One of my favourite clients came in today to organise her Halloween weekend costume hire.

What’s the costume party theme?

“it’s… a Cave party! and that means…. animal skins and I want a bone in my hair!”

As it happens, I have a drawer labeled  “jungle” with lycra tiger .. so we emptied it on the bench and sifted through tiger leggings, a leopard leotard and bathers, fringed pants, a suede top with plaited shoulders, some leopard dresses.. “try this on!” I ventured

The leopard dress with sparkles fit perfectly, with a feather broach we could hike the side skirt up, add a fringed arm band… the dress looked hot, and some fabulous accessories we could really bring the wild side out..

and then, her eye caught a leopard print suede dress, errr, I mean top.. yes, it’s really very short.. “the cups might be too small”  but the yellow leopard printed suede kept her gaze until I released, resistance is futile.

I had spent at least a good whole full day making this outfit a year or two ago, cutting the suede, sewing it together, it even has wire under cups! For the right fit, this top is a unique beauty made with love, just waiting for the right person to put it on and enjoy the time of their life.

“Ok, you better try it on”

On it went, we pushed and zhooshed and zipped it up,  looking good… we added a halter neck, we tightened the sides and BooM, the cave lady was taking place in front of the enchanted mirror..  “is it, too short? I mean, it is the beach, but…?”

so we added a skirt

“I wish I had some of that thin leather strip, you know, those kind of sandals that wrap around your leg?”

“well, if it’s going to be a long party, then elastic might be a better way to go, it hugs your leg and gives with movement.”

We added elastics to her thongs (flip flops), I cut some bronze lycra strips, beaded them and tied them onto the straps to disguise the knotted elastic.

and her hair?

How do we cave costume accessorise?

into the tribal headpiece drawer, a bone on a headband, with plaited blonde hair. On my shelves we found a gold plait prepared a year ago, with red feathers and beads, and we attached that to the headband for extra detail.

A leather belt with leopard detail, a bracelet, some make up ideas, and I think we are good to go.

Bondi Halloween 2016, here we come…