It’s that time of year: Halloween season! You have probably noticed plenty of Halloween decorations all over – grocery stores, drug stores, home goods stores, and more. But did you know that there are many different styles of Halloween decorating? You may only see one or two in commercial spheres, but there are in fact other ways to decorate for Halloween. Maybe you enjoy Halloween but don’t want to decorate your space with body parts and creepy faces and the like. Or maybe you are tired of putting out the same old decorations every October and simply want a change of scenery. Good news: there are plenty of classy Halloween decorations that can give your home a more chic edge this October.
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A Condensed Overview of Halloween Decorating Styles
Horror and Gore
Many people don’t like Halloween because it brings out so many creepy, horrific movies and accompanying decor. While there is enough of a cult following to support the horror industry, it’s understandable that many people are turned off by gruesome displays of…well, just about anything. But that isn’t what Halloween’s all about. There are many other Halloween styles that encompass tamer expressions and traditions. Just like with any major religion, you can’t lump it all together. The experiences and customs are widely varied. Gore is just one facet of Halloween. It’s definitely in-your-face obvious, but it’s not the only way to decorate or celebrate this holiday.
Cutesy and Child-Friendly
Gore’s opposite is cute. Think Casper the Friendly Ghost, and most elementary school Halloween decorations. These are the G-rated decorations and naturally dominate kid-friendly spaces and occasions. Cutesy can certainly be classy, depending on the materials used for decorations among other factors. It also may be one of the cheapest ways to decorate since materials are often affordable paper and plastic. You can easily find fun and affordable cute decorations at most dollar stores.
Creepy and Dark
Creepy decor is different from gory decor in that there is nothing gruesome about it, but it’s spooky. If gory decor fits horror movies, creepy decor fits suspenseful scary movies. Its ability to cause discomfort is subtle rather than blatant. This generally consists of things that aren’t supposed to be inherently scary but have become so over time in our culture. Porcelain dolls, for instance, are lovely and endearing to some. When employed in other circumstances such as Halloween decor, they can be creepy. A woman in black with a black veil covering her face could be a mourning widow in one circumstance, or a very creepy silhouette in Halloween decor. Dark and creepy decor can also be classy, if you are going for classy-creepy.
Classic and Classy
Classy Halloween loosely describes any Halloween decor that doesn’t definitively fit into any of the above three categories. So while it may employ figures that are originally ‘scary’ or otherwise affiliated with Halloween (vampire, ghost, skeleton, etc.), its representation of them is not scary. It involves all of the classic Halloween characters, but not in an overly creepy or horrific style. You’ll find black cats, bats witches, jack-o-lanterns, Frankenstein, mummies, and more. But none of them will scare you away or creep you out. They’re more for fun, a way to say – ‘hey, it’s Halloween!’ And when they aren’t displayed in a specifically child-centric way (in other words, designated as ‘cute’), they are simply classic. Classy Halloween can play on subtle spook and mystery, but not actual fear.
Classy Expression 1: Glamorous and Feminine
There are a few different ways to go classy with Halloween. My favorite way is to embrace dazzling glamor. Why not go all out feminine with Halloween? There are so many gorgeous things you can do when you acquire just the right classy Halloween decorations to evoke a sense of ‘lovely mystery’. For starters, you don’t have to stick to the traditional holiday colors of orange, black and purple. Think pink!
1. Glitter Pumpkins
Razzle dazzle your space with mini pink glitter pumpkins! These sparkly little gems would make a gorgeous mantel topper, stair step liner, or adornment just about anywhere.
2. Gold-brushed White and Pink Pumpkins
These gold-brushed pumpkins in white and pink are a fun and artistic touch to a rustic, feminine fall theme. Like many of the pumpkins in this list, they are versatile enough to cover Halloween as well as any autumn occasion/decor setup in general.
3. Pink Ghost Garland
These sweet little pink ghosts won’t be scaring anybody anytime soon. String them from a mantel, window or doorframe to add a light and feminine touch to your Halloween decor. Add to the look with a minimalist pink ghost painting or matching ‘books’ from the same seller.
4. Pink Pumpkin Garland
This fun and feminine pumpkin strand brings pleasant, happy energy to any space.
5. Pink and Black Halloween Wreath
Hang this fun Halloween wreath filled with pink, black and burlap ruffles and bows with various patterns for a cheerful greeting at your front door! There are also a ton of other pink Halloween wreaths in various styles. These are just a few of them:
- ‘Spooky Season’ pink Halloween wreath
- ‘Boo’ pink, orange, and black-and-white-striped maximalist Halloween wreath
- Pink, orange, and black-and-white-striped ribbon-centric Halloween wreath
- ‘Boo’ Halloween wreath with shades of pink and black and white
6. Pink Ghost and Black Bat Halloween Confetti
These pretty confetti pieces include sparkly silver crescent moons, pink ghosts, and pink and black bats. Perfect for a pink Halloween party! There are plenty of other styles of Halloween-themed confetti with pink, sparkles, skulls and more.
7. White Ghost Beverage Napkins with Gold Eyelashes
These ghost-shaped cocktail napkins are extra cute because of the gold-glitter closed eyelashes. What a fun and feminine addition to your party supplies.
8. Pink and White Ghost Garland
This cute strand of pink and white ghosts is made of glittery cardstock and would look adorable strung across any stretch of wall.
