Horror Girls

If looks could kill then this season’s styles are murder. A quirky take on Hammer House of Horror movie dressing, Topshop’s Autumn Winter 09 Horror Girls line mixes the fragile damsel in distress with the vampire.

Gothic lace is cobweb-esque and lines crushed velvet jackets. Victorian nightwear is reworked and appears in ivory coloured blouses, bed jackets and corsets. Chiffons and petal ruffles are feminine and delicate and offset by more grungy pieces.

Crack open the door to your wardrobe and let all hell break loose as 80s inspired denim jackets, shirts and jeans get slashed and bleach-splattered whilst leather is distressed. Studding and eyelets toughen the look further adorning jeans and fitted jackets, and slate mohair or soft angora in oversized ladder-weave knits appear moth-eaten.

Prints are either abstract in sinister oxblood, scarlet and forest green or they are tongue-in-cheek with haunted houses, bleeding poppies, blood dripping stripes, or motifs such as “Be Afraid” and “Kiss The Vampire”. Leather slouchy bags are scattered with zips and metal rings, belts are heavy with gold and pewter pyramid studs, and shoe boots are hardened with buckles, lattice panels and conical heels. Truly wicked.

Available now from Topshop. Click here for stockist details.