Dress Me In Horror : Part I

I’ve always paid attention to the costumes when I’ve been watching horror. I’m a real ‘woman’ like that. It’s a little bizarre considering how feral I am. But we all have ‘a thing,’ don’t we.

Sometimes, if I’m watching a horror alone and a character is wearing something really fucking special, I’ll rewind so I can see the costume make its appearance again.And again. And again.

One of my most recent memories of doing that was during the first episode of American Horror Story : Coven, when Zoe Benson is walking down a hospital corridor wearing a pair of pointed suit shoes that were literally to die for. I never imagined I’d fall for a pair of shoes like that (I’m an army boots kind of woman), but they were so darkly perfect I could have cried.

Dress Me In Horror will be a regular feature when I celebrate and lust after some of my favourite ensembles from some of my favourite terrifying watches, and then show you how you can get ‘the look’ yourself.

The Craft – Nancy’s Boots

I owned the 1996 cult classic The Craft on VHS and I worshiped everything about it, including Nancy Down’s lace up ankle boots, which, even as a 13 year old, I would have killed something for. They were the witchiest of witchy boots.

Get The Look

If, like me, you’re craving to unleash your inner Nancy (well, some of your inner Nancy, you don’t want to unleash all of your inner Nancy…) these pre-owned Ralph Lauren boots are pretty damn close to what appeared in that most famous scene where Nancy really loses her shit while making us all jealous with her exceptional choice in shoe wear.

Penny Dreadful Series 2  – Vanessa’s Scarf & Joan’s Everything

Penny Dreadful.  Ah, Penny Dreadful. There’s rarely been a TV show that’s left me so god damned content as Penny Dreadful. It was, from start to finish, magnificent, and the costume designers played a monumental role in ensuring that was the case.

While I was forever swooning at Vanessa Ives exquisite Victorian garb – those bodices and full skirts really do it for me – it was when, during the second series where Vanessa made a trip t’moors to beg help from the condemned witch Joan – ‘Cut-Wife’ – Clayton that I though ‘ahh, here’s some stuff that I feel quite familiar with.’

While Vanessa’s jumper looks exactly like the sort of thing my Dad will wear on a weekend, I have a soft spot for her scarf, and I’m all over everything that is on Joan Clayton. I’ve even distressed some of my wardrobe in honour of the bad ass elderly witch.

Get The Look/Vanessa Ives

I’m hankering after this Hand woven scarf from the ever incredible Ovate, so I can stand outside the apartment in the rain looking moody, until my boyfriend tells me to stop being a twat and come inside.

Get The Look/Joan Clayton

I’ve been looking up how much I could get for one of my kidneys. If I find out that I can get enough for this Norwegian & Corriedale Lamb’s Wool Shawl in Soil by Biek Verstappen, I’ll pull the thing out myself. While the shawl screams ‘Joan’ accompanied with the hat it also has a sort of Babadookish vibe going on, which I’m all for.

American Horror Story/Coven – Zoe’s Shoes

Have you seen Coven? Seriously, if you haven’t YOU MUST. It’s easily the best AHS series and the costumes are impeccable. Well. Okay, most are a bit meh, but Zoe’s shoes in Episode One kind of makes up for all the so-so witch bitch fashion.

Get The Look

Before catching sight of Zoe’s footwear, it never would have crossed my mind that I’d kind of sort of fall a lot in love with this sort of look. But I did. Hard. I went looking for the exact ones and discovered they’re called the Jeffrey Campbell Wesley Heeled Oxford. After hours of searching, I found a pair on Ebay. If you’re a size six and a half, you’re in luck.

If you have any thought on this new feature…ways I could improve it, any horror fashion moments I need to check out or talk about, or if you just enjoyed it, leave a line!