9. Pink Velvet Pumpkin with Flowers and Pearls
This little centerpiece pumpkin is truly a glamorous and feminine one-of-a-kind treasure. A queen of classy Halloween decorations, it would soften and bedazzle any Halloween space.
10. Dusty Pink Velvet Pumpkin
Your more ‘everyday’ version of the fancier pumpkin above, this velvet pumpkin is soft and subdued. It’s perfect when you aren’t going for bold colors but want to play on the season’s shadowy undertones that come along with the shortening days.
11. Pink Pumpkin Mug
While this pink pumpkin mug could be used as decor, it is simply a fun pink way to enjoy your morning coffee for the Halloween season! It doesn’t have to be a pumpkin spice latte; any tasty drink you put in it will taste more festive (that may sound ridiculous, but try it)!
12. Door Corner Witch Silhouette
This simple and classy silhouette of a witch riding a broom with black cat in tow is an easy way to spruce up any door frame for Halloween. It comes in black, gold, gray, silver, or white.
13. Lacy Bat
Hang this delicate embroidered lacy bat from the ceiling, along the wall, or gracefully incorporate it into any Halloween centerpiece. Alternately, you can string up an entire garland of these bats (available from the same seller)!
14. Pink Lace with Bat and Spiderweb Detailing
Pink lace adds a perfectly feminine touch to any decor, and would easily complement a more feminine Halloween look. This pink fabric with a lacy bat and spiderweb motif is the perfect subtle nod to Halloween!
15. Hot Pink Lacy Tulle with Spiderweb Design
Want a brighter colour pop? Drape this lacy hot pink spiderweb tulle over furniture, hang it from the wall or ceiling, spread it as a tablecloth, or incorporate it into any bold display.
16. Hocus Pocus Pennant
This playful Hocus Pocus pennant banner in pink, orange and black is a festive way to herald Halloween. It is especially appropriate for fans of the Disney movie, Hocus Pocus (and my first memory of Sarah Jessica Parker).
Classy Expression 2: Sophisticated Elegance
Another beautifully class way to decorate for Halloween is to learn more toward elegance and sophistication. Think of how you would imagine a Halloween ball at a grand estate. Such classy Halloween decorations may employ more black and white or metallic hues. Themes could incorporate mask displays, elegant black lace, or glass.
1. Orange Venetian Mask
This beautifully painted authentic Venetian mask displays perfect ‘pumpkin colors’ with bright harvest orange and glittered green and gold embellishments. If you love Venetian masks, you can easily use them for a fantastically unique Halloween decor scheme.
2. Sparkly and Metallic Masquerade Masks
Display a classy and elegant masquerade mask to adorn your Halloween decor in any of seven stunning colours. You could hang them from windows or arrange them on a table or mantle for a dramatic and mysterious look.
3. White Masquerade Mask
This beautiful white handmade masquerade mask is a perfect complement to a black and white decor theme. It also comes in black. Together, the black and white masks would create a clean and stunning contrast as a centerpiece or anywhere else for dramatic effect.
4. Black Masquerade Mask
This simple and beautiful black mask is another great piece for black and white decor, but is versatile enough to complement any classy decor theme. The great thing about decorating with masks is that you can wear them for costume parties as well!
5. Gold-Trimmed Black Masquerade Mask
This beautiful and sparkling mask adds a pop of glittery gold for a gorgeous touch of glamor.
6. Black Lace Parasol
A gorgeous black lace parasol is a fun and unique way to add sophisticated style this Halloween!
7. Stained Glass Spiderweb Dreamcatcher with Bat and Hanging Stars and Moon
An elaborate stained glass piece resembles a traditional dreamcatcher with a copper web and bat and hanging pieces of stained glass in the shapes of stars and a moon. This is a top notch gorgeous and classy Halloween decoration.
Classy Expression 3: Fun and Funky
Fun and funky classy Halloween decorations are nice enough to be classy but not necessarily fancy or exquisite. Simply put, they are just fun!
1. Hocus Pocus Cauldron Sign
Another sweet find for Hocus Pocus fans, this pink Hocus Pocus cauldron shaker is both pretty and playful! The seller also creates other fun Halloween-themed shakers in lovely pastel purple and pinks, from stacked pumpkins to Frankenstein and more.
2. Broomstick Sign
Show off your riding skills with this wooden plank sign that proudly reads, ‘Why Yes, I Can Drive A Stick’!
3. Customizable Skeleton Family Halloween Sign
Proudly showcase your happy haunted skeleton family (which could be anyone from fabulous you to multiple members) on a custom-made wall sign! Select from a number of sizes to fit any space in your home or workspace.
4. Felt Ball Halloween Garland
This more subtle and simple garland features plain felt balls in autumn colours of white, orange, dark orange, black and gray. It’s perfect for a more natural-looking decor style and for a quieter, calmer look.
This discussion merely scrapes the surface of all the ways you can decorate for Halloween. There are so many other classy styles. We haven’t even touched upon country/farmhouse style decor, among others. But hopefully these classy Halloween decorations give you some ideas and inspiration for a fresh take on the season! No matter where we are in the calendar year, October will be here before you know it. Get a jump start on collecting fun decorations now! And if you love one of Halloween’s most beloved traditions of dressing up, don’t forget to check out classy Halloween costumes for plenty of ideas!