A stylish Halloween party is possible, say six leading names in style and entertaining, even though Vogue's former Parties editor insists she detests the occasion. We asked tableware founder Zoë de Givenchy, socialite Romilly Newman, Houses & Parties founder Rebecca Gardner, interiors designer Kelly Wearstler, creative Luke Edward Hall and Ghetto Gastro co-founder Jon Gray how to host one with real style.
Partying has been my profession. I spent years reporting on festivities and soirees as Vogue's Parties editor, so what follows may startle you: Halloween, in all its forms, is something I detest. Putting on a costume irritates me, being frightened irritates me, and so does the pairing of black with orange. Very little about the occasion holds any attraction for me.
Why a Halloween sceptic wants a stylish Halloween party
Much of the pull the party circuit had for me was its glamour. I loved gatherings with floral displays worthy of hanging next to a still life by Jan van Huysum, impeccably starched tablecloths of nearly ridiculous crispness, and guests in black tie holding tiny minaudières. Hauling a bag stuffed with everyday essentials is simply not done; the mundane side of life belongs outside the entrance of any lavish celebration! So what, at a Halloween party in particular, is abandoned on the threshold? Anything that looks even vaguely chic.
I recognise that not many people agree with me on this, and I am open to correction. Is there any way for Halloween to be chic? To find out, I have brought together a group of style authorities whose credentials are reasonably persuasive.
- Zoë de Givenchy, the elegant founder of a tableware range shaped by the taste of Hubert, her great-uncle by marriage.
- Romilly Newman, the socialite some have labelled Gen Z's Martha Stewart.
- Rebecca Gardner, the person behind Houses & Parties.
- Kelly Wearstler, the interiors designer famed for her trademark California-cool aesthetic.
- Luke Edward Hall, an English creative who is both artist and designer.
- Jon Gray, a co-founder of Ghetto Gastro, the Bronx culinary collective that brings cuisine, clothing, visual art and sound together around a single table.
With this lineup, I hope at least one of them can argue in favour of 31 October. Below, their advice on hosting a stylish Halloween party with real style.
Can a Halloween get-together actually be stylish?
Vogue: Can a Halloween get-together actually be stylish?
De Givenchy: Absolutely, provided the mood stays dark, sultry, and glamorous. Think dim lighting, your finest silverware, and cocktails with a kick.
Wearstler: For her, Halloween is mostly about setting an atmosphere, using unexpected colour pairings and cheeky, rule-bending touches when hosting. A theatrical table arrangement that plays with differences in size, proportion and surface finish is a personal favourite.
Newman: Absolutely. She suggests building a setting with candles that drip, lace, dim and moody lighting, and flowers in rich, deep shades. Picking a theme helps establish the tone: Hitchcock, the surreal, sorcery, and the like.
Gardner: In her view, Halloween parties are playful, spooky and a bit silly. Guests can still look chic, whether in a fashionable witch outfit crowned with a rose-coloured satin hat or in a nod to Isabella Blow with a spiderweb fascinator.
Hall: Without a doubt, she agrees, since this is a hugely significant point in the calendar. Samhain signals the arrival of the cold season and the Celtic New Year of tradition. She likes to honour this age-old fire festival while also enjoying the wonderful, camp enchantment of Halloween.
Gray: Yes, indeed. Decide on a clear theme, invite fascinating guests, and the evening will sort itself out.
What to avoid at a stylish Halloween party
And what should you steer clear of if you want an elegant celebration?
De Givenchy's pet hate: plastic ornaments of every kind, and paper serviettes printed with a seasonal motif. Eeeeek!
Wearstler's advice is to steer clear of anything ready-made. Adding your own touch counts for a great deal, and whether you are putting together a costume or crafting the decorations by hand, the effort will make the occasion richer.
Newman says part of Halloween's charm lies in things being slightly off. The strangeness and surprises appeal to her, and she reckons the smartest move is to embrace them fully.
Gardner has no trouble feeling enthusiastic about Halloween, thanks to masses of candlelight, a potent punch kept cold with frozen carbon dioxide, and a good excuse to wear wildly over-the-top costumes. She would skip throwaway napkins, plates and cups, since no grown-up wants to sip from those.
Hall: Plastic!
Gray's verdict: candy corn ought to be banned.
Costumes and dress codes for a stylish Halloween party
Must guests wear costumes? Or is it fine to drop the dress code altogether?
De Givenchy: For my own part, the “nightmare bride” I would choose to be would wear an older Riccardo Tisci design from his Givenchy years, cut in black gothic lace. Should I have to go as a spooky mummy, a Léger bandage dress that sweeps to the floor is how I would manage it. Costumes are fine by me, then, provided they look beautiful!
Wearstler: Halloween gives people a chance to display their own style and passions. Skipping the chance to be inventive seems to me something of a wasted opportunity.
Newman: Costumes are enjoyable and bring the room to life. Still, what matters most is that you are at ease and sure of yourself. If costumes aren't your thing, a mask works well, since you are free to take it off whenever you like…
Gardner: A party invitation of mine would never carry the words “costumes mandatory”, because anything mandatory takes the fun away. Instead, I would nudge guests towards dressing up by putting “costumes” in the bottom right-hand corner. I am fortunate that my friends enjoy dressing up.
Hall: I truly believe they are. These days there are too few occasions to put on fancy outfits, in my opinion. Whenever a chance to wear a costume comes up, it has to be seized.
Gray: Pick a side and stick to it. Either everybody comes in costume, or the party is an ordinary one where those who wish to make a big effort are free to do so.
