Halloween Costumes, But Make Them Beautiful: Noralee Has Arrived

I have a confession: I love Halloween. I love the decorating, the parties, the kids running around all over the local Jersey City Neighorhoods, We love discovering new Jersey City Halloween Events each year either put on by the city or just neighbors coming together to close down their streets for some festive fun. Love all of it!

What I don't always love? The costumes.

You know the ones. Shiny polyester, scratchy fabric, weird Velcro closures, and something your kid wears exactly once before it disappears into the bottom of a dress-up bin. And later to be tossed away and to spend its remaining years in a dump across the river.

So when I saw Noralee's Halloween collection, I knew immediately that this was the direction I wanted to go for Nouveau & Vintage (301 Collective in Jersey City).

Halloween, the Noralee Way

Noralee already does children's occasionwear so beautifully, and their Halloween collection feels like an extension of that world rather than a typical costume collection.

Think velvet, layers of tulle, tiny metallic stars, sequins, ruffles and incredible little accessories. The pieces are whimsical and theatrical, but still have that special, beautifully made quality that makes you want to photograph every detail. These garaments actually add a touch of vintage elegance to pile of clothes in their rooms. One might even hang for display!

And most importantly, they still feel like something a little girl would be SO excited to put on.

This year, I edited the collection down to a few of my favorite Halloween characters: the witch, the mermaid, the vintage clown and the black cat. 🖤

The Witch 🧙

The Clara Dress in Silver Stars was one of those pieces I saw and immediately thought: yes, that's coming home with me and I can't wait to share it!

It's a gorgeous black dress covered in tiny shimmering stars with a full, twirly skirt. On its own, it's already incredible. Add the Black Tulle Cape and Noralee's dramatic Witch Hat, and suddenly you have the most magical little witch.

But this is also where I love what Noralee has done. Take away the witch hat and you still have a genuinely beautiful party dress. Add the Cat Headband instead and you have an entirely different costume.

One dress, multiple Halloween moments. That's my kind of costume shopping.

The Mermaid 🧜

The Magique Dress in Mist might be the showstopper of the whole collection.

It's this dreamy, barely-there seafoam color with a shimmering bodice, shell detail and layers and layers of wispy tulle. It moves beautifully and has that slightly ethereal quality that makes it feel more magical underwater creature than literal cartoon mermaid. We can save the red wig for another time. 

We also brought in the coordinating Mermaid Crown + Wand, because obviously. Twirling is all part if it.

This is the one I can see being worn for Halloween and then immediately requested again for a birthday party, a random Tuesday afternoon, or any occasion where being a mermaid seems appropriate.

Which, when you're six, is most occasions.

The Vintage Clown 🎪

Okay, hear me out on this one.

A clown costume can go very wrong, very quickly, I totally get it.

But Noralee's version is SO good.

The Lucille Leo in Spice is made in this gorgeous dusty rose velvet with a gold star and layers of starry tulle at the waist and cuffs. Then there's the coordinating Clown Cape, with oversized soft pom-poms and layers of cream star tulle, and the sweetest little Clown Hat.

Together, it feels like something out of an old storybook or a beautifully faded vintage circus photograph. This trend is following right along with the ladies too of nostalgic customs. 

It's unexpected, a little theatrical and probably my favorite styling moment in the collection.

The Black Cat 🐈

For the girl who wants a costume without a whole costume, we have the Black Cat Headband.

Plush black ears are trimmed in ruffled tulle with tiny star details, so even something this simple still feels special.

Pair it with the Clara Dress, the Black Tulle Cape, a favorite black dress she already owns, or even a black leotard and tights.

Done. She's a cat.

Sometimes Halloween does not need to be complicated. Leaves more time for candy counting.

Costumes Worth Keeping

That's really what drew me to this collection.

These aren't inexpensive, wear-it-once Halloween costumes, and they're not trying to be. They're special pieces meant to become part of childhood.

Wear them for trick-or-treating. Wear them to the school Halloween parade. Take a million photos. Then put them in the dress-up closet and let them become mermaids, witches, circus performers and whatever else they dream up for the rest of the year.

And someday, maybe you fold that ridiculously beautiful little star-covered dress into a box because you can't quite bring yourself to give it away.

Those are the children's pieces I love finding for Nouveau & Vintage.

A little impractical. A little magical. And absolutely worth remembering. 

The Noralee Halloween Collection is available in limited quantities at Nouveau & Vintage, with sizes ranging from baby through 8Y in select styles. Once these are gone, they're gone.