Candy, costumes, crazy makeup and cats! As much as I love Halloween, and I do love Halloween, I don’t think I’ve ever planned a Halloween costume more than one week out, which is kind of funny, considering how with certain other aspects of my life, like packing for trips or making playlists, I’m a compulsive over-planner.
I mean, dude! — you should see my running playlist. I have every track planned down to the last minute/mile. I kid you not.
With Halloween, though, I’m all about fast and loose. I think I’m addicted to the last-minute thrill, the pressure of putting something together at the last minute and seeing it all come together. 🙂
I wasn’t even planning on dressing up at all this year, truth be told. I dunno… I just haven’t really been feeling it lately (it happens), but today, as I was squeezing my employer’s front paws into his velvet royal tabby costume, I felt inspired.
So I whipped up this simple, sassy kitty costume using some things I had on hand/paw.
Step 1: Start with smokey eyes
I’d already done these cat-shaped smokey eyes earlier, and I think they exude Halloween drama, so I started with them.
To ramp things up you could add falsies, which would be super cool. I wanted to, but I’d just applied the long claw nails (see step 3) and didn’t want to risk poking my eyes out, LOL!
Step 2: Draw your kitty cat whiskers and nose
Next, I grabbed a long-wearing black gel eyeliner, Guerlain’s Black Jack, and drew in a kitty cat nose and whiskers on my face.
If there’s going to be any dancing involved on actual Halloween night, I might use a gel liner like MAC Blacktrack and a 266 brush, or a liquid liner, since those formulas usually last a long time.
I’d avoid creamy kohl liners, though, since they tend to smear.
Step 3: Enhance with cat accessories
Time to get catty!
I slipped on this lace headband with cat ears by the Love at First Blush Etsy store, but you can find cat ears practically everywhere!
They had a ton of different styles at Party City when I went last weekend.
After that, I applied press-on stiletto nails to simulate actual kitty claws, and because the pointy stiletto nails have some red in them, I went with a red lipstick (MAC Frank-n-Futer from the Rocky Horror collection) to tie the look together.
Mrow!
These press-ons, by the way, were from a limited set in the MAC Ruffian collection a while back, but you can find similar styles at drugstores (or online at etsy).
Since the goal was to keep the whole costume simple, I didn’t do much with my clothes. I was already wearing a pair of black leggings (don’t hate me, Karl!), a dark gray sweater and black boots.
A black cat tail would totally take the costume to the next level, but gasp! — I actually don’t have one in the house.
I know, I’m also kind of surprised about that. 🙂
Speaking of kitty cats, I just adopted another one!
I found her at Pier 1 on sale in the Halloween section for $12.
Normally Tabs would have been wildly jealous of a new cat in the house, but he’s been cool in this case. He likes that she’s covered in glitter and isn’t afraid of bold accessories.
I still haven’t named her yet… I’m thinking maybe Rory Gilmore?
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
P.S. I don’t know if the sassy cat is going to be my official Halloween costume yet, but it’s a contender. I have one other thing in mind…but I’m still ruminating. How’s your costume planning coming along?
I’ve been a long time reader her on MBB, (since Grade 4, now I’m 3rd Year High School!) and I’ve never really left a comment but I’ve just got ot say, I LOVE your blog, the way you talk about makeup, the way you blog, everything about you and your blog! (And Tabs! I’m kinda a dog person but you be convertin’ me guurrrl!) So yeah! Love them smokey eyes! They look AMAZEBALLZ on you!
P.S. I’m a Filipino (or Filipina, haha) too!
Aww this is cute! I dressed up as Puss in Boots a few years back. That was fun! I didn’t have that much makeup AT ALL at that point, but I was resourceful 😉 Even managed to sew a red ribbon around my hat on my own!
IF I do anything (that’s a big if), it’ll probably be Maleficent. I got the horns, so some heavy contouring, a red lip, and a black outfit later, I’m done! I admire people who actually do more than that, but I’m too damn lazy.
Right?! I want to spend the extra time eating candy!
Such a cute idea! I am not going to any Halloween parties this year so no costume needed. I wonder if we will get any trick-or-treaters this year. It’s the first year we have a ton of kids living on our court so I am keeping my fingers crossed 🙂
Oh and that cat from Pier1 is adorable!
Giving out candy and seeing the costumes is my favorite part. We usually get one big group of kids that comes all at the same time, and then that’s it! I think it’s because we live up on a hill, and nobody (not the kids or the parents) want to climb up it, LOL! I seriously don’t blame them.
You make a super cute kitty cat, Karen 😀 I bet Tabs approves.
