Halloween facy-dress: Sexy, Scary or both

Halloween parties seem to be the time of year when girls can wear the least amount of clothing possible, before being arrested by an anti-nudist brigade.

The excuse? Plastic devil horns or cats ears, that count as a disguise.

Sexy:
It's true that no one wants to look horrifying when going out. But they are some pretty wearable outfits that are not either or.

Fashion isn't particularly strict on decency. I personally think that a bubble extra-mini dress, or a see-through ruffle top, is totally acceptable if the cut allows it to look stylish.

The problem with Halloween dress-up outfits is that they look like a cheap version of fantasy sex clothes. That, makes them scary. But not in a thriller-like way.

Scary:
On the other hand, a zombie plastic mask and rags tainted with fake blood do not balance well with fashion.

First of all, it might be embarrassing (although, with the mask, no one will know it is you. However, chances are, no one will talk to you either).

Secondly, rags never flatter anyone. No matter how amazing your body is.

Both:
The best option is probably to keep to the theme but work it to your advantage. Winter allows for tights. With these, hot-pants, a stylish Romantic-style mini-dress and black make-up will probably look more sophisticated.

Especially this season, designers have showcased some revisited fancy dress pieces, making witches hats sexy and pumpkin-orange a first choice colour.

If only for one night.

Halloween's the excuse

It's Halloween: the only day in the year when you can wear tomato red tights, dark purple lipstick, a skull-print mini-dress and orange sequin devil horns, and no one will even flinch. (Except maybe those with some colour coordination skills.)

But even on that blessed 'who-cares-about-style, let's-go-crazy' day, people don't really dress-up. Not during the day anyways.

The only really amazing outfit I have seen today was worn by a Goth, and it was probably her every day style.

Granted, Halloween is a little bit childish. Once past the age to ask for sweets (and at 21, my trick-and-treat days are well over), there seems to be little point in dressing up.

Also, it's not a British tradition. And let's face it: it's more fun to go trick or treating in an American suburban Neighbourhood decorated with pumpkins, than in a London tower-block.

That said, it still remains a great day to try on the new Soft Goth trend.

If the heavy jewelery and the jet-black lipstick just don't do the trick (unfortunately some things look great on the YSL catwalk but not on us), it's good to make a note of it on the day when it's OK to look scary.

Even if it wasn't the intended effect originally...

Vampires in Oxford Street: Goths are about to enter Mainstream Fashion

Vivienne Westwood did it to Punk in 1981 and now it's about to happen to Goth. So, if you are a true member of the underground subculture be warned: your style is about to be revisited by the mainstream.

Everything is going black: from soft lace to lips and sequin. What is amazing with the Romantic Gothic style is the play with textures. Givenchy teams up chiffon and PVC to amazing results.

But why this craze for niche subculture looks?

Bringing dark worlds into fashion is a trademark of British designing. Vivienne Westwood was a pioneer of infusing controversy into the mainstream, but many like Jean Paul Gaultier and Jonathan Saunders followed the lead.

Provocative styles are sexy and young.

The soft-Goth look of this season has certainly been glamorised: it's all about a sleek and soft contrast of materials, feminine details and figure flattering cuts.

But, if Punk caused outrage back in the 80s, subcultures aren't as controversial anymore. The Goth black lips and heavy makeup didn't shock the catwalks. It amazed.

In a sense, it shows a wider fashion acceptance and the death of traditional day wear: anything goes nowadays, especially in London. But it might also mean the death of the subculture.