Frightfully stylish Halloween accessories and ideas.
It’s not just San Franciscans who love Halloween: This year, 7 in 10 Americans are projected to purchase costumes for the holiday, which will equal a whopping $3.4 billion in spending, according to the National Retail Federation. This week Style rounds up
Party pick:
Drag hot spot Oasis is again hosting “Mother: A Halloween Party,” with its legendary costume contest featuring performances by Heklina (pictured), Peaches Christ, Sue Casa, Cash Monet and other queens. 10 p.m. Oct. 28. 298 11th St., S.F. Tickets start at $15. www.oasissf.com.
Top costumes:
The National Retail Federation is offering its predictions for what adults, children and pets will be donning this Halloween. No. 1 for adults is the classic witch, with superhero ranking at the top for kids and pumpkin for pets. Showing up across all categories are Batman characters (No. 2 for kids and adults, No. 6 for pets), “Star Wars” characters (No. 5 for kids, No. 8 for adults, No. 10 for pets), pirate (No. 7 for kids, No. 4 for adults and No. 3 for pets) and animal costumes (No. 3 across the board). Surprisingly not on the list? Unicorns, a costume Team Style has seen trending from Amazon’s popular adult costumes to the light-up LED horns. — Tony Bravo
Girlish:
Amid the shop-for-a-cause benefits for breast cancer, comedian Caitlin Brodnick’s new memoir, “Dangerous Boobies — Breaking up With My Time-Bomb Breasts” (Seal Press, 256 pages), stands out. In chatty, girlfriend-to-girlfriend language, she details her double-mastectomy journey at age 28 after learning she has the BRCA-1 gene mutation, which put her at an 87 percent risk of breast cancer and at high risk for ovarian cancer, too. Wryly humorous, she calls herself a “pre-vivor,” and aims to reassure those facing the disease that they’re not alone, writing, “I don’t know exactly how to say ‘Let’s hug,’ in book form. If we were next to each other right now, that tight, squeezing feeling that smells like Gucci 2 perfume would be me wrapping my arms around you. Instead, I’ll just say, ‘Let’s be friends.’ ” — Carolyne Zinko
Ghoulish:
Count on Hudson Grace to help set the stage for haunting Halloween fun. Scentless handdipped pillar candles of paraffin and amber tree resin, with a black exterior and amber interior, come in a variety of sizes ($10-$54) and create a moody centerpiece, especially when combined with gold or white ceramic skulls (7½x5x6 inches), $32$38, or cast-iron spiders, $9, at Hudson Grace stores or www.hudsongracesf.com. — C.Z.
Kryolan pop-up:
S.F.’s professional makeup masters will be offering spirited makeovers at a special Cow Hollow pop-up shop and its permanent city store (134 9th St.) on Oct. 27, Oct. 28 and Oct. 31. Prices start at $50. 1864 Union St., S.F. (415) 863-9236. — Laura Compton