In the final run-up to Halloween, we’re offering tips on how to do last-minute, stripped-down versions of some of our popular costumes.

If you have an evening gown—a prom dress, a bridesmaids dress, any kind of formal—you can go as one of our Glamour Grrls. The trick is just to match the gown you already have with a movie star from the right era. And you’re not limited to the celebrities in our Glamour Grrl category; you can pick any movie star or entertainer.

For example:

• If you have a dress that looks like it could be from the 60s (maybe a narrow sheath), go as Audrey Hepburn or Diana Ross.
• If you have a gown that looks like it could be from the 50s (full skirt, tight waist), go as Grace Kelly or Dorothy Dandridge. (You can also do Dorothy Dandridge’s Carmen Jones look with just a red skirt and a black top.)
• If you have a black strapless gown, go as Rita Hayworth in Gilda.
• If you have something slinky and cut on the bias, go as 30s stars Jean Harlow or Josephine Baker.
• If you’re a curvy woman and you have a form-fitting gown, go as Mae West.

Pick your star based on the dress you have, and then pile on the makeup and jewelry to bump up your look to red-carpet level.

Accessories are good too. You can get a feather boa at any craft store or party store; you can also probably get a cigarette holder. Opera gloves are always glamorous. And if you have a piece of faux fur you can use as a stole, go for it.

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