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For most of us, Halloween is a fleeting holiday — a night, maybe a weekend of macabre fun in the heart of autumn. But for 26-year-old Zaire Alford, also known as @zaires.spooks on TikTok and Instagram, Halloween is a lifestyle.
Alford's love affair with October 31st began in childhood, nurtured by her mom's dedication to crafting costumes and hosting lively neighborhood parties in their Bay Area hometown. “Growing up, I was a die-hard princess girl,” she says. “Snow White, Belle, Pocahontas…”
Then one year, she went as a witch. A green witch, to be more specific. The costume marked a transition from cutesy to spooky that stuck, and as Alford grew older, her fascination with the holiday deepened. But it wasn’t until the pandemic — trapped in her house with nothing to do — that she began sharing her obsession online. "Something clicked in my brain," she recalls, "and I was like, 'I'm going to make this my whole personality.'"
Alford can’t point to one particular source of her Halloween mania, but she says it’s more about the season than a particular interest in witchcraft or the occult. “I love fall and everything that comes with it,” she says. “The leaves changing, the coziness, the warmer colors, pumpkin patches, movie nights, horror movies, Tim Burton movies. Everything I really love just ties in with Halloween.”
Open one of Alford's social media profiles and you’ll find a 24/7 Halloween extravaganza, filled with ghoulish outfits, themed food creations (pumpkin spice everything, obviously), and enough orange-and-black-hued decorations to fill a Party City. Her followers are "obsessed," she says, with her year-round commitment to the spooky aesthetic. "It's like a Pinterest board exploded, but on TikTok and Instagram."
Her costume game is strong, too. And she's not afraid to repeat an ensemble if it means improving it. "I'll do a costume one year and think, 'That was a five out of 10. Let's make it a nine out of 10 next time.'"
But even Alford can relate to that familiar sense of panic that happens when Halloween is nigh and you still don’t have a costume. “I’m usually a master of planning ahead — I mean, for me, the Halloween season starts in April — but last year I had to work on the 31st and I ran out of time getting everything together to pass out candy to trick-or-treaters,” she recalls. “So I had to throw together a last-minute Halloween costume. It might not have been considered a fail to most people, but it was a fail in my head. For me to be the queen of Halloween and to only have on an old witch hat and a boring black dress from my closet, it just felt so lame.”
Never again, she says. Especially with the help of DoorDash, through which she (and everyone!) has access to an entire treasure trove of Halloween goodies that will show up at the doorstep faster than a troupe of trick-or-treaters.
Here, Alford shares her top tips for creating an impressive yet easy last-minute Halloween costume that definitely does not suck.
Raid your closet — but don’t be afraid to outsource.
You'd be surprised what you can create with a little imagination and some basic wardrobe staples, says Alford. All-black outfits are a versatile base for witch, vampire, or goth-inspired looks. But if you don’t have what you need, don’t settle for something that bores you (like last year’s witch dress). A last-minute order from DoorDash will unearth all kinds of fresh new options.
Accessories make all the difference.
A few well-chosen add-ons can elevate even a simple Halloween costume. “I just love to accessorize because even if your actual outfit is not that exciting, the accessories take it up a notch and make it special,” says Alford. Think witch hats, dramatic jewelry, or fangs (all available through DoorDash). “Back when I had my costume fail last year, I only had this boring classic pointed witch hat that I’d owned forever,” she adds. “But I found one this year that is fun and different — it’s hooked. It is so cute.”
Embrace the magic of makeup.
Makeup can transform a simple outfit into a showstopper. "Makeup is your best friend," says Alford. "You can spice up a simple costume with spooky makeup and boom — you're a witch. Or a vampire. Or a goth who just really loves Halloween." Use dark lipstick, eyeliner, and eyeshadow to create eerie effects.
Spookify your surroundings.
When it comes to costuming, Alford doesn’t stop at her own body. Her entire home gets tricked (or, um, treated) out every year as well. Think fake cobwebs, tons of candles, and holiday plateware for serving spooky snacks. “The party materials you can find through DoorDash are perfect because they're so festive. I was able to find some really, really cute things for a Halloween party,” Jack-o-lantern plates, velvet pumpkins, hanging skeletons — the list goes on, and on, and on.
Don't stress.
Remember, says Alford, above all, Halloween is about having fun! “I just love when people go above and beyond with anything, but it’s really just about enjoying the spirit of the holiday — so don’t stress yourself out.” A little creativity and confidence (and maybe a quick assist from DoorDash) can go a long way.
PHOTO CREDIT: Courtesy of Zaire Alford
