Afriend once told me that, when faced with an awkward social situation, her preferred icebreaker is “Do you believe in ghosts?” While I fall quite firmly into the “no” camp, I will confess to a strong belief in an aesthetic that might be best described as “haunted.” Perhaps it’s due to having read a few too many Brontë sisters’ novels as a child, or growing up in a perpetually creaky Victorian house, or simply my own rather ghostly complexion (I’ve learned to lean into the Wednesday Addams comparison), but I’ve always found myself captivated by tales with a whiff of the occult. From classic books like Northanger Abbey and Rebecca to movies like Beetlejuice and Crimson Peak, stories about headstrong young women facing evil spirits (typically while wearing a floor-grazing nightgown, ominously flickering candle in hand) are more scintillating than scary—and, in my opinion, thrillingly stylish.
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Wednesday Addams, style icon.
Moviestore/Shutterstock -
Who wouldn’t make a deal with the devil for that apartment?
Album / Alamy Stock Photo
Get the Look
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For checking on that mysterious noise down the hall.
Pewter Reflecting Chamberstick, $120, salter.house
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A classic campaign-style bed for a restless night’s sleep.
Provence Four Poster Bed With Metal Frame, chelseatextiles.com
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Be warned: This delicate necklace might draw attention from sharp-toothed types.
14kt Gold Black Velvet Pearl Choker, $780, mateonewyork.com
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Leave your guests wondering, “Am I being poisoned?”
St. Louis Tommy Cordial Glass, $295, scullyandscully.com
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A whiff of this pungent potion is said to reverse fainting spells.
Aceto Aromatico Aromatic Vinegar, $18, us.smnovella.com
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Just add a dash of blood-red lipstick.
The Night Flight Floral Jacquard Maxi Dress by The Vampire’s Wife, $2,515, modaoperandi.com
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The master of Gilded Age drama was equally adept at spinning thrilling tales.
The Ghost Stories of Edith Wharton, $15, amazon.com
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Avoid catching a chill from drafty windows—or was that a visiting spirit?
Grace Knit Sweater in Heather Black, $750, batsheva.com
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Keep your beloved close at all times.
Custom Victorian Seed Pearl Lover’s Eye Ring by Susannah Carson, $2,500, etsy.com
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Doubles as a fall moodboard.
Seance Decoupage Plate by John Derian, $90, johnderian.com
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Make like Lady Macbeth and start sleepwalking.
Esther Cotton Sateen Nightgown by Une Femme, $620, bergdorfgoodman.com
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All that’s missing is a portrait of your dearly departed.
Victorian Garnet Picture Frame by Catbird x Vito’s Gems, $1,500, catbirdnyc.com
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Because the wi-fi isn’t great at your spinster aunt’s isolated country manor.
Tea-Stained Writing Paper, $80, bernardmaisner.com
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Don’t forget to say “Bloody Mary” three times as the clock strikes midnight.
Petal Mirror, from $1,650, olystudio.com
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Florals made moody.
Midnight Garden Fringed Cushion by House of Hackney, $264, libertylondon.com
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For tiptoeing quietly through long corridors.
Round-Toe Velvet Mary Jane Flats by Le Monde Beryl, $440, matchesfashion.com
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So much more interesting than a photograph.
Hand-Cut Silhouette on Cardstock, from $40, silhouettesbyhand.com
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Keep one in every room for clearing cobwebs.
Small Tochigi Broom, $55, copperbeechbythesea.com
