I love Halloween.
I love the kids in costume. I love the neighborhood decorations. I love a front porch with a million pumpkins. I love walking around in the evening with my husband, our kids, and the absolute best group of friends.
What I do not love is dressing up – though I don’t begrudge anyone who does. I simply don’t have the mental capacity to thinking about one more Halloween costume after spending weeks hunting down 600 accessories for my kids’ costumes.
I have absolutely no desire to spend Halloween dressed up as a sexy anything, or a Disney character, or anything else for that matter. After 19 years of trick-or-treating with my husband, our kids, and our absolute favorite people, I’ve learned something about Halloween. It’s an outdoor endurance sport.
You are walking.
You are standing.
You are sweating (although, sometimes Florida’s weather is kind to us and we are not sweating so much).
You are carrying someone’s costume because it’s too hot, too bulky, too whatever.
So, yes, I want to be comfortable.
But I also want to be cute.
Fortunately, I’ve learned a few things about marrying those two things on Halloween night to create the best of both worlds. And because I’m not an overgrown mean girl who only shares the outfit rules with a select handful of girls instead of the entire group chat, I’m here to share with all of you.
Black
Yes. That’s it. Wear black. It’s festive. It’s fun. It’s giving Halloween. It’s easy. You already have black. A tee or sweater. Jeans. Leggings. Anything, really. Black is a Halloween color from start to finish, so wear it. Love it. Embrace it.
Pick one Halloween accessory
Anything, ladies. A witches hat. A Halloween headband. Halloween earrings. A Halloween sweater or cute shirt. Anything you want to add a little hint of festive to your comfortable but cute ensemble. It’s that easy. I’m a fan of a Halloween headband, myself.
Think ‘fall’ and not ‘halloween’
Another great idea is to dress for fall. Think cute fall looks. Plaid skirts with a pair of cute sneakers. A plaid button-up dress with a pair of sneaks. Something along those lines that marries the idea of effortless with the concept of being able to walk around in comfortable shoes all night so you’re not entirely miserable even if you are dying in the Florida heat (my seasonal envy doesn’t want to hear from those of you in beautiful fall-weather climates, and I say that with love).
The Real Goal
For me, the perfect Halloween outfit is going to let me walk around with my family and friends and chase my kids around when someone is walking too fast and someone is not walking fast enough. It’s perfect for sitting on a front porch or riding the golf cart when I’m done. It’s cute enough for photos that I’ll cherish forever, but comfortable enough that I won’t feel overwhelmed or uncomfortable with my outfit choice.
I don’t need to dress up.
I just want to look like I made an effort. Because there is something truly satisfying about being comfortable without looking like comfort was the only consideration. And that’s my entire fashion philosophy at this point in my life.
I want cute.
I want comfortable.
I want effortless.
And I want to be able to walk around and sit down.
Preferably with a holiday cocktail in my hand.
Although, based on the number of children I have, it’s more likely I’ll be holding half a costume, a bag of discarded Halloween candy, or someone’s water bottle. But it’s the thought that counts.
Happy Halloween, friends. Catch you Monday when it’s officially Christmas in my life.
