Vintage Halloween can mean different things to different people. Mainly, it is about however you choose to incorporate this theme into your haunting holiday. It might be your costume, your home décor or your choice of movies to get in the spirit of the holiday. There are plenty of ways to acquire items to make part or all of your Halloween vintage inspired.
Vintage Halloween Costumes
Usually, this means a costume with a vintage theme. A popular idea for this is the classic, retro pinup girl. Of course anything from the ‘50s era is a great way to bring vintage or retro to your Halloween. Think poodle skirts and James Dean type rockabilly boyfriends, and you have some costume ideas.
Of course the ‘50s aren’t the only era that can be considered when thinking of a vintage theme. Because vintage is generally described, at least in clothing or furnishings, as anything more than 20 years back, that means the ‘90s are now vintage. Pick something from the era that is classic, and you have a vintage costume. For the ‘60s and ‘70s, it could be boho or hippies, or more glam disco divas. For the ‘80s think of anything new wave or pop. For the ‘90s, it would probably be grunge.
Now, on the other hand, if you are looking for vintage that means finding an actual vintage costume, you may be limited to selection based on what you can find. If you are looking for a vintage police uniform costume as opposed to just a vintage costume, you may have a more difficult time in your hunt. Your best bets would be eBay, online vintage clothing retailers, Etsy or your local costume rental place for some unique choices.
Halloween Decorating with a Vintage Flair
Surprisingly, you can still find ‘vintage’ Halloween decorations. These are most likely going to be available through eBay, Etsy or, if you are really lucky, your nearest thrift store. There are plenty of selections, whether you want a paper black cat with moveable limbs or an actual plastic skeleton. If you are willing to accept some with a little “pre-love,” or wear and tear, you are sure to find something that fits your retro Halloween look.
One item that is fairly easy to track down that makes great looking vintage Halloween decorations is the vintage Halloween postcard. Also, old holiday greeting cards work too. They offer a spooky or classic feel to holiday décor, even when mixed in with more current decorating.
Vintage Movies for Halloween
Again, this would now include anything that was created more than 20 years ago. So, flicks such as the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre or Rosemary’s Baby are indeed vintage horror movies. Grab a few from the same era and make it a Halloween by decade movie watching extravaganza. There are plenty of horror movies dating back to when movies first began, and many of even the oldest are considered some of the scariest Halloween movies ever. The 1932 flick, Freaks, is an example of an oldie but a true cult classic when it comes to vintage horror movie choices.
Host a Vintage Halloween Party
Put it all together and you have got yourself a vintage Halloween party. Take this idea and run with it down to every last detail. You can actually still find vintage Halloween party invitations online, as well as holiday themed placeholders to let your guests know where to sit a the table.
Next, you will need some vintage décor to set the mood of the room and the party. Aside from buying things that are simply vintage items, look through old books or magazines for Halloween decorating ideas. You may find some things that were trendy to do for holiday decorating during the ‘60s that you could recreate with modern items.
The same thing goes for foods. You can find vintage books or magazines online to buy that may have Halloween recipes, or at least recipes from certain decades. Recreate the feel of the past by recreating the flavors of the past. Retro Housewife has recipes even for holiday punches from different eras. If nothing else, your local library is bound to have an outdated recipe book or two.
The last thing, make sure everyone dresses in vintage costumes or with that theme. Add some old holiday tunes or movies for background noise and party like it’s 1959. Make everything old, new and hip again. Halloween itself is a holiday old and rich with historic tradition, so make your vintage Halloween celebrate this idea.
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