The Pink Witch Halloween Costume

The velvet mini is the base

The black velvet square neck mini dress does the heavy lifting. Velvet stretches a little, not a lot. Check the size chart on the listing and actually measure your hips.

Velvet is warm, which is lovely on a chilly Halloween night and less lovely at a packed indoor party. If you run hot, step outside for a few minutes now and then. It also shows lint like nobody's business. Lint roll before you leave the house, and again right before photos, because the dog will find you.

Hat and gloves make it a costume

The soft pink velvet witch hat is the piece that turns a little black dress into a witch. Wide brims catch on doorframes, so duck. If it slides around, tuck a couple of bobby pins through the inside band into your hair.

The pale pink lace gloves are wrist length with ruffled lace at the cuff, and they bring the sweet, slightly old fashioned part. They also make holding a cold tumbler less miserable. Lace gloves can run small, so look at the hand measurement on the listing before ordering. You will want one off to eat, so keep your bag close.

Hair is easy, long and straight or soft waves under the brim. A dark nail looks great poking through pink lace, which you can see on my phone hand. Add a berry lip or a pink gloss and a quick winged liner, and you are done.

Shoes, bag and moon earrings

The black platform Mary Jane pumps give you height and stability at the same time. The chunky heel and thick sole stay steady on old wood floors and uneven sidewalks, and the strap keeps them on your foot. Break them in before the party, because stiff straps rub at the ankle. A small bandage in your bag is never a bad idea. Neither is a spare pair of flats in the car.

The black crescent shoulder bag sits close to your body and holds the essentials, phone, key, gloss. The gold moon and star drop earrings finish the theme. They are long enough to catch the light under the brim and light enough to forget about.

Back in the closet by November

My favorite thing about this costume is that every piece except the hat goes straight back into your closet. The velvet mini with the Mary Janes is a holiday party outfit. The crescent bag works every day. The earrings are subtle enough for work.

Budget version. Wear any black dress you already own, add the hat and the gloves, and you are a pink witch. Watch your brim. Seriously. That point is taller than you think.

Anything in the photos that is not on the shopping list above is a styling extra, so use what you already own.