Franny Gets Frocked: This is Halloween...

It was a dark & stormy night... yes, yes, I know it's commonly regarded as the most florid, overused phrase in the history of English literature, oft-mocked & relentlessly parodied, but to be perfectly honest, when it was written in 1830 by Edward Bulwer-Lytton in the opening sentence of his tome, Paul Clifford, it probably WAS a dark & stormy night outside... In fact, it was this kind of weather drenching South East Queensland that reminded me Halloween is a mere few days away!

After the success of last year's "stylised" Halloween costumes (click here & here for a trip down "Memory Lane") for fashionistas without the time or inclination to go "all out" on October 31st for this newly adopted Australian holiday, I have compiled five more looks that pay homage to the subject in question using

ONLY 4 BASIC PIECES.

Anything extra that has been added is to be considered "window dressing" & I would encourage any readers taking inspiration from these ensembles to raid their own closets & have fun making the looks their own!

THE LOOK: LADYBUG

1. Liz Jordan tiered poly-blend dress

2. Emerson @ Big W suede wedges

3. Dinki Di ladybug headband

4. Dinki Di ladybug wand

This cute costume began with a red & black rose-printed dress by Liz Jordan at Noni B, chosen for the movement inherent in the asymmetrical, bias-cut tiers of fabric that echo the ladybug's fluttering wings. A pair of chunky red & black suede wedges - with ankle strap - from Emerson at my local Big W store took the place of the beetle's tarsus & tarsal claws while a sweet wand & headband from the Dinki Di "dollar store" at Coolangatta took the place of the elytra & antennae.

These 4 pieces were then augmented by a funky silver Love Locket ladybug necklace for that extra touch of kitsch. Scroll down to check out this "stylised" entomological ensemble:

THE LOOK: BLACK CAT

1. Taking Shape (TS) elastane jumpsuit with mesh overlay

2. Betts for Her lace-up suede wedges

3. Lovisa velvet cat ear headband

4. Colette by Colette Hayman vinyl "Meow" speech bubble clutch

I was "feline" fine (yep, I'm doing puns now...) in this black cat costume, comprising of a black elastane jumpsuit from Taking Shape that I hemmed above the knee with cowl neckline, cap sleeves & asymmetrical mesh overlay that gave the impression of a "tail" on one side. A pair of velvet Lovisa studded cat ears were totally tactile & on-trend while a pair of suede Betts for Her lace-up wedges brought to mind images of long, long whiskers. Finally, a "Meow" speech bubble clutch from Colette was added for a touch of humour.

These 4 basic pieces were then augmented with a kitschy silver "cat face" ring with black diamante eyes that I picked up at the Equip sale for $1 & just KNEW would come in handy some day. Keep scrolling to see how it all came together:

THE LOOK: AGENT 99 (from TV's Get Smart)

1. Vintage embellished crepe dress & coat (from Ipswich Antique Centre)

2. Bon Bons patent Mary Jane heels

3. Vintage wool hat with brooch

4. Vintage brass & mother-of-pearl binoculars (opera glasses)

Avid readers of this blog know that I absolutely ADORE 1960s television shows & Get Smart is one of my all-time favourites, not least due to to the amazing wardrobe of Agent 99, played by Barbara Feldon. I recreated one of her iconic looks by raiding the vintage section of my closet, beginning with this stunning 1960s handmade - well, homemade - crepe dress & jacket combo in a pleasing shade of pumpkin with bronze embellishments that I picked up last year from the Ipswich Antique Centre. Black patent "Mary Jane" heels by Bon Bons at Williams the Shoemen echoed the show's heyday while a jaunty, vintage wool hat that a friend brought back from overseas sat perfectly atop my dark, blunt bob as though the Costume Designer herself had put it there!

I wasn't about to hold up a dirty old Windsor Smith shoe to my face as though I truly worked for Control (sorry, Dad, but those bad boys could have walked through absolutely ANYTHING!) so went with a pair of antique brass & mother-of-pearl binoculars... well, opera glasses but tomato/tomato... to bring to mind the whole "Lady is a Super Spy" thing.

There you have it: these basic pieces working together to evoke one of the true icons of television. For a closer look, keep on scrolling:

THE LOOK: SPIDER

1. Gabrielle Fratini cotton shift dress

2. Novo leather & elastic sandals

3. Tivity spider headband

4. Tivity "spider webbing"

One of the main things people conjure up when they think of Halloween is a spider & although I'm not a great fan of these critters in real life - thanks to an "incident" where I was bitten on the arm right before school camp in grade 9 & instead of canoeing like all of the others girls, spent my time bathing & dressing the ulcer that resulted - I love the sculptural nature of the webs they create when it comes to fashion. Starting with this Gabrielle Fratini monochrome striped cotton shift dress with contrasting fabric lace-up neckline detail & grey dip-dyed hemline with "scribbled" spider sketches dotted around, I then added a pair of black leather Novo sandals with elastic laced sides to mirror the insect's multiple legs.

Finishing the look were 2 items from the cheap & cheerful Tivity store at my local shopping centre: a spider headband to liven up my straight, blunt bob & a wad of the imaginatively titled "spider webbing," replete with little black plastic spiders that I fashioned into a "cape" of sorts over my shoulders...

Once again, 4 basic pieces created something that was at once sweet & sculptural. Suffice to say, dear reader, that you'll have to keep scrolling to get the full effect:

THE LOOK: JESSIE J

(UK hitmaker; outspoken Voice Australia coach 2015)

1. Paper Scissors Frock elastane maxi kaftan

2. Novo leather & elastic sandals

3. Adorne black woven twine & silver choker

4. Lovisa silver septum ring

I'm not usually one to get all "modern" & "pop cultural" but I must admit that there were similarities between myself & Voice Australia coach Jessie J in terms of our looks, particularly with regards to our poker-straight bob haircuts. Taking inspiration from one of her edgy on-air looks, I began with this stretchy white elastane maxidress from one of my favourite online retailers, Paper Scissors Frock, cut in the style of a kaftan with underbust tie detail, draped sleeves & sexy low v-neckline. For contrast, I donned a pair of sculptural black leather Novo sandals with elastic sides & ankle buckles, as well as an off-the-wall black woven twine choker from Adorne & wait for it... FAUX SEPTUM PIERCING! Yep, I managed to find a somewhat comfortable "fakie" from my local Lovisa store, as apparently this particularly look is "having a moment."

And so, 4 seemingly disparate pieces are ready to rock & roll... all you need to do, dear reader, is scroll ONE MORE TIME to check it out in all its glory...