He refrained from scratching my eyes out, which usually means he doesn’t totally hate it, LOL!
TGIF. 🙂
Very cute! I like your cattastic nails. 🙂 Your new kitty is AWESOME! I love the little bat hanging from her tail. The greatness of the glitter and accessories goes without saying. 🙂
PS I checked on the push up liner sample. Yup. Benefit. I’m nervous about even opening it! HAHA!
PPS Happy Friday!!!! It’s cold and dreary here so I’m trying to combat that with extra exclamation points.
OK, that liner. It’s very long wearing, but can be difficult to apply. You have plenty of LORAC Front of the Line Pro practice so I have faith in you. Don’t try to use it if you’re rushing out the door, though, because it can be tricky, and it’s hella hard to remove it. Still, give it a go, and let me know how it works out for ya!
Sending you some Nor Cal sunshine! It’s finally *not* overcast here, yay!
Oh, my. I can only imagine the horror that will ensue with that liner. At least it’s the right time of year, right? 🙂 I’ll let you know how it goes and will have lots of remover handy.
Thank you! We can totally use it. We have an outdoor activity tonight and it’s going to be cold and wet. Then we’re up at 5:30 tomorrow AM to leave for a tournament. You know it’s hockey season (in the Northeast) when you’re freezing and sleep deprived. HAHA! I hope you guys have a great weekend!!
So cute! I need to come up with something fun to do… I’ve been a flapper ONE TOO MANY TIMES, lol.
Have you checked out Sephora’s Halloween board on pinterest? There are some *amazing* looks on there! I kinda wanna try the popart comic-book look 🙂
Oh but a flapper is so much fun! Any day you get to wear fringe is a good day.
I’ve seen those pop art looks and they are super cool. I wish I had the patience to try one!
Happy Friday, by the way. What are your plans for the weekend?
Happy Friday to you, too! This has been the l-o-n-g-e-s-t week. Plans for the weekend include 1) actually cleaning the apartment, and 2) copious amounts of sleep!! And I am soooo looking forward to it, lol 🙂
I’m actually going to a real Halloween party this year so I’ll be dressing for the first time in years! Of course, I’m going as a cat. 🙂 I like the idea of press on nails for claws!
I love that black cat and sparkly pumpkin!
Hi Ruchita,
The claws add that extra catty touch. 🙂 The only thing it’s IMPOSSIBLE to do stuff with them on — type, open gravy cans, fish for your keys in your purse. If you do end up wearing them, then do as much prep work as you can beforehand, and then put them on at the last minute, right before you head out the door. And don’t poke your eye out! Yes I speak from experience.
What kind of cat are you going as?
Happy Friday!
Good to know about the nails! I’m going to honor (or embarass?) Nina and go as a black cat. I have plenty of black clothing, so it should be easy. I’m definitely getting kitty ears, but not sure yet about the tail. I’m sure Mingy and Ella will help by leaving plenty of fur on my clothes. 🙂 TGIF!
P.S. Tabs looks great in his Halloween costumes! I think the King Tabby one was my favorite.
Nina will be so proud! You have to take a cat selfie with her and post it on Instagram so I can show Tabs. 🙂
So, the funny thing about the King Tabby costume is that underneath the cape is a blue velvet dress, haha! It also has a red heart sewn in the center for that extra touch of craziness. Believe it or not those two costumes are just the tip of the iceberg. He has a couple more that I have to bribe him into wearing.
Will you be baking anything for the party?
Yes, I was planning on doing a “who wore it better” post with Nina. 🙂
I picked up some cute mini-cupcake liners at the dollar store, so I’m thinking about making some pumpkin cupcakes with cream cheese frosting.
The King Tabby outfit sounds awesome! Only an elite few can pull of an outfit like that. Can’t wait to see the rest.
NICE! It will be hard to decide between the two, I’m sure!
Mmm…cream cheese frosting. I could happily eat a whole jar of that in one sitting.
Do you guys have your house all decked out for Halloween? We just put up a door cover with a black cat! Nina would be proud.
Unfortunately, the extent of my decorating was to set out an Autumn Wreath scented candle from Yankee Candle. 🙂 I see see so many cute ideas online, but then I get overwhelemed with trying to figure out what to do. We moved into our house in Feb, but there are still boxes to be unpacked behind closed doors, so I feel like I should tackle those before buying new stuff. Anyway, I’m hoping by next year I’ll have more time for fun stuff. 🙂
Are you guys expecting a lot of trick-or-treaters? Our neighborhood has a ton of kids, so I need to stock up on lots of candy!
