With Halloween just around the corner it’s time to indulge in every girl’s (and many a guy’s) favourite past time - dressing up.

Despite spraining my four year old ankle in a pair of my mother’s four inch heels, my love for dressing up has never ceased. However, since I discovered much to my dismay that it wasn’t quite seen as appropriate (nor practical) to go about day to day life clad in floor length princess costumes, my love for Halloween has flourished. The joys of imagining, making, embellishing and, above all, parading around in a dress up costume are endless and Halloween remains one of the few occasions when anywhere, every where and for all ages, anything goes.

Corsets, glitter, togas, coloured wigs, tutus, masks-items usually reserved for the bold and the brave - become commonplace as the streets and clubs are transformed for one night into fantasy worlds and fairy tale lands. A full face of heavy make up becomes neither drag nor Dolly but de rigueur, a barely decent skirt can be worn without judgement and fairy wings no longer signal a hen party on the town.

Yes, it’s a little bit OTT, a little bit camp but embrace it! Take inspiration from anything: films, books, history even couture – see images above from the AW 07/8 shows. It’s the perfect opportunity to escape reality and relive those wondrous hours spent in front of your mother’s dressing table smeared in lipstick and bedecked in jewels - any excuse!

Words by Avril Nolan, artwork by Meera Shah. www.fashion156.com