“I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.” ― L.M. Montgomery

October is one of my favorite months of the year, and it’s not just because it’s officially pumpkin season. I do, of course, enjoy knit sweaters and colorful fall foliage, but I absolutely love scary movies and dressing up for Halloween! I’ll be starting this post off with a recent trip to a local Portland pumpkin patch and cozy fall attire. I’ll also be sharing some couples’ costumes inspiration, featuring some of my faves that my husband and I have worn over the years. Last but not least, I’ll be listing my picks for horror movies and spooky TV series.

Plumper Pumpkin Patch

Last week my bestie, her husband, and I drove out to Plumper Pumpkin Patch and Tree Farm. It was sunny and about 70 degrees–we couldn’t have asked for more idyllic fall weather!

Scarf: Kitson (similar here and here) Sweater: TJ Maxx (similar here and here) Jeans: Topshop Boots: Blondo Sunglasses: Ray-Ban Clubmaster

We wandered through the pumpkin patch and apple orchard, and I was so glad I wore a trusty pair of Blondo boots. These are the Elvina booties, and, even with the stylish pointy-toe, they’re still super comfortable.

This is one of my favorite fall scarves–I love the red, gray, and cream-colored tones, which contrasts so well with a simple, off-white sweater. My scarf is several years old and was a purchase from Kitson (which is no longer in business), and my sweater is from TJ Maxx. I’ve linked several similar scarves and sweaters above. As much as I enjoy neutrals in my day-to-day life, I especially love red and orange tones in the fall. Scarves are a great way to add a fun accent to an otherwise neutral outfit.

My high-waisted black jeans are the Jamie style by Topshop. I’ve featured these in previous posts because I seriously wear them all the time! They are super flattering and have the perfect amount of stretch–which is ideal when you’re doing something a bit more active, such as searching for that perfect pumpkin! 🎃

How adorable are the pastel colors of that sweet little farmhouse?!

Halloween Couples’ Costume Inspiration

From Gatsby to Cleopatra, my husband and I have drawn inspiration from history and pop culture for our Halloween costumes. What was great about our Gatsby-era costumes shown above was almost every item was something we already owned in our closet! The black fedora Mark is wearing we borrowed from my brother, and the feathered headband I ordered from Amazon.

Phantom of the Opera is one of our favorite musicals (we saw it in London last year!), so getting to dress up as the Phantom and Christine was a real treat. My off-the-shoulder lace dress I already owned (I love re-purposing items from my closet and using them for costumes!). Our masquerade-style masks and my husband’s cape were all purchased at a very reasonable price from Amazon (seriously, Amazon is one of the best places to find costume accessories or ready-to-wear costume sets!).

Last year I dressed up as the Egyptian queen Cleopatra and my husband was the Roman general Mark Antony. I enjoyed practicing the elaborate eyeliner in the weeks leading up to Halloween (Elizabeth Taylor’s Cleopatra makeup was a big inspiration). My headpiece and necklace were awesome Amazon finds, which I wore with a high-neck maxi dress that I already owned. We purchased the Roman costume from Amazon as well, which is still available for purchase.

Sometimes just a few new accessories or costume jewelry can turn an item you already own into the perfect Halloween costume!

Scary Movies and TV Series

Something I have been a fan of since the very beginning is American Horror Story. This groundbreaking anthology series has a different theme every season, though most of the actors return from year to year to play new characters (or, sometimes to reprise the role of a character from a previous season). Though I miss the seasons with the incredible Jessica Lange, actors like Sarah Paulson and Evan Peters have such range and talent that they bring something new and exciting to each and every season.

This show is not for the faint of heart or for those easily spooked; also, it is quite violent at times, along with some graphic sex scenes and nudity. However, it does such an amazing job of weaving together myths, legends, and folklore with the creepy and the supernatural, and every season it never fails to surprise me in some way.

A new Netflix series I just started watching is The Haunting of Hill House. I’m halfway through and am really enjoying it. The first couple episodes were a bit slow in my opinion, but once I got to know each of the main characters I was definitely hooked. So far each episode focuses on one of the five siblings and jumps around in time between the past and the present. Gradually, a picture is emerging of the terrible event that occurred when they were kids, and the way it shaped all their lives.

In a way it’s a family drama, but so far what I find most interesting is the way it makes you question the characters’ realities. Are they truly haunted by ghosts or evil spirits? Or is it something else?

And if you’re not in the mood to invest in a TV series, here are a few of my horror film picks from the last several years: Sinister, Lights Out, Don’t Breathe, Get Out, It (the recent one, not the original), Annabelle (I like all the movies from The Conjuring universe). My husband and I watched Hereditary awhile back, and I’ll add it to this list just because it was so very strange and haunting (seriously, I couldn’t get certain images out of my head for days).

I would also add the films Split and A Quiet Place to this list, though some might argue they’re more of the thriller genre than true horror movies. A Quiet Place was particularly memorable–the premise was so intriguing, and John Krasinski and Emily Blunt had phenomenal performances. There are few words spoken aloud throughout the entire film, which further contributes to the film’s eerie tale.

As much as I love scary movies, I’ve had so much fun soaking up the beautiful weather we’ve been having the last few weeks. Plumper Pumpkin Patch and Tree Farm was such a cute spot to visit, and it had tons of activities for kids and families as well (if you’re local, check them out!). Unlike some of the Portland-area pumpkin patches, they’re open daily from the last week of September through Halloween from 9:00am to 5:30pm. I really enjoyed spending the afternoon there and marveling at these gorgeous views of the Willamette Valley. I also want to thank my BFF for being my photographer for the day!

Are you dressing up for Halloween? Do you have a favorite scary movie? What do you love most about this time of year? 🎃👻

Have a great week everyone!