How to do Halloween the Right Way
There are few holidays as exciting and dynamic as Halloween. For all ages, it’s a chance to dress up, get creative, and throw a killer bash with friends. Even so, despite the fact that Halloween has all the trappings for a great night, the festival has a certain reputation when it comes to costumes.
Some stick to the horror theme, creating frightening get-ups with cobwebs, fake blood, and spooky cloaks. Others opt for minimal coverage to show off their bodies, from black cats to risqué Wonder Women. The bold opt for costumes with social commentary and the witty for ‘deep cuts’ from pop culture; even more just try to find something to wear.
But building a truly unforgettable Halloween costume is an art. It involves a cheeky idea and an ability to pull together a convincing costume—but an outfit’s success is also highly dependent on its audience and the event it will be worn at.
Consider the most famous Halloween party of all: Heidi Klum’s annual Halloween costume party. Celebrities of all stripes attend with seamless costumes that cover a range of themes, from horror to pop culture to glam. The lesson here? It doesn’t matter what you want to do—just go for it, and don’t look back.
Ready to craft an incredible Halloween costume? Keep these three pointers in mind.
Create a Cohesive Idea
Those looking for inspiration will find more than a few interesting ideas in Vegas—and not just from those who pose for tourists along the Strip. Typically, pros are known for stoicism, but many have also embraced Halloween with great enthusiasm, opting to dress up for the cameras each year.
One pro, Phil Hellmuth, dressed as Thor at the 2018 World Series of Poker tournament. Another, Phil Laak, literally disappeared under a Hollywood-level aged face prosthetic at the 2008 World Series of Poker. As expected, Hellmuth’s Thor drew massive attention, while it took attendees hours to figure out who Laak was because of the quality of his mask and his dedication to walking and sitting like an elderly man.
Both pros show total dedication to their look. No matter what idea you’re tinkering with, make sure it’s hyper-specific, as this will inform other key details from accessories to body language.
Know Your Audience (and Location)
The costume-wearer won’t be spending the entire night staring at their own look, which means it’s important to cater the outfit for the crowd and location you’ll be attending. This is most relevant for horror looks; no one wants to stare at Alien if the party is Wes Anderson-themed. The same goes for gore-heavy bashes; no host wants to see a bunny in a leotard at their Last House on the Left party.
Another piece of advice is to always dress for the weather. Most parties are hosted partly inside and partly outside, which makes factoring layers an important part for many party-goers who live farther north.
Lastly, keep in mind where the party will be hosted. Some venues will be jam-packed, which makes heavy or larger costumes more complicated for yourself and those around you. This doesn’t mean you can’t dress like Ursula from The Little Mermaid… but maybe consider making some of her tentacles removable in case of space-saving emergencies.
Avoid Costume Stores
Never, ever head into a tacky costume store and expect anything positive to come of the experience. Instead, stick to cosplay stores. Most costume stores cater specifically to single-use getups made from latex and polyester, which look as cheap as they cost. Cosplay stores, on the other hand, tend to cater to a more refined demographic that relies heavily on costumes.
Another pro tip is to skip out on costumes and cosplay pieces as much as possible, and instead purchase pieces that can be adapted to everyday outfits. Not only does this minimize waste, but it also leads to a few interesting accessories, in many cases. While not every look will allow for this, it’s a great philosophy to keep in mind when building a Halloween costume.
Tried & Tested Wake Skincare
'Skincare for the ‘On’ generation', *calls Roger Federer!* Wake is the young beauty brand tailored to the skincare woes of a generation connected. Innovative products said to solve the problems of a non-stop lifestyle including long hours on screens emitting blue light, working out at the gym and the lacklustre, photo-aged skin that can result. Wake was born in 2018 from two smart Millennials - Anton Burton, 30 and Alex Mavor, 29 - noticing these issues in themselves, their families and friends .
The Wake story begins with just three essentials: an Eye Gel, a Face Cream and a Face Mask. All products are fragrance free and gender neutral or come with a natural scent. And all come housed in glass jars to reduce plastic consumption and recycled cardboard packaging which is also recyclable.
Left - Wake - Eye Gel - 30ml - £22.98, Face Cream - 50ml - £24.98, Face Mask - 50ml - £27.98
TheChicGeek says, “Not be confused with Waken, the hipster mouthcare brand, Wake, sticks to the simple formula of three products: face, eyes, mask.
I was actually surprised both founders were male, not really sure why - Anton and Alex, who met at University - maybe because the packaging is fairly neutral, but I would have lent towards the feminine.
The Face Mask is Millennial pink - Australian pink clay - and has a satisfying restful result. The Face Cream is light, non-greasy and nourishing and so too the eye cream. While not that memorable, fragrance free, these products feel reliable and the packaging says quality.
There could possibly do with putting the directions on the actual products, especially on the Face Mask, as you’re not using it everyday and we forget. And, like I always say, an SPF in the daily/daytime products.”
Sadly, The Summer Must-Have - The Anorak
As David Brent would say, "It's been a washout". The item you've probably spent the majority of time in this summer is your trusty waterproof or anorak. It never seems to stop raining. While great for the trees and ducks, it does dominate the summer wardrobe. So, it could be worth making an investment.
This minimal number from Nobis is made from technical taffeta nylon. The 'Huron' pullover anorak protects you from the rain and wind, with a sporty, half-zip. A drawstring hood provides added protection against the elements, while elasticised cuffs help keep warmth in and water out. Add a jumper layer underneath and it will take you well into Autumn.
