Dressing up for Halloween is fun and all, but what about the other 364 days of the year? Why not channel some of classic horror’s iconic dudes and dames when you get dressed in the morning? You can look just as good slaying those papers as these folks did combating demons (or, you know, hunting down their loved ones with an axe).
Mia Farrow in Rosemary’s Baby
In 1968’s Rosemary’s Baby, Rosemary Woodhouse (Mia Farrow) becomes mysteriously pregnant and strange occurrences start happening around her. She becomes increasingly paranoid about her baby, an obsession which slowly begins to control her life.
Even while possibly carrying the spawn of satan in her womb, Rosemary looks good. Farrow’s signature pixie cut debuts in this film, and she does it well. To get her look, try out a short cut, or if you’re not feeling quite brave enough to go that short, test drive the chin-length bob with some sweepy fringe. Paired with wide collared dresses in plaid prints, black turtlenecks, dangly silver-chain necklaces, and little baby-doll dresses, you’ll be the spitting image of 60s chic (sans devil baby).
Sissy Spacek in Carrie
Okay, so covered-in-blood isn’t exactly the new black, but Spacek’s character, the one and only Carrie, has her moments of school-girl chic. The film follows bookish Carrie and her controlling mother. After discovering she has telekinetic powers, the shy Carrie is pushed to her limit on the night of her prom, activating a frightful power that is unleashed on her town.
During most of the film, Spacek is dressed in collared shirts, grey and navy blue tones, and scalloped trims, but she gets pretty dolled up for the night of her prom. Check out thrift stores for a pale pink silky slip dress and, instead of a whole tiara, try out a jeweled hair clip. Just consider skipping out on the lank locks — and the blood.
Winona Ryder in Beetlejuice
The secret to stealing Ryder’s look? Wear black. It’s pretty simple. Ryder’s character, Lydia Deetz, is a friend to the dead, and, after nearly getting roped into marrying the “bio-exorcist” named Betelgeuse, she finds a new family in a sweet dead couple.
Ryder is the queen of the 90s, and her spiky black hair and solid black wardrobe in Beetlejuice have inspired many gothic renditions among girls young and not-so-young. If you’re not feeling down with the darkness, try out her short black bangs with a peter-pan collared shirt and a school-boy blazer, or go for a wide-brimmed black hat. If you’re feeling extra fancy, hunt down some blood-red tulle and go to your next family function Betelgeuse-wedding style.
Bruce Campbell in The Evil Dead, Evil Dead II and Army of Darkness
Okay, so you can’t fake that absurdly square chin, but you can fake that I-was-just-digging-up-dead-bodies-in-the-garden look that he so winningly rocks. If you haven’t seen any of the Evil Dead trilogy, I suggest renting a copy and setting up your Halloween night for a good old-fashioned marathon. The films (and I’m purposefully leaving out the 2013 remake here) are scary, but they’re tempered by ridiculous slap-stick humour and B-movie effects.
Campbell’s character, Ashley ‘Ash’ J. Williams, is a “manly-man” of the breed found primarily in western movies of the past. His greeny-blue collared shirt is rolled up to the elbows just so and tucked into dust-brown slacks. The look is completed with a rough leather belt and boots that look like they should be covered in manure. Granted, his shirt — what’s remaining of it, anyways — is usually covered in dirt and various bodily substances, and by the time we hit the end of Evil Dead II, his right hand has become a chainsaw, but the I-could-battle-deadites-for-days look is always fresh.
Anthony Perkins in Psycho
Anthony Perkins as Norman Bates may just be the most dapper of the bunch. Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) is trusted with $40,000 and decides to make a run for it and start a new life, when she happens upon the Bates Motel. Norman, the quiet young man who runs the hotel, seems to be dominated by his mother (in more ways than one).
Beyond Norman’s creepy demeanour and stabby-stab personality lies an impeccably dressed dude. His collared shirts are crisp and layered beneath crew-neck sweaters and blazers. Looks for brown tweeds and beige hues and don’t be afraid to layer. He also tends to favour comfort over fit, so look for soft cotton materials, and don’t worry if your blazer hangs a little loose — all the easier to fit two personalities.
Jack Nicholson in The Shining
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, and what better way to dress for play than lodge attire! Jack Nicholson becomes Jack Torrance, a third of a family who is caring for an isolated hotel for the winter. Things go awry when Jack goes stir crazy and becomes violent, turning on his own family.
Nicholson’s spot-on crazy eyes would surely not be the same without his family-man appearance and ski-ready closet. His plaid shirt and deep merlot-coloured sports jacket may translate as typical father attire, but when he flies off the handle, the contrast between appearance and action could not be more stark. Look for forest greens, maroons, and navy blues. Anything that looks like it might need elbow patches one day also works. And don’t forget: it’s all in the eyes.
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