Hollie-Anne Brooks dresses for Halloween.

Boo! It's officially the night of Halloween where brats from round the streets put on plastic masks and take all the sweets out of the tin you didn't like.

I did, however, take my little brother trick or treating this evening and we actually had fun! He wore a skeleton outfit and I threw on my leopard faux fur coat and popped a few gold bow hair clips in to look like ears. Of course, I wasn't trick or treating for myself- the few pennies wouldn't buy me a Chanel and my diet isn't going half bad so I'll pass on the sweets. But my seven year old brother is now covered in chocolate and wondering what to spend his £3 on.

On our way home from an all day shopping trip, my family and I came across a little 3 year old girl with her parents who was out all dressed up as a pumpkin- her little baby walk and the blonde locks coupled with the bright orange outfit was just too cute for words so, as the car was waiting to get out of a lane and onto a main road, we all popped our spare change into her matching pumpkin bucket. Some people dislike Halloween but I think it's super cute!

So, if you're too old (or too cool) to go knocking on doors, try a Halloween party and make Bloody Mary cocktails and scary gingerbread mummies! Yeah, OK, not so cool but never mind. Dressing For is something you could only get away with on October 31st. Start with a rather pretty Topshop cat mask and clip hair back with some Halloween themed bows. Next, an investment piece of a beautiful L'Wren Scott boxy cape- at just over a grand, I'd suggest not dribbling chocolate down it or splashing an extra bloody Mary all over it. Be brave and slip on some silver leggings and top the cat look off with some Louboutin leopard print pumps and an amazing Cavalli Swarovski embellished clutch. Happy Halloween!


Halloween! by hollieanne

Hollie-Anne Brooks dresses for fancy dress outfit shopping.

Tomorrow evening I'll be in fancy dress for the first time ever- yay! I've never been to a fancy dress party before (sad, I know) so I am so excited.

My mother and I spent a hurried afternoon rushing around the shopping centre and trying to source inspiration. Despite tomorrow evening being planned for months, we didn't quite get our act together so have had to settle for what we could grab today. But what we found wasn't bad at all!

So, when I go off and see The Hoosiers tomorrow evening, I'll be dressed as a 1950s house-wife. Not very inventive, I know, but I have a lecture in the morning and then a hospital appointment with very little time to change in between. So unless I wanted to meet my doctor tomorrow dressed as Superwoman/Amy Winehouse/a naughty nurse, I'll have to work with my own clothing.

My style is quite 50s feminine anyway so my favourite mustard and purple floral dress will come in perfect, teamed with my cupcake apron, rollers in my hair and all the added accessories of a duster, rubber gloves and a feather boa for good measure. I can't wait!

As the shopping was quite hurried today, I've picked an outfit that's perfect for a slouchy morning with magazines, pastries and Hollyoaks followed by a Sunday lunch and glass of wine with your bloke and then trying on wigs quickly in fancy dress stores.

I love this Charles Nolan silk blouse- it's the perfect piece for work and for weekend. I've paired it up with a pale pink cotton Miu Miu skirt, Topshop knee high grey socks and amazing geometric style Chloé leather flats. Finally, as well as the Topshop bag, I've gone for cupcake jewellery- hooray! I heart cupcakes and The Humming Bird Bakery in South Kensington is the place of my dreams. Oh how I miss it...



Fancy dress shopping. by hollieanne