It’s hard to believe, but Halloween is just around the corner and the time for costume and décor shopping is now! One thing that I love about Halloween is how reliant the holiday is on setting a mood. I feel like this day, more than any other, is shrouded in a distinct ambiance. To achieve an eerie atmosphere, I’ve noticed that it can sometimes be as simple as streamlining everything to black and white. This emphasizes the shadows, and we all know that Halloween is a shadowy event, don’t we?
Image via ThriftDee.com
Here’s an example – this display was curated by Dee and shared on her blog, ThriftDee (cute name, right?). I’m floored by the simple, yet stunning, transition that this porcelain fox and stand made before becoming a part of her Halloween mantle. My eye would have glided right past it in its original form, but once painted and placed amidst other colorless curiosities it creates the perfect atmosphere for an October eve.
Image via SFGoodwill.org
This somber secret works for costumes, too! Pale skin and dark, sunken eyes are trademarks of Halloween and can be played up by matching the rest of the costume to them like with a ghost bride, Beetlejuice, or even a black and white movie costume. This zero waste costume inspiration from Goodwill Industries of San Francisco has some wonderful suggestions for recreating the creepy costume pictured above from items you can find at your own Goodwill retail store. By the way, did you know that your local Goodwill helps to create thousands of jobs and millions in revenues that fund job training programs across the United States and Canada, contributing sound investments in the economic health of local communities? Yeah! That’s where the money from your purchases goes. Pretty cool, huh?
Image via thesweetestoccasion.com
Anyway, back to our topic: a black and white Halloween. Of course, the details of an event are always what leave a lasting impression, so if you’re entertaining this Halloween you may want to take a gander at Goodwill Valleys’s Holiday DIY and Entertaining pinboard. That’s where I found this fun black and white Halloween idea round up! Isn’t the Eek banner adorable? The tiny bat cupcake toppers are just as darling. And the resources for each project are linked if you click through, so you don’t have to figure it all out on your own.
Any idea who you’ll dress up as this Halloween? There’s still a little time for brainstorming, but if you need to put a lot of effort into creating your costume then you’d better make a decision soon. Don’t forget to check Goodwill’s Halloween headquarters and your local store for ideas and inspiration. One of the best things about shopping at thrift stores is that there is constantly new stock arriving so it’s always likely that you’ll find exactly what you’re looking for. Have fun!
