The night of ghosts on October 31st is no longer enough. Halloween has become a season, blurring the boundaries between the preparation phase for the 31st party, for adults and children, but also for other occasions in a ‘noir’ key linked to the cold season coming.
It’s the ‘spooky season ‘. With a little help from business, the ‘spooky’ season includes hunting for the perfect pumpkins in advance, carving and hollowing them out to insert candles and appreciate their glow on autumn evenings, as well as choosing or sewing your costumes for the upcoming party or finding the right outfit for the elegant ‘noir’ evenings that we are about to experience. Furthermore, just like in anticipation of Christmas, decorating the house with gadgets and accessories dedicated to witches, demons, and ghosts, watching horror films, and preparing typical Halloween sweets.
What are the coolest masks for the Halloween night 2024 edition?
For years the most popular costumes have been linked to the world of cinema and in recent months the second-hand product buying and selling platform, Wallapop, reports that two days after the release in Italian cinemas of the film ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’, the sequel to the successful film about the famous DC Comics character, searches for the keyword ‘Joker’ have increased by 74%. Requests for “Joker costumes†have grown by 220% this year compared to the previous one and among this month’s masks those inspired by Joker Folies à Deux and Beetlejuice have swept away all the others, followed by a plethora of online tutorials to reproduce the original makeup of the protagonists and, we read on social media, “Lady Gaga’s Harley Quinn is a mustâ€. Which is the most iconic look? Pale, fiery red mouth, devilish ‘smoky’ eyes, and two-tone hair like Lady Gaga and a serpentine scar that runs across the face, neck, and decollete like Monica Bellucci, alias Delores in Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice. Ideas for creating smudged eyes, realistic wounds on the face, and blood dripping from the mouth can be found in hundreds of posts and reels published in the last month on Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest.
The ‘Beetlejuice’ costume, both in the children’s and adult versions, includes the black and white striped suit that made the extravagant and macabre spirit of one of the most bizarre ghosts in the history of cinema famous. Next come the costumes inspired by Deadpool, the most irreverent mercenary in the Marvel universe, and Wolverine. For fans of the film “Birds of Prey”, instead, the Harley Quinn costumes, inspired by the iconic character played by Margot Robbie, are highly sought after. English: On e-commerce platforms, on the other hand, it is the accessories-details for attending horror-themed parties and evenings without appearing snobbish or out of place that are climbing the best-selling charts at the moment: from headbands with black/red horns in ‘devil’ style or gothic horns, lace necklaces, followed by face masks with LED lights at different intervals that highlight fake scars on the eyes and mouth.
Even fashion accessories are enough to transform any outfit into something original for the spooky season.
Whether it’s a costume party, an elegant evening, or a walk in the city, there are even the perfect bags for the occasion: from handbags to clutches in bright colors or in black velvet, the nonplus ultra of elegance. Even a touch of red can be enough to recall the night of devils and ghosts and red shoes can make the difference, as well as stretch boots high above the knee with thin ‘witch’ heels and toes also combined with strictly black mermaid-style sheath dresses.
Trousers, jackets, and blazers in shades of orange or black capes with bat-shaped sleeves. The outfit is completed with ‘ghostly’ or ‘bloody’ make-up with long nails lacquered in red, or black-blue and with glitter as bright as a starry night. Also Halloween-themed are the accessories by the jewelry brand Pandora, renowned for its bracelets with customizable charms. This year’s ‘Charm Ghost Boo’ glows in the dark and is made of silver painted with white enamel and sparkling glitter and can be combined with the white enamel ‘skull’ charm that glows in the dark or the ‘Halloween pumpkin’ charm, with grooved details, a scary face and heart-shaped eyes.
In addition, the amount of gadgets dedicated to the party increases every year sold in department stores that dedicate entire departments and shelves to accessories, including pumpkin-shaped pots and bowls. Along with the extendable spider webs to pin on walls, doors and so on, everything is tinged with Halloween style: from pumpkin-colored cake stands for festive cakes to the horror-chic theme of dark glass glasses and bowls and black cutlery. Then napkins with bats on them and colored pumpkin-shaped candles to placed everywhere. An extra touch with bat-shaped cushions and bat garlands. Even pumpkin-shaped pots and pans are available, such as the new Halloween Collection by Le Creuset with plates, pans, and the famous ‘cocotte’ that for the occasion are pumpkin-shaped in white and orange. Beetlejuice mania also applies to drinks such as Fanta cans, which this year has launched a partnership with Warner Bros, releasing 4 new versions of themed cans.
For the ghost party, there is no shortage of themed editions of the famous scented candles by Jankee Candle, also much loved by teenagers: the ‘Witches’ Brew’ version emits a sweet and woody fragrance, with cloves and cinnamon, jasmine, and woods. Finally, patchouli and vanilla. Among the ‘spooky season’ themed gadgets, there is no shortage of board games such as the card games ‘Wednesday – creatures and outcasts’, inspired by the famous Netflix series by Tim Burton, which promises to conquer both fans of the young Addams and the entire family, and card game enthusiasts in general. The Funko brand is also celebrating the return of Beetlejuice with a new collection of famous collectible dolls with the likeness of the most beloved characters in pop culture.
The Pop! of the moment is inspired by the long-awaited sequel to the cult film. The line includes the iconic vinyl figures of the protagonists: Beetlejuice, Lydia, Delores, Astrid, and Bob, as well as a special pack with Beetlejuice and Lydia in wedding dresses. The King of Chocolate, Ernst presents a collection of terrifyingly surprising sweets, inspired by the magic and darkness of Halloween. Its creations, at the forefront of taste and innovation, celebrate the art of pastry making with unique combinations of flavors and breathtaking decorations, there is Snail, almost a work of art, made entirely by hand, the body modeled in milk chocolate, while the skull wears a dark chocolate shirt, enriched with a delicious milk cream.
Then the biscuits: Ghost with white shortcrust pastry, decorated with sugar paste and details in red cocoa butter; Spiderweb with cocoa shortcrust pastry dipped in white chocolate, decorated with a dark chocolate spiderweb; Pumpkin, a sweet contrast: white shortcrust pastry and cocoa shortcrust pastry, with decorations in sugar paste and cocoa butter. Then there are the Blood pralines: a red-splashed white chocolate shell encloses a pistachio cremini, combined with a raspberry sauce reminiscent of blood, and the monstrous “Halloween Brainsâ€, for those who love visual and taste challenges: a pink-colored white chocolate shell filled with dark cremini with raspberry sauce, for a spooky brain effect.
In the spookiest season of the year, our four-legged friends are naturally also included, with specialized shops and supermarkets offering truly fun accessories. The Loungefly brand, for example, has just presented its new line of accessories dedicated to small furry friends inspired by the cult film Beetlejuice. A themed leash, collar, and harness can be shown off during walks outside the home during the spooky season.
