Let's imagine for a moment that you've been invited to join a zombie group costume for a big Halloween party. Lots of cool people are in the group... including a really cute guy you like. This presents a dilemma.
Of course, you want to join the group. They're meeting for a happy-hour planning session Friday. But, "no way" do you want go as a grave-rotten zombie to a party where you want move on a hot guy.
There's a way to be both dead and beautiful. I think it gets down to this: Make your hair and your eyes gorgeous and you can have blood and grave dirt smeared all over your sexy shovel-torn dress. That's where the up-close focus will be, on your eyes, your hair and lips. So go with great lipstick, too, and think creatively. If you can still get a hair appointment before Halloween, that's a great way to nail a fantastically macabre look and get instructions on how to execute the final touches. Here are some suggestions to get started:
• The just dug-up look is a lot about pale-gray makeup with dark contrast to highlight cheekbones. Add a hint of green or blue. If you've just been exhumed for the forensic investigation, your hair can look terrific but use a sliver spray color to 'age' your locks. Add a hair piece and matching bouquet of dead flowers. Forego the maggots. Go with deep, dark smoky eyes, big lashes and dark, but perfect, lipstick.
• How about a Day of the Dead costume. Again, your hair can be fabulous, big, exuberant. Go with makeup inspired by the sugar skulls created for the Nov. 1-2 celebrations, making for a very ghoulish weekend ... Halloween in on Friday. Any of this makeup could take a while and it needs to be done with precision so leave time and avoid coffee for a steady hand. You can go with almost anything romantic for the hair. I suggest a chignon or high bun with soft wisps around the face.
• Vampires are almost too easy: slick-back wet look for the traditional Dracula and 'simply beautiful' for the "Twilight" version but, frankly, I think both of these are getting a bit tired. This genre is due for a long dirt-nap.
• Let's take a look at something a bit more challenging. If your group is going as the walking dead then your hair is a mess ... but wait just a minute! Think of all the trendy messy looks we've seen lately. This is perfect for walking dead and you will be standout sexy-gorgeous. Mainly, you're going to tease, tease and tease your hair for lots of volume and random, messy-looking, electrocuted locks. Add some nice touches with a crimping iron. Start with a temporary, wash-out color like fuchsia or blue for the base then highlight with spray-on silver. Go with beautiful big eye lashes. The makeup would be similar to the "just dug up" look. Oh, man, you're bound to get bitten looking this good! Granted, we see a lot of half-eaten, rotten people on Walking Dead but we'll forego most of this gore. If you MUST have something gory about your costume, go with an 'accessory,' like a bloody limb, that you can ditch while flirting.
Have fun and be open to change ... "Boo!"