Left - Nobis - Huron - £425
Introducing Patterning
Have you heard of ‘patterning’? No, me neither. Patterning is a new next-gen wellbeing practice that combines an immersive listening experience with the power of peer support to help you live life with greater intention
Created by CALM, Campaign Against Living Miserably, Chair James Scroggs and Matt Hart, Patterning's sound-based practice is facilitated principally by an app that invites us to state our intentions, channel them, then reflect on whether those intentions have impacted our lives.
“We start at first principles: we all have patterns in our lives we’d love to change. But we know that changing patterns is really hard. This venture started when we came across a particular energetic pattern from a quantum scientific study (dubbed The Pattern) that can energise us in changing our own patterns. Ergo, it seemed obvious to call our practice and our app Patterning.” says Scroggs.
Patterning really dates back 33 years to the inception of a scientific study, to which some of the world’s greatest minds in Math and Geometry have contributed. It is truly founded on science - quantum science... which is informing much of what we take for granted today, in physics, computing, data etc - largely because it states that everything in the world is relational.
TheChicGeek says, “You type and state your intention at the beginning, it could be something like ‘be more focused’. Your intentions can only happen if you intend for them to happen. Choose the length of time, then close your eyes and ‘sink in’. The sound is like constant sonic type sound with a wave cycle and energetic vibrations.
They suggest you buddy up with somebody to keep up your patterning practise. Think of it like sonic clarity for your mind.”
You find out more here
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Tried & Tested Dunhill Driven Fragrance
Dunhill Driven is said to be inspired by the man who is fearless, has confidence and persistence. A fragrance for the man who is a warrior at heart, it opens with a blend of bergamot, lime, red apple and plum. The heart of the fragrance delivers freshness with a blend of cardamom, cinnamon, and jasmine, all harmoniously combined with velvety rose. The base maintains a warm depth, with notes of amber, amyris wood, vanilla, cedarwood and musk.
Left - Dunhill - Driven - Available at The Fragrance Shop - EDP 100ml - £64
TheChicGeek says, “Dunhill has had more brand directions than a compass and aesthetic reinventions than the cast of Friends. Creative Directors have come and gone - it's currently Mark Weston, formerly of Burberry - and the brand has pin-balled from one new look to another over the decades. The current vibe is fashion cool, but as a style observer, they need commit before I do.
As for the fragrance, it is well thought out. Great name, referencing the Dunhill motorcar heritage, while feeling modern with the packaging and branding. The monochrome design on the box is pulled from a current runway shirt. The bottle is great with its large black gear top.
Dunhill has done some great men’s fragrances over the last few years. This feels safe and commercial. The three main scent pillars are a top of red apple, middle of cardamom and base of cedarwood. It would have be nice have something more forward thinking with a name like Driven, but it’s an easy wear and if you’re a fan of Boss Bottled you’ll love this.”
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Splash Or Cash? The Light Flower Print Shirt
Florals for spring, and all that jazz, groundbreaking, etc. but it really gets old. This season, it is less colourful and, dare I say, minimal.
The flowers are graphically bold and play into a more clean sensibility.
Splashy Sandro has gone more stylised with this strongly contrasting daisy type flower, while Cash Zara has gone more natural with a painterly Magnolia type flower. They’ve obviously been looking at lockdown Instagram…
Left - Sandro - Flowing Printed Shirt - £143.20
Below - Zara - Floral Print Shirt - £27.99
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Tried & Tested Proverb Refillable Deodorant
Proverb Refillable Deodorant harnesses natural, plant powered ingredients to keep your underarms dry, fresh and sweetly scented without any aluminium.
Founders, Kirstie and Luke, combined their passion of a skincare expert and an ex-professional athlete, both obsessed with creating products that deliver better health & performance. This is no eco bandwagon, it’s their life’s work - the refill comes in 100% compostable paper.
Left - Proverb - Refillable Deodorant Starter Pack with Two Refills - £29, Refillable Starter Pack - £17
There are five scent options: Wild Mint & Eucalyptus, Wild Mint & Eucalyptus – Active, Coconut & Tonka, Coconut & Tonka – Active and Sensitive & Unfragranced.
Choose your Refillable Case colour. You get this outer case free of charge. You only need this once and then ongoing you just buy refills to save single-use plastic. Available in white, grey and yellow.
Ingredients include candelilla and carnauba wax, plant-based waxes to create the deodorant stick and also helps soften the skin. Milk of magnesium is used it to balance the skin’s natural pH while killing odour causing bacteria.
TheChicGeek says, “Sales of deodorants and antiperspirants are down during the pandemic. According to the consumer giant, Unilever, who makes Lynx, Sure and Dove, consumers appeared to abandon personal hygiene while stuck at home. The company said in its last financial statement, ‘Deodorants declined high-single digit as the deodorants market was also impacted by lower consumer usage.’
But, return we will and you couldn’t wrong with picking up this from Proverb. While the environmental credentials are fantastic, what really matters is how you feel and smell. This makes you feel confident and the smell is great.
It is expensive, but it feels quality and they explain their pricing on the website which is a nice touch. I tried Wild Mint & Eucalyptus, I’m not sure if it was ‘Active’ or not, and I’m not really clear on the difference, you just want the one that works the best, but it smelt delicious even geranium like, which I love. Very green and clean. And the smell lasts. This is definitely going on TheChicGeek Recommends list.”
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