Okay, so Halloween’s coming up, and I really wanted to do something different this year. I’ve always loved the idea of a striking red dress, but how to make it Halloween-y and not just, you know, fancy? That was my challenge.
First, I brainstormed. What characters wear red dresses? Jessica Rabbit was an obvious one, but I wanted something a little less… expected. Then it hit me: Little Red Riding Hood, but with a twist. Like, a dark twist.
I started by hitting up my local thrift stores. I figured a second-hand dress would be perfect – cheaper, and I wouldn’t feel bad about altering it. I found this long, kinda velvety red dress. It was a little old-fashioned, but that actually worked in my favor!
Then came the fun part: making it spooky. I picked up some black lace and some fake blood (obviously). I sewed the lace around the neckline and the sleeves, making it look a bit more gothic. It wasn’t perfect sewing, by any means, but I figured a little roughness would add to the “distressed” look I was going for.
Next, the blood. I didn’t want to just splatter it everywhere – that felt too cliché. Instead, I focused on the hem of the dress, like I’d been dragging it through the woods. I also added a few strategically placed “rips” and “tears” to the fabric.
For the accessories, I found an old basket and filled it with some fake apples (gotta have the props!). And, of course, I needed a hood. I bought some red fabric and, using a YouTube tutorial, managed to make a pretty decent-looking hooded cape. It wasn’t perfect, but it definitely did the trick.
- Red Dress:Thrift store find.
- Black Lace: Added to neckline and sleeves.
- Fake bloodThe hem of the skirt, with some tears.
- Basket and Fake Apples:For the full Little Red Riding Hood effect.
- Red Hooded Cape:Made from scratch (with a little help from YouTube!).
The makeup was the final touch. I went for a pale face, dark eyes, and a deep red lip. A little bit of fake blood around the mouth, and I was good to go.I looked pretty creepy!
The Final Result
Putting it all together, I was REALLY happy with how it turned out. It was definitely a “red dress” Halloween costume, but it was also unique and, honestly, a little scary. Mission accomplished! I definitely felt like a darkly twisted version of Little Red Riding Hood. It’s proof you don’t need to spend a ton of money to make a cool Halloween costume – just a bit of creativity (and maybe some fake blood!).
