We accept 
Hair genius Ashley, brow artist Kristie, and makeup maven Jenn suggest fashion-forward Halloween costumes inspired by movie characters—and explain how to get the looks.
— ILLUSTRATION BY @DRAWBERTSON
Since beauty is our business, it should come as no surprise that we Streichers are obsessed with Halloween. After all, what better time to effect the kind of all-out transformations that we live for? Whether we’re going trick-or-treating with the kids (Jenn), hitting Parisian after-parties (Ashley), or both (Kristie), we like to pool our beauty tricks and reap the spooky benefits. It’s always helpful to have a theme in mind, so we’ve put together a trio of beauty-rich costume ideas inspired by some of our favorite movies, with Streicher-approved suggestions on how to perfect each look.
“What are you being?” is one of our favorite questions to ask and answer, so there’s something for every taste (unless you desire a costume of the sexy nurse persuasion, that is). From the pretty-meets-macabre (Julie Delpy in An American Werewolf in Paris), to the artistically inventive (one of Hitchcock’s Tippi Hedren–terrorizing birds), to an undead newlywed (Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride), our creative cauldron brims with ideas. Read on for the gory details.
Happy Halloween!
Love,
The Streicher sisters
VIOLET GREY contributors
“What are you being?” is one of our favorite questions to ask and answer, so there’s something for every taste (unless you desire a costume of the sexy nurse persuasion, that is). From the pretty-meets-macabre (Julie Delpy in An American Werewolf in Paris), to the artistically inventive (one of Hitchcock’s Tippi Hedren–terrorizing birds), to an undead newlywed (Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride), our creative cauldron brims with ideas. Read on for the gory details.
Happy Halloween!
Love,
The Streicher sisters
VIOLET GREY contributors
THE AMERICAN
WEREWOLF
THE INSPIRATION: Julie Delpy in An American Werewolf in Paris.
WEAR IT TO: A rock concert, the bar, prowling the streets.
“I will actually be in Paris with my boyfriend for Halloween this year, and we think it will be fun to creep around the city, as two (mid-’90s) American werewolves. The location, however, isn’t mandatory: All the costume requires is some ’90s gear, pale skin, red lipstick, and, of course, werewolf fangs.”
WEAR IT TO: A rock concert, the bar, prowling the streets.
“I will actually be in Paris with my boyfriend for Halloween this year, and we think it will be fun to creep around the city, as two (mid-’90s) American werewolves. The location, however, isn’t mandatory: All the costume requires is some ’90s gear, pale skin, red lipstick, and, of course, werewolf fangs.”
ILLUSTRATION BY @DRAWBERTSON
1
/5
“You want to go very pale-skinned for this look—like you’ve just been bitten. The trick is to find a color that has a light tone but still looks natural, not too costume-y.”
2
/5
“The perfect were-eye should also appear natural to civilians. To emulate Julie Delpy’s fresh-faced ’90s vibe, I’d choose a brown-copper shade and blend so it’s a little smoky.”
3
/5
“Picking out the perfect deep, vampy red lipstick is key—I’d actually recommend Chanel Vamp itself! Or, alternatively, MAC Diva—keep it real ’90s. You’ll want to finish this off with some wolf fangs.”
4
/5
“Werewolf hair is important, and in this case can go in one of two great directions: wild and wavy or a tamer slicked-back pony, depending on how the Halloween spirit strikes you. I’m leaning toward the former style, which calls for a good texturizing spray like Oribe’s Après Beach Wave and Shine.”
5
/5
“Find an oversize dark sundress, also a ’90s style, ideally printed with some sunflowers or butterflies. Jet Rag on La Brea is an amazing resource—it’s the most incredible secondhand store in L.A. and has an entire section labeled “’90s Dresses.” Tie a big flannel around the waist (also practical, since it might be cold) and sport some high-top Converse sneakers.”
CORPSE
BRIDE
THE INSPIRATION: Tim Burton’s German Expressionist masterpiece Corpse Bride.
WEAR IT TO: Trick-or-treating and the adults-only after party.
“All year long we are so focused on beauty, so I get overexcited to dress and act scary (and a bit ugly) on Halloween. This costume nails it: It’s fun to play with the idea of looking the worst one possibly can (basically, dead) on the day when you’re supposed to look your best (your wedding, not Halloween). I’d wear this while taking my nephew, Arrow, trick-or-treating, and later at an after-party.”
WEAR IT TO: Trick-or-treating and the adults-only after party.
