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Understanding Your Spooky Season Aesthetic

The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Coastal Carolina chapter.

In years past, Halloween has been a rather cut-and-dry season when it came to decor. The only options during our childhoods were neon orange plastic pumpkins, dark webbing, or just autumn decor. With our generation emphasizing personal expression, Halloween has become more complex as many are learning how to showcase the holiday in their perspective.

Are you unsure of what Halloween aesthetics best represent you? Then this is for you! Below are six aesthetics people have made this Halloween season and what I think about yours!

To view reference images for an aesthetic, tap the title to view it on Pinterest.

1. Pastel

This soft design choice makes the spooky season less frightening. Pastel colors are used instead of traditional Halloween colors. Scary monsters are less prominent and are replaced with cuter creatures like skeletons and ghosts. Besides monsters, pastel potions, painted pumpkins, and sweet treats are emphasized. This aesthetic caters to many audiences as the decor has a wide range of both simplistic and maximalist options. 

The girls who cater to the Pastel Halloween Aesthetic are the definition of trendy and sweet. You like to hop on trends early, just like this is the newest Halloween aesthetic of the year. You probably are working towards being an influencer or Taylor Swift has infiltrated your Halloween this year (between The Eras Tour movie release and 1989 Taylor’s Version approaching). For you, Halloween is primarily about finding your favorite candy and sporting off your cute costume(s). Decorating homemade Halloween sugar cookies is a must for your Halloween celebration. I believe people with this aesthetic grew up watching the Barbie franchise or the Monster High franchise. Femininity is important in your life and you love to express your feminine nature at any available moment, so the holidays won’t keep you from doing so.

2. Cozy

This aesthetic has a very traditional approach which consists of mainly burnt orange and occasionally green (depending on the individual’s preference). This aesthetic incapsulates the leaves falling down, trick or treat baskets hanging like ornaments in the trees, and Halloween pillows. You can expect this cozy decor to include a plethora of candles, blankets, autumn leaves, and pumpkins. Usually, the cozy Halloween aesthetic is more intune with the autumn season rather than Halloween itself. 

If you find yourself in this aesthetic, you tend to romanticize the season because fall is your favorite season. Your decor reflects your dedication to this season because you fully renovate your home to stay on theme. It is a common practice for you to find yourself streaming your favorite show, reading a good book, listening to classic Halloween music, or wearing your comfort cardigan in the comfort of your home. When it comes to celebrating the season you probably find the most enjoyment through hayrides, corn mazes, pumpkin carving, local bonfires, and maybe one haunted house a year with your closest buddies. As far as food goes, you probably can’t seem to eat enough pumpkin pies, smores, and seasonal specials (such as Pillsbury Pumpkin Shaped Sugar Cookies). If you do decide to watch Halloween movies, you probably are choosing Disney Channel originals like Halloweentown or Twitches.

3. Overgrown Witch’s Hut

This aesthetic is composed of mossy, dusty, and dark colors which showcases the nature within horror. Past aesthetics used to focus on the gore side of the holiday, however, this aesthetic uses innovation to showcase an abandoned or undead vibe. Most people associate this look with witches’ huts or zombies within the nearby forests or swamps. This incorporates candles, notebooks, skeletons, and a lot of greenery.

People who find themselves in this aesthetic are very in tune with nature and enjoy Halloween for the thrill seeking. You probably have a soft personality but enjoy hardcore, spur of the moment activities compared to making long-term plans. Because this aesthetic is only beginning to grow, girls who already decorate with this aesthetic are extremely crafty and visionaries. If I had to guess, your favorite part of Halloween is experiencing all the local haunted houses, watching every horror movie, and exploring the area in your free time. As for food, you probably create skeleton charcuterie boards or use your creative mind to make realistic looking Halloween finger foods. Now, you probably find yourself in the rabbit hole of watching “off the grid” horror movies, such as Creep or Friday the 13th. Thank Minecraft for impacting your vibe and creative nature and thrill seeking when it comes to a monster filled occasion.

4. Vintage Grandma

As the name suggests, a vintage Halloween aesthetic is a very classy take on your grandmother’s aesthetic incorporating handmade patch work, pillows, and the all time classics. This aesthetic includes vintage art, vests, cardigans, and more.

Vintage appreciators enjoy the classic Halloween shows and books to relive the familiar feel of their childhood. Unlike the Cozy Halloween Aesthetic, you cater all your choice of books and movies to the holiday. Halloween classics are probably your favorite, such as “It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” or classic reads such as Frankenstein or “Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde”. You hate change but have big aspirations. You are considered the mom in the friend group and are the most likely to have friends vent to you for advice. You definitely collect trinkets, heirlooms, and other vintage pieces outside of the holiday. You probably enjoy the holiday mostly for showing off your custom outfits and going to local trunk or treats to distribute candy. I feel that you would have a record player and probably find yourself playing iconic singers in the past like Frank Sinatra. Girls in this aesthetic are pure souls who watched PBS Kids growing up or had to mature more quickly as a response to taking care of other’s needs.

5. Dark Academia

Dark Academia is typically a gothic inspired aesthetic. This incorporates candlelight, books, mirrors and more. This aesthetic can heavily relate to Halloween aesthetics as this gothic feel pairs great with haunted manors or mansions. These manor achieving decor utilizes monotone colors with little vibrancy to achieve an eerie look. It is also important to note negatively represented (crows or black cats) are spotlighted.

Girls with this style typically grew up with horror movies and Halloween activities since birth. You probably love going to every haunted house you can, and likely pride yourself on how much you can tolerate compared to others. You suppress a very passionate personality, but find your aesthetic comforting and as a method of showcasing your passion for Halloween. I assume black is your favorite color as this aesthetic is very concentrated on dark tones, which makes you the epitome of a black cat girl. You probably have been cultured to enjoy reading Edgar Allan Poe books and watching Tim Burton movies. Additionally, you probably enjoy the band Type O Negative.

6. Whimsigothic

Whimsigothic Halloween is a more alternative take as a conglomerate of all the other listed aesthetics (besides the pastel Halloween Aesthetic). This maximalist aesthetic emphasizes saturation and reuse of varying materials to achieve your perfect look. A variety of different colors are used and cobwebbing and dim candles and lanterns are used. This aesthetic feels witchy and comfortable due to the use of bedding and couches.

If this is your style, I consider you to have a knack for your craft. A style like this is very difficult to properly execute, but few have a natural eye for decorating this way. You are the cooler older sibling who probably is an art major. Because you deeply appreciate artistic decor, you probably find yourself incorporating various styles and thrifts to achieve your look. You probably own crystals or are a plant mom. I would not be surprised if you own a record player and collect vinyl records across various genres. Your spunk and uniqueness allows me to believe you like music from artists like Siouxsie and the Banshees and enjoy Halloween movies like Hocus Pocus and Beetlejuice. You always immerse yourself into all things relating to Halloween and probably celebrate by Halloween horror nights, handing out unique treats (like the Pokémon Trick or Trade Packs), and painting. You were probably raised by Alex Russo from Wizards of Waverly Place. 

Maci Kaye Anderson

Coastal Carolina '24

Maci Kaye is a Communication (PR) major and a Marketing minor at Coastal Carolina University. I am the editor of our Her Campus chapter, work as the Program Director of WCCU Radio, and am a member of Omicron Delta Kappa honors leadership society.