What to Wear to Halloween in Los Angeles

Packing philosophy

Build the costume on its two practical pieces. The City of West Hollywood closes Santa Monica Boulevard between Doheny Drive and La Cienega from 6pm to 11pm on Saturday 31 October, and the crowd stands and walks the whole time. NOAA's 1991–2020 normals for LAX give October 23.6°C by day and 15.4°C at night, the widest day-to-night gap of the Los Angeles year, and the 31st sits at the cool end of the month with the sun down before six. So the jacket has to be part of the look, because you will wear it by ten, and the shoes have to be boots with a sole you can stand in. Everything between them is costume.

What the dress code actually is

There is no dress code; costumes are the point. What the City of West Hollywood does publish is a prohibited-items list, and it shapes the costume more than any theme: no weapons, projectiles, fireworks, banners, poles or sticks, no glass bottles, beverage containers or coolers, no laser pointers or noisemakers, and no drinking along the route. That rules out the prop sword, the staff and the trident that finishes a lot of costumes, so build the look without them. The event is free and needs no ticket.

The capsule

1. 
   01

   Liquid-silver metallic nylon bomber, black rib trim

   By ten the boulevard is at the 15.4°C end of NOAA's LAX normal, and a jacket you added at the last minute ruins the photographs. A silver bomber is the costume's outer layer and its warmth at once. Nylon weighs nothing at 6pm, while the day's warmth is still in the street, and tied at the waist it stays part of the look.

2. 
   02

   Near-black charcoal A-line mini skirt

   A plain dark mini is the base of half the costumes on Santa Monica Boulevard, and it lets the silver and pink do the talking. An A-line cut moves in a crowd without riding up. Near-black charcoal sits with the black boots and bag.

3. 
   03

   Hot-pink cropped power-mesh long-sleeve top

   The colour of the look, and it works at both ends of the night: mesh breathes in the crowd when the boulevard opens and keeps a layer on your arms at 15°C. Wear it over a bra top or under the bomber. Hot pink reads under streetlight when darker costumes disappear.

4. 
   04

   Black leather lace-up combat boots, platform lug sole

   Five hours standing and walking a mile of boulevard in a dense crowd rules out stilettos. Mid-calf lace-ups with a platform lug sole give height without a heel, protect your toes when someone steps on them, and stay tied. They also carry any costume from a witch to a pop star.

5. 
   05

   Black leather half-moon crossbody, silver hardware

   Phone, card and ID, worn across the body and in front of you in one of the biggest street crowds of the year. A small half-moon sits under the arm and zips shut. Silver hardware matches the bomber, so it reads as part of the look rather than a bag you had to bring.

6. 
   06

   Black medium-diamond fishnet tights

   Under a mini they finish the look and take the edge off a 15°C / 59°F night on bare legs. A medium diamond holds up to five hours of walking better than a fine net, which ladders. An opaque waistband keeps them in place under the skirt.

7. 
   07

   Men's black open-knit mesh tank

   The menswear base for a Carnaval costume: mesh breathes in a packed crowd at 6pm, and black goes under anything from leather to sequins. Add the silver bomber or any jacket when the night reaches 15°C. Pair it with the same combat boots.

A suggested look — silver metallic bomber jacket, hot pink mesh top over a black bandeau, charcoal mini skirt, black fishnet tights, black lace-up platform combat boots.

What to avoid

• Prop weapons, poles, sticks or banners — all prohibited
• Glass, drink containers or coolers — prohibited
• Drinking on the route — not allowed
• Stilettos — five hours on asphalt
• No jacket — 15°C / 59°F by the close