Is it advisable to bear more than usual when you have no costume?
De Givenchy: Since this is the night when show-offs come into their own, aim for something dark, sexy and glamorous, in the best sense.
Newman: Halloween's real appeal is that anyone can turn into anyone. That might mean dressing up as a character, but it might equally mean putting on a piece you have long wanted to wear yet never felt at ease in. It could be a fresh fabric, shade, or style. Revealing more skin is not a requirement.
Gardner: How guests dress up, and what they dress up as, makes no difference to me. I salute the effort, whether it is Raggedy Anne or Icy Queentini.
Gray: Choose whatever makes you feel good, and look at the forecast first. New York in late October can swing between 70 degrees and 30. There is no telling.
Food for a stylish Halloween party
What belongs on the menu at a Halloween party?
De Givenchy's suggestions include bacon-wrapped dates, sausages wrapped in streaky bacon, potatoes crowned with caviar, and smoked salmon on rye bread. Because the evening will see visitors arriving and leaving at different times, she recommends a lavish buffet set out under silver candlelight.
Wearstler says Halloween is really about sweet treats. She picks cookies dotted with edible dried blooms, chocolate-dipped pieces of apricot, pineapple and orange, plus a bowl of M&Ms in the darkest shade.
Newman's tip is to pick up a 1970s copy of Gourmet magazine and cook its recipes again. Dishes from that era differ from what is usual now, and they look striking as well as tasting delicious, she says.
Gardner points out that Halloween typically means children going door to door for sweets, so she recommends a simple, tasty menu that suits the season. Her cocktail buffet includes a chicken and pastry pie alongside a big salad of leaves and roasted vegetables. She then swaps with the children to get Reese's chocolate-and-peanut-butter sweets, which she crumbles over portions of plain vanilla ice cream served to the grown-ups.
Hall likes to mark the season as it stands, with squash, apples, and the last of the blackberries. Think pies, crumbles, tarts . . .
Gray's spread features patties in the Caribbean style, a pie made with sweet potato, and chips of plantain served with caviar.
Drinks for a stylish Halloween party
Which drinks belong on the menu at a Halloween party?
De Givenchy's picks are Cosmopolitans, Old Fashioneds and vodka.
For Wearstler, Champagne is the usual choice when she wants to feel festive.
Newman says she adores a punch bowl, and recommends making a signature cocktail ahead of time and presenting it in a theatrical container.
According to Gardner, Halloween calls for a drink ladled from a large, silver-coloured punch bowl heaped with dry ice. Her own take is an Earl Grey punch laced with bourbon, which has a flavour quite similar to a bourbon sour. She mixes it in big pitchers and pours it over a ring of ice floating on the surface, dotted with orange slices and thyme sprigs, and perhaps a few bobbing eyeballs. To finish, she persuades a friend to leap out from behind the drapes wearing a clown mask.
Hall's suggestion: drinks in red and purple shades, with Negronis and Aviations, she reckons . . .
Gray says an evening like this calls for a coffee-based cocktail, or another drink with some caffeine in it, to keep the energy up. She adds sorrel, because the red drank has to be on deck.
Decorations and music for a stylish Halloween party
Which decorations should you use, and is it fine to leave out the usual pumpkins and spectres?
De Givenchy says pumpkins belong at the entrance and ghosts are meant for children. She suggests huge branches of unusual blossoms, willow, autumn leaves and thorns (whether painted or not), along with ivy, mosses, hellebores, cyclamen and tiny, rare orchids. Dim lighting matters, ideally only candles and lamps. She also wants waiters dressed in full livery, ghoulish makeup, plus a soundtrack that sounds deadly.
Wearstler likes mixing classic holiday touches with modern twists. Instead of the clichéd orange pumpkins, she would pick fairytale pumpkins in white and green, painting a few of them black, giving an edgy, refined display.
Newman advises drawing on your favourite films or artworks. You could build a wonderland inspired by David Lynch in a startling red, or go for a Victorian setting of dying flowers and candelabras.
Gardner prefers jack-o-lanterns that are carved by hand in the old way, with uneven, crooked teeth and flickering pillar candles inside. Pots of mums are not for her. All the same, strolling through the West Village, she is invariably entertained by the inventive Halloween decor and moved by the effort people put in to bring joy to strangers.
Hall: Naturally, Halloween is a night for drama. In her mind's eye she sees large pewter platters, towering candelabra and witch balls, plus a fog machine, which she considers non-negotiable!
Gray: Skip those. Rent or buy a smoke machine, then let the costumes guests arrive in do the decorating.
Which songs should make up the night's soundtrack?
De Givenchy: Her choices are “Spooky” by Dusty Springfield, “Witchcraft” by Frank Sinatra, "I Put a Spell on You" by Screamin' Jay Hawkins and “My Family” by Migos, Karol G, Snoop Dogg. [Note from the editor: De Givenchy has put together her own Halloween mix on Spotify, which spares you the work!]
Wearstler: She mentions Del Rey, Lana to be precise, and Stevie Nicks.
Newman: "Obviously Stevie Nicks!"
Gardner: By the close of the evening, I'd love to see wax from the candles trickling onto the dining table, with someone belting out (bourbon in hand, naturally) the line “Love’s a little kooky with a spooky little girl like you.”
Hall: Every Halloween I go back to the same playlist of mine, which blends Pagan folk and dungeon synth with a generous helping of church organ.
Gray: I'd pick “Thriller” by MJ, then keep to that period with a little Prince and some New Jack Swing.
