5 Classic Halloween Looks, Made Magically Modern
For a fashion girl, dressing up on Halloween goes far beyond the sartorial. It’s a head-to-toe affair—with a heavy emphasis on the former. A quick rifle through her treasure trove of clothes yields an idiosyncratic-chic costume, but it’s when she dips into her makeup bag that the fun really begins. Whether stepping into cinematic character or reimagining a spine-chilling classic, it’s a cool-girl calling card to indulge your wildest beauty fantasy over October’s last days.
“On Halloween, it’s about paying homage to traditional characters, but giving them a modern twist!” says editorial makeup artist Grace Ahn, encasing British-Nigerian artist Oyinda’s piercing gaze with two gold stars that flash against her glowing skin, glossy lips, and heavy-metal Marni dress. Korean model Hyunji Shin receives a duo of sharp, deconstructed feline flicks and muted brown pout, her dark lengths sculpted into cat ear-like knots, while rising runway star Massima Desire is getting a more-pared back Harlequin treatment, clad in a diamond-print Puppets & Puppets suit. “I’m a Scorpio with a Pisces moon, so I’m a sad clown in my daily life,” Desire laughs as Ahn defines her eyes with punkish Pierrot liner and swirls soft peach pigment on her cheeks. “I love being a goofball who’s also really into crying.”
Finding a sweet spot between Betty Boop and Jessica Rabbit, Dominican model Anyelina Rosa is a subversive bombshell, radiating cartoonish shine as she slinks around in crimson patent leather Rick Owens boots with matching vinyl red lips. As for Belgian beauty Hanne Gaby, she’s breathing new life into the tried-and-true, flesh-eating zombie; Ahn administering painterly bursts of neon-pastels on the lids to play off her tattered powder pink Moschino dress.
Bringing the bewitching and beguiling to life, Ahn dreams up five makeup ideas that will help you lay the drama on thick this Halloween.
The Glam Rocker
"When I think of glam rock, I think of shine—and metallic stars are as shiny as it gets" says Ahn, balancing out Oyinda's stellar gaze with fresh skin and a glossy nude lip.
The Cat
Inspired by the forthcoming film adaptation of Cats, Ahn is making cat makeup feel chic. After giving HyunJi Shin abstract cat eyes, she brushes up her brows and draws thick, hair-like strokes on the tails for a "wild, animal-like effect."
The Clown
Offering a "soft and feminine" take on clown makeup, Ahn casts Massima Desire's face in a light white veil, then eschews bright red crimson for a soft peach on the lips and cheeks. "I love these tones," says Desire. "It really feels like it pulls it into a realm that’s beautiful."
The Cartoon Bombshell
"She's a cartoonish bombshell," says Ahn of the real-life, hyper-feminine character she's imagining as she gives Anyelina Rosa a Jessica Rabbit-inspired full red pout, as well as Betty Boop-esque pencil-thin eyebrows and exaggerated lashes.
The Zombie
"Instead of keeping the Zombie look dark and deathly, we're adding color!" says Ahn, painting liberal strokes of fluorescent blue, green, orange, and yellow shadow across Hanne Gaby's eyes. "It's spooky, but also soft and pretty. Not too literal."
Directed by Natalia Mantini
Fashion Editor: Alexandra Gurvitch
DP: Adam Golfer
Hair: Evanie Frausto
Makeup: Grace Ahn
Manicure: Mei Kawajiri
Set Design: Jesse Kaufmann
Production: Kento Spanos
Editor: Ben Hype
Originally Appeared on Vogue
