Local fashion + shopping for 10.29-11.4

It's Halloween this weekend, which means I take a bit of a step away from fashion toward parties. But Halloween wouldn't be what it is without the costumes, now would it? (For the record, I plan to be at l'étoile-o-ween on Saturday night, and tonight I am judging the costume contest at the "Costumes & Couture" event at Ignite Model Studio.) Here's a sampling of my Vita.mn guide to the best Halloween parties this weekend:

[A holiday 2008 look by Max Lohrbach / Image by Nic Marshall / Styling by Eclecticoiffeur]

Thursday: Costumes & Couture
If you're the type to make your Halloween costume yourself, this is the party for you. The winner of the costume contest will nab $250, and finalists get to walk the runway. Also on tap are DJ Bach, drinks, a haunted house and a creepy couture fashion show hosted by boutique Design Collective. Whatever you do, don't arrive in a store-bought costume lest a fashionista turn up her nose at you. (7-10 p.m. Thu. $5-$7 or free before 7:30 p.m. Ignite Models Studio, 600 Washington Av. N., Mpls., 612-354-2415.)

Friday: Tortured Cinema
Horror godfather Lon Chaney's two best-known films, "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" and "The Phantom of the Opera," will be shown, accompanied by the spooky sounds of the Fitzgerald Theater's Wurlitzer organ. In between screenings, actor Peter Moore will spin some yarns and musicians deVon Gray and Alicia Wiley will perform. (7:30 p.m. Fri., $10-$12. Fitzgerald Theater.)

Saturday: L'Etoile-O-Ween
Clubhouse Jäger's cozy yet debauched environment is the setting for online fashion magazine L'Etoile's Halloween shenanigans. The agenda includes sexy-spooky visuals; DJs Demietoile and Deux ex Machina playing darkwave, electro and synth; costume contests for most stylish, most scary and most original; and a styled-out photo booth.

Saturday: Monster Print & Poster Show
Self-proclaimed "geek art gallery" Pink Hobo hosts a print and poster-art show that's "monster" both in scope and in subject matter. Creepy crawlers, fanged creatures and ghostly figures are at the center of this show assembled by top Twin Cities' poster artists Amy Jo, Jennifer Davis, King Mini and others. With booze, food, costume prizes and DJ Kenny Kingston. (7 p.m.-2 a.m. Sat. Pink Hobo Gallery.)

CLICK HERE to read more

And we can't forget Day of the Dead festivities:
The Twin Cities area offers many ways to celebrate the Mexican version of Halloween, Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. The biggest celebration happens in St. Paul's District Del Sol; it features a Day of the Little Angels ceremony on Friday and a sugar skull making class, a tour of ofrendas (offerings made for the deceased) and a traditional procession and ceremony on Saturday. (Day of the Little Angels: 7 p.m. Fri. Procession & ceremony: 6 p.m. Sat. Free. El Rio Recreation Center, 179 E. Robie St., St. Paul. 651-222-6347.) CLICK HERE to read more.

[The sidewalk coat sale at Blacklist Vintage during Tasty Eat Street]

Tasty Eat Street (originally published in Vita.mn)
More than 15 local restaurants, bars and shops will offer specials and sales during this Thursday/Friday event. Blacklist Vintage will have a sidewalk sale of vintage coats and 10 percent off everything until 9 p.m., while vintage shop Lost and Found is offering 25 percent off all sweaters between 5 and 10 p.m. Get the full experience at salon/boutique Head to Toe, which will take 10 percent off all clothing and 50 percent off haircuts to first-time customers. (5-10 p.m. Thu.-Fri. Nicollet Av. S. between 25th and 29th Sts.)

[A look from RunwayRundown.com]

Runway Rundown's cheap chic (originally published in Vita.mn)
Though the locally run daily fashion blog RunwayRundown.com was launched only last month, it's already garnered national attention for its frugal, DIY take on runway fashion. Co-founder Kim Halzle says the recession inspired her to start the site, which breaks down runway looks and finds lower-priced counterparts at such cheap-chic havens as Forever 21 and Top Shop -- with direct links to purchase the affordable items. It's a clever take on making high fashion a reality.

More local fashion and shopping for this week, via Vita.mn online exclusive:

[Bluebird's Edina location]

Thursday: The second location of chic Edina shop Bluebird Boutique is opening this weekend in Maple Grove. The shop will carry the same fashions as its original location, plus accessories and handbags. (7-9 p.m. 12177 Elm Creek Blvd., Maple Grove.)

Today through Tuesday: Designer handbags will be as much as 80 percent off during the Opitz Outlet purse sale. Brands include Coach, Kooba, Charles David, Cole Haan, Michael Kors and more. (4320 Excelsior Blvd., St. Louis Park. 952-922-2435.)

Thursday-Saturday: Take 20 percent off storewide during the annual Grethen House Pumpkin Days Sale on Halloween, or receive 10 percent off on Thursday and Friday. (4930 France Ave. S., Edina. 952-926-8725.)

Friday-Sunday: Take 25 percent off storewide at local boutique Cliche, which stocks a mix of local designers and national lines.

[Get vampire fashion inspiration from the fall runways]

Saturday: Thanks to True Blood and Twilight, no Halloween costume is bigger right now than vampires, and the Minneapolis Community & Technical College is capitalizing on it. The MCTC Vampire Fashion Show features fashions by MCTC students in a runway fashion show and live photo shoot; show up in your own vampire outfit for the chance to walk the runway yourself and snag a prize. (6:30-10 p.m. $4-8. Whitney Fine Arts Theatre at MCTC, 1424 Yale Pl., Mpls.)

Ongoing: Mall of America is giving away four Bare Minerals Get Started Kits, valued at $174, to readers of the MOA Fashion Sense blog.

[A Joynoelle Spring 2010 bridal look / Images by Photogen-Inc.]

Ongoing: For $25 enter to win a Joynoelle custom dress and support the groundbreaking of the Minnesota Shubert Center on November 19. Designer Joy Teiken will work personally with the winner to design a custon dress for the opening night gala of the Minnesota Shubert Center. Tickets are $25 each and can be purchased online or by mailing a check to the Minnesota Shubert Center. The winner will be announced after the groundbreaking ceremony.