OMG, I know what you mean. I’ve learned that the best thing for me to do is just to grab what moves me and go for it. Otherwise I will spend forever and a day contemplating the pros/cons of each decorating decision. A glittery pumpkin? A glitter black cat in orange high heels and faux fur? YES!
Oh, and don’t feel bad about those boxes. We’ve officially been in this place for four years now and I still have crap from the move that I need to go through, haha!
On Halloween we usually get one big group of kids that all come at once (I think the neighborhood gang all gathers together to hit all the houses in one fell swoop). We also live on top of a hill that’s kind of steep so nobody wants to walk up here, LOL. I honestly can’t blame them!
So, I have a candy confession. I bought a bag of treats last week allegedly for the trick-or-treaters, but I’ve been picking out all the stuff I like (Snickers, M&M’s), all week long.
Yes, I’m the same way with overthinking things about decorating! I’m sure there will be stuff on sale after the end of the month so I’ll see if there’s anything cute I can get for next year.
I haven’t bought any candy yet. I think I’m going to wait until the last minute so I’m not digging into the stash. Kit Kats are my downfall.
I’m expecting a steady stream of kids, so I’ll probably just hang out on the front porch. It’s so funny, Nina and Mingy both run for cover when the doorbell rings. They’ve learned that the sound means the impending doom of a stranger in the house! lol But Nina has gotten so much better and will come around and hang out when there are people over.
I love kitty cat Halloween looks! Always cute, classic, and fun. So doable (and DIY-able).
Also, I totally vote Rory Gilmore for the new black kitty’s name 🙂
Hi Rachel,
Sometimes it’s good to keep things simple when it comes to Halloween costumes; that way you’ve got more time for candy eating. 🙂
OK, so I’m about halfway through season 3 of The Gilmore Girls. I can’t remember — have you seen the entire series? I need to talk to someone about Jess versus Dean.
I have seen the entire series and re-watching a little with a friend who hasn’t seen it before! You can talk to me about Jess and Dean anytime- more often than not, I am Team Jess strong! I don’t know if it’s the aloof, well-read, hard-edged bad boy thing or what. I loved him when I was in high school! I think the biggest drawback they have in common is a mean jealous streak! What are your thoughts/do you have a favorite?
Whoops, I thought this was a reply on your comment but I accidentally started a new one. Shoot!
Thank goodness! I think El Hub is getting sick of discussing Dean v. Jess, LOL! I have to say that I’m a Dean fan. I mean… the guy built her a car from scratch. WITH HIS BARE HANDS. And he’s always so sweet and kind to her.
I can see why she’s intellectually attracted to Jess, though; I just wish he was nicer and more considerate to Rory and to the people around him (I’ve been to that rodeo and have no patience for that sh*t). I watched the episode last night where Jess and Rory go to the town carnival, and they run into Dean and Clara, and Jess is so rude to Clara. Really, Jess? Was it necessary to be unkind to a child?
Clearly I’ve been watching a LOT of this show!
It’s so easy to get sucked into the Stars Hollow portal and never want to come back out, hahah! I love how all the characters have that little bit of extra crazy that makes them so watchable/weirdly relatable, and the dialogue kills. I do agree: major points to Dean for treating Rory like a princess and cherishing her! Jess has that hard edge that is so witty on screen, but in the real world, that would never fly. I won’t deny that he is just plain rude sometimes.
Poor Clara!! I remember that episode well- my only consolation for that situation was that at least Clara could hold her own with some of the banter, Dean and Rory were doting on her the whole time, and hopefully the rest went over her head! Similarly to you, I have no patience for bad attitudes. I can’t wait to hear more from you as you watch the show unfold! You’ve got a lot of good stuff ahead of you! 😀 Has El Hub/a friend been watching with you or has it been a solo endeavor?
Very cute! Love the nails!
OMG – loving the nails! The whole outfit is really cute. It reminded me that I have punk cat ears and tail that I bought one year on sale and never used. Maybe I’ll do that this year.
I was going to dig out the black curly wig, velvet dress and cape and do the vampire thing… meh. We’ll see. I was also a crow one year and that was fun and easy. (and it all started with a beak for a buck and a black hoodie. LMAO)
Uh, fierce nails.
Those nails are bitchin’! Better watch out with your cat costume there. El Hub might ask to see your belly! That’s the first thing mine would do lol.
Those nails really caught my eye when I first saw this picture! I love the whole package but I especially love those nails!
Karen wanted so badly to join the halloween cat like you
nails and loved this beautiful little ears!
great big kiss to you and tabbys
cool