Some of My Best (and Worst) Halloween Costumes

Happy Halloween fashionistas! As you may know by now, it happens to be my favorite holiday and last year we totally got the short end of the stick here in New York when Hurricane Sandy hit and basically cancelled the holiday. Needless to say, it was a memorable day for unfortunately the wrong reasons.

Now that there are no storms threatening us this time, here’s a look back at my my memorable—and even some that I’d like to forget—costumes over the years (in no particular order):

BEST: Miss Scarlet from Clue

This year’s costume I owe to my friend Kimberley who dragged me to an industry event. She and her husband, Paul were going as Mrs. Peacock and Colonel Mustard from the board game “Clue,” and when I said I didn’t have a costume, she replied, “You’re a stylist. I bet you have a Miss Scarlet in your closet.”

She was right. The only thing more perfect other than all three of us together is that Wikipedia says that Miss Scarlet’s first name is also Liz!

Worst: A Can Can Dancer

Really Mom and Dad? Not only was this bad enough as a dance recital outfit, but they actually allowed this to happen again, complete with a face full of makeup and fishnets. I also seemed happy to lift up my skirt.

This is almost as bad as “Toddlers in Tiaras.”

BEST: Garth from Wayne’s World

I’d say dressing as Wayne’s World was one of my most successful costumes ever. I always think the best costumes are the ones that get a laugh or a fright. This succeeded in both, especially when everyone commented on how un-sexy I looked, but was a dead-ringer for Garth. Sha-Wing!

Shout out to my father, who loaned me his flannel and sports watch.

STYLIST TIP: When you can’t find the exact costume you need, make it. This Wayne-Stock tee, modeled after the one in the second movie, was just an iron transfer of the logo I found online.

BEST: Rachel Zoe

My Rachel Zoe costume was a big hit at the industry party I went to that year—especially because she had just become famous in the mainstream world thanks to her reality show. I thought it was funny that not only was I a stylist, but people compared me quite a bit to her during that time when most had just learned what a stylist was.

Another reason this was one of my favorites was because I was going out with my photoshoot crew, so I had hair, makeup and great lighting already there for me. Not to mention, I went out with a Karl Lagerfield, Coco Chanel, and Angelina Jolie, so we had quite the fashion gang.

STYLIST TIP: Shop in your closet for elements to your costume. Store bought costumes rarely impress and if you don’t have time to make one from scratch, add onto one like Alexa Chung cleverly just did.

WORST: Jackie O.

I’d say my Jackie O. was one of my worst because a bouncer at a bar actually looked at my ID and said, “please stick to blonde.”

I also was young and thought that costumes had to be sexy so I actually hemmed the bottom of this vintage dress by about six inches—but there was no making this costume sexy.

At least my homemade pill box hat and the Kennedy pin were nice touches to this classic.

WORST: Girls Gone Wild

I was young. End of story.

On the bright side, the only thing I had to buy was that plain white cap. Sadly, everything else I already owned.

BEST AND WORST: Courtney Love in the 90’s

This was the best because the only thing I bought was a $10 tiara. The vintage night gown and ripped stockings I already owned and the bruises were a nice touch, I’d say. Still, I don’t think it was my best because thanks to a snow storm, this was thrown together very last minute. Also, somehow my lips kept getting bigger through the course of the night.

WORST: A bride

Trust me, that’s not a pose, but more like a pout. I remember being miserable that my parents dressed me like this when all of my friends were cats, witches and other cool Halloween kid things. I guess it was better than the year I had to explain to everyone in the first grade what a flapper was.

Too bad you can’t see the velcro sneakers that really tied this look together.

BEST: Zombie bride

It’s tough enough to come up with your own killer (no pun intended) costume, but I had so much fun searching through thrift shops for this–and then destroying the clothing with tea, coffee, rips and even fake blood. Shout out to the talented makeup artist, Vivi Lapidus, who totally made my costume by her fake blood artistry.

What’s your best/worst Halloween costume of all time? Tweet to me yours @dear_andi!