It's that time of year again: pumpkins, trick or treating, and fancy dress. Here is a selection of vintage vampires, cult horror movie actresses and gothic style icons to inspire your costumes....
Cover of Life magazine, c.1930s
Hedy Lamarr
The first horror actress: Lucille Lund
Marlene Dietrich
Carole Lombard
Sylvia Sidney. I love this dress!
Dolores del Rio
Dolores with her cat
Mesh cloche by Elsa Schiaparelli
Katherine Hepburn
Vogue 1945
Vogue 1947
We have a dress very similar to the one in this photograph of Veronica Lake - to view in our online store click here.
Cult horror movie heroine Vampira
Carmen dell'Orefice
Actress Bonita Granville
Kim Novak in 'Bell, Book & Candle' 1958
Bettie Page
A gothic beauty in LA, 1950s
Italian actress Virna Lisi
We have a 1960s black evening gown (UK 10-12) in stock at the moment - very vampy and trimmed with marabou feathers on the collar and cuffs. To view this dress in our online boutique please click on this link. We also have one very similar in a larger size (UK 18-20) which you can find here. If you would prefer to come in and try on in our Primrose Hill studio please get in touch.
Hammer horror movie queen Ingrid Pitt
Fenella Fielding in 1966 movie Carry On Screaming:
A vampy brunette Brigitte Bardot
Leslie Caron by Norman Parkinson
Fashion is also inspired by the macabre - this is Elsa Schiaparelli's 'skeleton' dress, co-designed by Salvador Dalí...
DSquared created a 'skeleton' dress for their AW10 collection...
With 'spine' heels to match...
Claudia Schiffer
Yasmin Le Bon
Karlie Kloss
Michelle Violy Harper - read her blog here
Elettra Weidemann
We have a dress very similar to Elettra's in stock at the moment - to view in our online store please click here.
Lana del Rey
We have a long velvet cloak and sequin dress very similar to Lana's... for details click here. Gothic glamour was seen in AW12 collections from Gucci, Nina Ricci, Gareth Pugh and Valentino:
Alexander McQueen skull ring clutch
High priestess of modern gothic glamour Daphne Guinness
The photo above is of 1960s actress Melina Mercouri - who reminds me very much of Daphne Guinness. Daphne is known for her collection of haute couture gowns and a unique sense of style. A selection of her dresses were recently exhibited at the FIT Museum in New York:
The heiress sold various dresses and accessories at Christie's earlier this year, will all proceeds going towards the Isabella Blow Foundation. The auction included these Alexander McQueen shoes.
Another contemporary gothic style icon is Dita von Teese:
She married Marilyn Manson in 2005 wearing a Vivienne Westwood purple taffeta gown.
Raven hair, porcelain skin, crimson nails... this is the look
Michelle Pfeiffer in Tim Burton's Dark Shadows
Thandie Newton
Madonna
Eva Green
I spotted Eva in a cafe in Marylebone a couple of years ago - probably the most beautiful woman I have ever seen!
Pamela Anderson
Last year Carine Roitfeld, former editor of French Vogue, threw a gothic-themed party to celebrate the launch of her book, Irreverent. The 'Vampire Ball' was held at Raspoutine restaurant in Paris.
Carine Roitfeld
Karlie Kloss & Abbey Lee Kershaw
Miranda Kerr
If you want a slightly vampy dress that doesn't look too much like a Hallowe'en costume, we have an original 1960s black satin cocktail dress with sheer cape. This outfit includes matching sheer gloves - to view in our online store click here.
This dress was made around the same time that Dusty Springfield released her hit single 'Spooky'...
Accessorize with this vampy clutch by Alessandro Dell'Acqua...
Complete the look with a matte black manicure - try OPI in Obscurity
Carola Long wrote a great piece on gothic glamour for the Financial Times, to view online click here. If you are going for the full Hallowe'en look the girls at Pixiwoo have a brilliant video tutorial on how to do perfect vampire make-up.
Happy Hallowe'en... mwah ha haa
