Fall is one of my favorite times of year, and one of the reasons is Halloween. To me, this holiday represents a time to celebrate the miracle of nature while marveling at the dramatic change of seasons. It’s a time to pause and recapture our childlike wonder, to use our imaginations and dress-up like we did regularly when we were little kids. It’s a time to reconnect with old friends at parties. It’s the perfect excuse to indulge in too much candy.

If you’re still debating what to be for Halloween, this post is for you. I’m taking a walk down my own Memory Lane of Costumes. The getups I concocted over the years ran the gamut from easy to elaborate, and each one meant just as much to me.

It’s All in The Mask. Choosing a mask-centered costume is the quick approach. I’ve often hit up Fireworks, a unique gift shop, when I was on the go and needed to put something special together fast.

Over the years, I’ve come to this place (FireworksGallery) time after time because it has unique gifts to give others. One late October, when I was in a bind and needed a present to take to a friend’s birthday party, I noticed Fireworks’ beautiful Halloween masks. I had thought I didn’t have the time to come up with a costume to wear that night. Then I realized that I could pull quickly pull something together by combining one of those masks with what was already in my closet.

For past Halloween parties, I’ve often transformed myself into a girl at a masquerade ball. It was easy. I just paired this mask and gloves from Fireworks with a dance dress that I already owned.

Other times when in a pinch, I quickly became a cat. All it took was this mask, a black, one-piece bathing suit, and black leggings. The costume was complete with cat eye makeup for all those moments when the mask comes off.

So when people invite you to their costume parties, and you think that you don’t have the time to put a costume together, get a mask, be a great guest, and add to the ambience.

The Elaborate Route. My love runs deep for Tinker Bell. So much so, that I designed this costume and had it made for a special party!

If you’d like to be Tink this year, here’s a makeup tutorial. Little kids have mistaken me for the real character in the movie, so I’ve honed the look. I’ve brought out this costume several times over the years, and it’s still one of my favorites.