dimension & texture to the mix for visual interest. 

All that was required to complete the outfit was a pair of black & white striped shoes to "jazz up" the otherwise dark ensemble, a black handbag, silver bangle & a black & white Indian style hinged bangle to bring in yet another monochromatic touch. For a close-up view of all textures & accessories, keep scrolling down: