vintage spaces
1. Start several months ahead. Nothing is worse than throwing something together a few days ahead of time. A little planning will go a long way! Nikki’s Tips for the Perfect Retr o Hal loween C ostume 3. Look online for inspiration. I always get my best ideas from Google images, but the kids these days keep telling me about Pinterest. I think I should move forward with the times! 4. Start with what’s in your closet. Have an old skirt or dress? With a little imagination that piece can have a whole new life. And when you can’t find anything at home, hit the thrift store. It’s cheap and if it gets torn up or you bedazzle it up, who cares? It only cost you a few bucks. 5. Hobby Lobby is your best friend. Oh and don’t forget the hot glue! Cheap rhinestones, fringe and ribbon can give a boring piece a whole new life. Get creative! 2. Decide on an era. Halloween costuming is fun all the way from the roaring 20s to the 80s.
fans of the vintage Halloween aesthetic, and there are several artists and companies that create amazing reproduction pieces at a third of the cost of a vintage piece. We’ve collected a few vintage pieces but mostly our collection is com- prised of reproduction pieces. We start our Halloween shopping every year in late August, early September when places start releasing the new collection for this year. We always hit Marshalls, Micheals, Target, Hobby Lobby and a few places online for reproductions. Our favorite artists for reproduction pieces are Johanna Parker and Bethany Lowe. Year round we stalk local antique stores, Craigslist and eBay for deals on authentic vintage pieces. With some research you can find which companies made authentic vintage pieces, one of the most famous being The Beistle Company. There are people who work solely in appraising these items so it can be hard to spot a fake without some help. Anything that’s too shiny or colorful is likely a reproduction. Look for wear on the piece and detailed painting, which was common in older pieces. I’ve read that the scarier the item is, the more likely it is older. Some of the most desirable pieces are vintage die-cuts, candy containers, lanterns and German toys or figures. You can also look for stamps on the bottom of pieces and then research the Mid-Century cutness abounds with a tiny owl figurine (above), retro lamps, bar glasses and an L-shaped couch (far left). Above left: an atomic inspired chandelier in Nikki’s dining room. Left: Nikki will buy almost anything turquoise, including this beautiful high-back chair.
6. Don’t forget about your hair and makeup! This goes for the fellas too. Having a great costume is wonderful, but if you’ve put no thought into your face and hair it won’t make as great of an impact. 7. Shop the costume and party stores out of season. You can find great clearance deals and can stock up. 8. Not much for craft- ing? Rent! There are great places like The Kansas City Costume Company and Have Guns Will Rent that have a huge array of costumes in all sizes.
VintageKC / Fall 2012 35
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