halloween 2011

I know it's been a while.  Life got a little crazy and things happened that made blogging go down to the very bottom of my list of concerns.  Instead of waiting for the "right" moment to get back into it, I've decided to just post when I can/feel like it because it is something I genuinely enjoy and it's my hobby that I've neglected for too long.

So my posts my by sporadic and out of order but really I just need to write things down and reflect because I really love looking back at past posts.  I sort of feel like this is my own personal scrapbook that I've chosen to open up and share with strangers (very stylish and sweet strangers!)

~~~HALLOWEEN 2011~~~

I had two opportunities to dress up and I'm sad I didn't get to share these earlier, but maybe they'll be inspiration for next year? 

 leopard & frida kahlo

First, I dressed as a leopard for a night out with my two best friends in downtown Seattle!  J went as a bright red fire-bird, G went as a zebra, so all together we were a trio of wild animals! (J and G know I have a blog but I have yet to ask them if they want pictures/names on here so for now we'll stick with their new short nicknames and no photos!)

I used this makeup tutorial to create the cat eyes, nose, and spots.  I didn't do all the contouring he suggested, but it still looked pretty good IMHO.  I also added ears and a tail!

I didn't want to get a literal costume to go with this look so I wore a new top from Aprie (Made in the US) and a thrifted skirt and wedges from Buffalo Exchange!  Some old bangles, red nails,  and a leopard cocktail ring and I was set. 

Dancing the night away & finally getting home to take off our shoes!  I thrifted those black wedges for $15!  Overall, it was a super fun night and I love that none of us dressed too "sexy".  I seriously don't get the point in that, just have fun with a costume and stay warm!  In total, I spent about $30 on the ears/tail/face paint/shirt.

Today, we had a Halloween costume contest at work but I didn't feel like re-doing the leopard makeup and walking around downtown like that so I went with a classic Frida Kahlo costume.

I was so surprised that so many of the people at work didn't know who she was!  Not even, "oh yeah that one artist, what's her name?" no, instead it was blank stares (sadness).  Well I educated some people, and if you don't know who she is, please please google and be inspired!!
For my Frida costume 5 things were essential: the unibrow, silk flowers, long skirt, mexican inspired jewelry, and a shawl.


Starting the brow transformation.  I sort of love the thicker look of that left brow (my right), maybe I'll start defining them a bit more?  I used a mix of brown mascara and eyeliner to thicken up my natural brows and then brought them together with just the brown mascara.  It took a bit of perfecting but I think I finally got the iconic look.

Do you know she just got fed up with plucking her eyebrows at eighteen and that one act of defiance toward popular culture has made her into the much loved icon she is today? 






Next was adding some silk flowers to my simple, middle-parted, up-do.  Now Frida wore her flowers on the very top of her head, but again, I was chicken and modified it because these flowers were huge!  I just bobby-pinned them into my bun.  I added earrings from Ashley (A Fashion Fixation) and this orange necklace, and a gifted bangle.


This skirt is really a dress (worn here) but it worked perfectly with my new Bibico via Modcloth ethical fashion top!  The black pashmina was my shawl and really helped make this more like Frida.All together this outfit cost...$0!  I had everything already :)

Chris and I ended the evening by crossing the street to our favorite Mexican food restaurant and dining on enchiladas suizas and tacos de machaca! 

P.S.  I didn't win the contest, but I got runner-up!  Pretty good for no one knowing who I was!

So let me know what you think and tell me what were you for halloween?