We can’t get enough of babies dressed in pumpkin suits and other adorable kids in costume trick-or-treating. That said, after about the age of 13, this holiday gives us the creeps… and not because of the ghouls and ghosts. We don’t want to throw out the party with the plastic-finger-filled punch, so we’ve compiled our top tips to turning Halloween haute. Overall, we look for dark décor with authentic edge, carefully crafted treats, and chic seasonal accessories (that we can actually wear all year round). This is what we’re stirring up:

1. Day of the Dead Skull. Obvi this is on the list. In general, 1) we’re taking inspiration from Día de los Muertos – read more about the celebration and our trip to San Miguel de Allende, Mexico during the festival here. And 2) we’re over the moon for all things skull, which allows us to go skull-crazy October 31. This delightful decorative curiosity is the perfect tabletop accent during the year. At Halloween, we’re putting a candle under it for a modern twist on the jack-o’-lantern.
2. Papel Picado. Another Day of the Dead decorative element we’re lifting are these fun paper flags that add color and movement to our party setup.
3. Autumnal Blooms. A flower arrangement in deep purple hues that mixes well with orange and black sets the seasonal mood, while also adding a sophisticated touch to our abode. As you might have picked up, we generally opt for the locally grown, wildflower look of Farmgirl Flowers.
4. Festive Tabletop. Set those beautiful buds on our black and white graphic Mud Cloth Tablecloth. Accessorize with white and green mini pumpkins and gourds.
5. Worth-It Sweets. Forget those guilty Hershey variety packs and pick up some delicious, organic, artisanal goodies. We can’t get enough of Taza’s Mexican style stone-ground chocolate. We buy disks (plain or flavored) of this ethically sourced chocolate along with smaller bite-size options like their chocolate covered almonds. WOW.
6. Blood Red Sangria. We’re opting for this easy-to-make, citrus-filled potion to fill our serving bowl and please our guest.
7. Wicked Nails. Enough with the décor. What about your costume? Start with the perfect dark Essie red-that-reads-black nail color. Just plain chic for the season.
8. Spooky Jewels. Don these double-faced skull earrings from Givenchy. Not pierced? No problem – they are magnetized. We love this perfectly-punk addition to our skull collection.
9. All Souls’ Slippers. Speaking of skulls, Charlotte Olympia has done it again with these fab Day of the Dead duds. We’ll be sassing up our outfits all holiday season with these playful jewel-toned pumps.
10. The Queen of Skull Accessories. Just because we really need to nod to the McQueen for making us a skull-lover in the first place, we’re (of course) topping off our skeleton look with this classic scarf.

Boo!

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