It was a dark and spooky (and very costume filled) night!

This year's Halloween was by far one of the most enjoyable I can ever recall. Though by no means as warm as 2013's (which to be fair, was unseasonably toasty), the rain that had started and stopped over and over again in the days beforehand and early on the 31st itself, let up come evening and as a result a fair number of trick-or-treaters were out in full costumed force.

We got 71 kids (we kept a running tally) that night, but the cute little children that came knocking weren't the only ones in festive disguises. Tony and I, along with my mom, step-dad, and sister all celebrated the evening at our place and everyone except from my step-dad was in costume (he had festive orange socks on though and was very much in spirit).

After finally finding a costume mere days before Halloween, I was delighted to go as someone I'd never been before for my favourite holiday: Sin-derella. She's a goth, spooky take on the fairy tale classic Cinderella and her ensemble was one of only a couple (I kid you not) costume between the four stores we went to wasn’t of the overtly "sexy" variety. I'm far from a prude and don't have personal qualms with the genre in general, I just prefer to be more covered up myself - especially on a chilly Canadian All Hallows Eve as you're repeatedly opening the front door and getting a wallop of icy air blown at you!

I added an inexpensive Halloween wig (believe me, as a full-time wig wearer due to medical hair loss, I can tell you that the difference between cheap costume wigs and real wigs, be they synthetic or human hair, intended for everyday wear is worlds apart!) in matching colours, vintage black sleeveless gloves, and a gorgeous 1930s glass bead necklace (the latter hailing from Maejean Vintage), as well as red stockings and a pair of strappy black high heels with ruffles on the vamps that I already had on hand.

Thankfully this costume's layers ensured I stay warm all evening (almost too warm at points!) and I suspect I'll definitely wear it again later in life (I usually like to space at least a few years out between when I sport the same costume twice). Both my mom and my sister, Katie, who were there that evening in their own marvelous Halloween finery said they'd like to wear it, too, so I suspect this costume will be doing the family rounds for many years to come!












Tony looked sensational in his regal purple and gold Cesar costume, which was made all the more fitting by the fact that he's a native son of not just Italy, but Rome itself! I love that over the years he's grown to share in my massive passion for Halloween (he wasn’t raised with it in Italy and his exposure, for all intents, to Halloween began with our relationship a decade ago) and now delights in dressing up right along with me.












My mom and sister are both big Halloween fans, too (much to my delight) and my mom was a vision of Renaissance inspired loveliness in her elegant purple velvet gown with gold lacing and a matching headdress (the fact that Tony and my mom’s costumes matches so well was 100% coincidental as neither knew what the other was going as before my folks got to our place that night). Usually, over the years, my mom's Halloween attire has veered more in towards witches and other darkly clad figures, so it was quite the surprise when she arrived in this gorgeous princess costume. I think she looked stunning and do believe this is my favourite Halloween costume she's ever sported.
















Katie, who arrived a bit later in the evening after she got off work and drove down from Kelowna (where she lives), tapped into her 1990s childhood and did a stellar job of putting together a very authentic looking Brittany Spear's ensemble from the music video for the song that made her an overnight star: Baby One More Time (complete with a borrowed grey cardigan from my closet - my vast collection of them means that I've always got you covered if you need a certain colour of cardi! :D).














On top of handing out candy to kids, we lit jack-o-lanterns, took scores of snaps (with the younger generation posting some of their to Instagram, natch! :)), ate oodles of delicious snacks (including GF caramel sauce and fruit slices - sooo yummy!), listened to a spooky sounds CV, and had a blast celebrating this most hauntingly memorable of evenings!

It's hard to believe that another Halloween is behind us already, but as this one was so awesomely enjoyable, we all agreed that it just makes us look forward to 2015's all the more. And you can bet your bottom dollar that baring major unforeseen circumstances, I'll have my costume selected wayyyy earlier next year. In fact, I've already got some ideas in mind and we haven't even hung up the first string of Christmas lights yet.

What can I say, once a Halloween lover, always a Halloween lover!!! :)