It’s a beautiful time of year. The leaves are turning burnished golds and reds, and the nights are drawing in earlier and earlier. There’s a hint of Winter the the wind in the evenings. And Hallowe’en is the gateway to the colder times, and some say the gateway to more sinister things…

Hallowe’en, short for All Hallows Evening, is the day when the veil between the world of the living and that of the dead is said to be the thinnest. Strange creatures can walk amongst us, and the dead can be easily contacted… at least so they say. It’s the feast of Samhain for witches, and in South America, Dia De Los Muertos, the Day Of The Dead. Different traditions from all over have combined to create new ones, and perhaps some of the old meanings are lost in the process, but it’s a really fun time of year.

In our house, we always make sure we have candy for the local kids, and enough for us to eat too, while we watch horror movies. We always carve pumpkins, my boyfriend has a real genius for it, and mine are always rather traditional looking. And we always make ginger bread. And I pretty much always choose a witch as my costume of choice. Perhaps not so original, but who didn’t love watching Sabrina or Betwitched when they were growing up?

Traditional autumnal fare is also seasonal for Hallowe’en: pumpkins, candles, and shiny red apples.

Smokey eyes, red lips and a vintage dress all make a strong statement, but the funny witches hat fascinator head band keeps it fun and friendly. This one is actually a cheapie from the local supermarket!

Classic movies to watch? Hocus Pocus, It’s The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown, The Witches (Angelica Huston is amazing), The Witches of Eastwick and later in the evening, The Craft and other scarier horror movies like The Conjuring  or Rosemary’s Baby.

Of course, a scary book is great this time of year, I’m currently enjoying Stephen King’s Needful Things. Spooky!

Red shoes always seem kind of witchy to me. Perhaps because of Dorothy’s Ruby Slippers. Though in old stories like The Red Shoes, where a girl who wears them is doomed to dance until she dies, they’re not always a happy tradition. In Charlaine Harris’s book Chocolat, and it’s sequel, The Lollipop Shoes, red shoes are associated with magic, but in a positive way. These ones are patent leather, from Office UK.

For this look, I used what you see here:

• Guerlain Rouge G Lipstick in Gala, such a classic, a total favourite of mine, and I love the built in mirror.
• Borjois Rouge Edition Velvet Matte Liquid Lipstick in 03 Hot Pepper, a beautiful alternative, and easy to apply.
• Borjois Eye Shadow pot in 04 Noir Precieux, a plumy shade with a hint of shimmer. Divine.
• Borjois Mega Liner in Extra Large Black
• Loreal Miss Manga Mega Volume Mascara
• Model Co Black kohl liner
• Rimmel Lip Liner in 021 Red Dynamite, def needed when going with a bold red lip
• MUA Luxe Blush Shimmer, which I love, and MUA Shimmer Kisses Bronzer, to define those cheek bones and highlight.

Want more? Follow us on Instagram @hermioneflavia or on Twitter @craven_wild, or check out these great posts! A look at the products I can’t live without HERE or what I wore to interview Tom Cruise and the cast of Jack Reacher HERE.