TRICK OR TREAT?

We've got some great ideas to help you dress up for Halloween… three readers show you how they got their looks last year!

Reader Piper is rocking this look! A witchy costume is always popular for trick or treating, or for Halloween parties, and it's easy to put together, too! The pointy hat can be found very cheaply in almost every large supermarket, newsagent or novelty shop at this time of year - but arty girls can always make their own version, either from fabric or even black card. Team this with a black dress or black top and skirt, you have a passable costume. My book CHOCOLATE BOX SECRETS even has instructions on how to make a tattered witch-style skirt from an old bin bag! Piper has added some spray in green crazy-colour to her hair and backcombed it for a wild and witchy look. Heavily outlined eyes with spooky green eyeshadow add to the drama. A few carefully painted zig-zaggy lines above the eyebrows and pouty black lips are a great finishing touch! Why not carry a little novelty pumpkin as a bag to collect your trick or treat swag?

Reader Manda chose a more unusual look, but one that is very effective… the 'broken doll'. The costume for this can be any cute, 'little-girl' style of dress… raid your wardrobe or the local charity shop in search of inspiration! Hair looks great in plaits, but bunches work too, or even a ribbon bow on shorter hair. The make-up is all-important for this look… start with a pale foundation (or even white face paint if you want to be super dramatic). Add pink cheeks and rosebud lips, outline the eyes with liquid eyeliner and then paint on four or five random shapes with black face paint on cheeks and forehead, to suggest broken or cracked china. Experiment a few times before the night to get the look just right! My book CHOCOLATE BOX SECRETS has some awesome ideas and instructions for Halloween make-up, including a variation on Manda's look!

Reader Amber's look is a classic vampire one, and always very popular at Halloween. The costume can be put together quite simply - Amber chose a striking red dress, but a men's suit with white shirt and tie can look good too. You could even spatter the shirt with a little red paint, if it's one you won't be needing again! The black cape gives a stylish finish to the costume, and this can be picked up very cheaply in supermarkets/ newsagents/ novelty shops at this time of year. Another effective accessory would be a set of novelty vampire teeth! Hair can be backcombed  for a cool, messy look, or, if you have shorter hair, slick it back using hair gel for a Dracula look! The make-up for this look is simple but very striking. A pale foundation base (or, again, white face paint) can be accentuated with strongly outlined eyes and red lips. Try shading dark shadows beneath the eyes with grey eyeshadow, or add smudges of grey to the cheeks.  A trickle of blood-red face paint coming from one corner of the mouth is the finishing touch. Ready to go trick or treating? Go for it!

Cathy says:
These three readers totally aced the Halloween look last year… I couldn't resist sharing their pics to inspire your own fancy dress looks! Are YOU going to a Halloween party, or trick or treating with friends? COMMENT BELOW to tell us more, and remember to email a pic to me via the link on www.cathycassidy.com if you'd like to be in with a chance of being featured NEXT Halloween!