I'll Put A Spell On You - Halloween Ready Partywear with Simply Be

October is definitely my favourite month of the year. Not only is it when autumn has properly established itself amongst the streets of London, it's also birthday central with both myself and Lord Dicely celebrating another revolution each around the sun. With just ten days between them, we've made a tradition of celebration Howardween rather than our birthdays, meaning we get to pull out some spooky fun in advance of Halloween proper. And of course, when you're planning a party, you need a killer party dress!

Simply Be were kind enough to send me a birthday worthy outfit, and it managed to hit all the spooky witch vibes without being too much like a costume. In fact between the lace layered detailing, spotty mesh sleeves and high ruffle neckline, this was pretty much the goth glam dress of my dreams.

Dress: Black Lace Layered Dress from Simply Be (£38.50, was £59)

Shoes: Heavenly Soles Glitter Court Shoes Extra Wide EEE Fit from Simply Be (£28)

Bag: Joanna Hope Velvet Glitter Clutch Bag from Simply Be (£28)

The shoes and bag were the perfect accents for the dress, with the sparkly details giving it a party ready vibe. The extra wide shoes felt comfy to wear even with a 3" heel, with the shimmer capturing the light with every step. The bag was also a versatile item, with the chain easily hidden inside the bag to turn it into a clutch.

I'd also recently discovered that Simply Be have started to sell a wide range of beauty items, including some of my favourite brands such as NYX and Pixi. It makes it so easy to pick up everything you need for a look in one place, so I also nabbed a NYX High Voltage Lipstick in Burlesque (£7), OPI Nail Varnish in Midnight In Moscow (£13) and some This Works In Transit No Traces pads (£16) to clear everything off at the end of the night.

The NYX High Voltage Lipstick in burlesque is a bold and vibrant red. Whilst it looks quite brown in the tube, it seemed to have much cooler undertones on my skin which I loved. The High Voltage lipsticks are well known for their buttery consistency, and this shade doesn't disappoint. It feels moisturising, applies like a dream and the shape of the tip allows for an easy and precise application without a lip brush. It's got a satin like finish leaning more towards gloss, and definitely benefits from going over a lip liner to stop it slipping and bleeding. But once set, the colour stays in place for a good five hours (although expect your glasses and cutlery to have kiss marks all over them!) and is a pretty solid choice for just £7.

The OPI Nail Varnish in Midnight In Moscow finished off my nails, with a charcoal shade tinged with maroon undertones. The bottle was topped with OPI's ProWide brush for an easy application, and one swipe over a generic clear base coat was enough for a pigment packed pow with zero patchiness.

Lastly the This Works In Transit No Traces pads were a total skin saver at the end of the night. I have very dry and sensitive skin so the rosewater infused pads are an absolute dream for removing make-up and helping to keep my skin hydrated. Even when wearing heavy amounts of make-up which included a setting spray and waterproof mascara, it took just two pads to get rid of all traces before finishing off with my usual night cream.

#Howardween over at instagram.com/grungekittyphotogeek

I think my favourite thing about this look is that all of the pieces will work separately as part of other outfits. The dress will become a daily favourite, but teamed with ankle boots and a biker jacket. The sparkly shoes and bag will definitely be festive favourites. And that lipstick? That will be a permanent member of my make-up bag as who doesn't love a good, bold red?

What are your favourite party must haves? Don't forget to tell me in the comments below.

Until next time,

Diana x ❤ x

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