“All year long we are so focused on beauty, so I get overexcited to dress and act scary (and a bit ugly) on Halloween. This costume nails it: It’s fun to play with the idea of looking the worst one possibly can (basically, dead) on the day when you’re supposed to look your best (your wedding, not Halloween). I’d wear this while taking my nephew, Arrow, trick-or-treating, and later at an after-party.”
ILLUSTRATION BY @DRAWBERTSON
1
/5
“My Temptu Airbrush machine is my most trusted tool for turning the face and body an ashen, slightly bluish shade of gray. Go over everything—including lips, eyelids, and brows—to look super dead. It’s really scary to look like you have no lips and eyebrows at all, so be sure not to fill them in.”
2
/5
“To intensify the corpse look, you’ll need to do some contouring. Kevyn Aucoin’s Medium sculpting powder will give new (macabre) meaning to defined cheekbones and sucking in your cheeks.”
3
/5
“To make the eyes appear even more hollowed out, use a matte—not shimmery!—brown cream shadow like Bobbi Brown’s in Cement, and apply from top to bottom.”
4
/5
“Nothing completes the cadaverous look like a gray nail. I recommend applying three coats of this Jinsoon color for the perfect undead-dead effect. Bonus: It looks great paired with a cream cable-knit sweater once Halloween is over.”
5
/5
“Jet Rag is the place to find a vintage, Corpse Bride–worthy wedding dress. My other accessories would be a wig (spray-painted bluish-gray), a bouquet of blue or similarly dark flowers (ideal for tossing; the arrangements from Dandelion Ranch are my favorites), and creepy red contact lenses for bonus fear factor.”
A Hitchcock
BIRD
THE INSPIRATION: A bird from Hitchcock’s horror classic, The Birds.
WEAR IT TO: Trick-or-treat with kids, block party.
“I love everything about this movie—I love Tippi Hedren, I love the fact that it was filmed in Mendocino, which is one of my favorite places. I like that a bird costume is not too on-the-nose—it’s scary but not gory-scary. Should you want to provide a little context—and levity—bring along a Barbie dressed up as Tippi Hedren. This is sure to be a child-pleaser and good conversation piece. Attack as you see fit.”
WEAR IT TO: Trick-or-treat with kids, block party.
“I love everything about this movie—I love Tippi Hedren, I love the fact that it was filmed in Mendocino, which is one of my favorite places. I like that a bird costume is not too on-the-nose—it’s scary but not gory-scary. Should you want to provide a little context—and levity—bring along a Barbie dressed up as Tippi Hedren. This is sure to be a child-pleaser and good conversation piece. Attack as you see fit.”
ILLUSTRATION BY @DRAWBERTSON
1
/6
“MAC does a great pancake makeup I’ve used on Halloween before, and I also love that new Temptu airbrush. It’s a great Halloween tool—hand-held and so easy to use—you just click the little pods in and out for whatever color you want. I’ve even used it to airbrush abs on a guy.”
2
/6
“Since this costume entails face makeup in lieu of a mask, you want to make it dramatic. I suggest an elaborate eye design (maybe winging out or calligraphed) in dark liquid liner.”
3
/6
“Kristie is known for creating a feathered brow, but for this look it’s all about a feathered lash. I’d get falsies from Make Up For Ever and put them on with an eyelash adhesive.”
4
/6
“A dark lipstick is the perfect accent for this look. And Halloween is a great excuse to try out Chanel’s witchy-woman shade.”
5
/6
“I’d probably skip actual claws and instead opt for black nail polish, or else something super dark like Tom Ford’s Bitter Bitch. It’s kind of the fashionable mom version of claws.”
6
/6
“This is the moment to put a feather in your cap—literally. Wear longer hair slicked back—René Furterer makes a glossing spray that makes it look wet and almost mirrored—and top it with a feather crown. For shorter hair like mine, I’d fashion some sort of skull cap with feathers on the top, kind of a feather mohawk. (Michaels craft store is a bountiful resource for feather-hunters.)”
IN POLITE
SOCIETY
SUBSCRIBE
VIOLET GREY has a file on everything from
the genius of Pat McGrath to
the best eyelash curler in the world.
VISIT
HOLLYHOOD
See L.A.-inspired drawings by The Violet Files’ contributing illustrator Donald Robertson, or @drawbertson, as he’s known socially.
MEET THE
Streicher sisters
The Violet Files presents the Striiike co-founders, and our favorite beauty sister act.