This Halloween, when it comes to entertaining, we’re seeing things strictly in black and white. Celebrating All Hallows’ Eve with a black-and-white themed party is simple, straightforward, and sophisticated—and the Instagram photos will be killer. The limited color theme means you don’t have to stress over the decor or the costumes, and your guests won’t need to panic-buy a packaged polyester Naughty Nurse get-up the day before.

TABLE Publisher Justin Matase, photographer Laura Petrilla, writer Camila Alarcón Cordón, TABLE Director of Operations Star Laliberte.

Look to Truman Capote for Halloween Party Planning

For inspiration, take cues from Truman Capote’s legendary Black and White Ball, held at New York’s Plaza Hotel in 1966. Supposedly a party to honor Washington Post publisher Katharine Graham, but really an excuse for Capote to rank and yank his friends and foes from the hyper-curated guest list, the invites went out to Hollywood royalty, literary figures, political elites, and society figures. Attendees, from Frank Sinatra and Mia Farrow to Andy Warhol and Gloria Vanderbilt, all had to adhere to the same strict dress code: black and white, with masks optional. 

Within those narrow parameters, guests could be as glamorous, theatrical, or mysterious as they wanted. Some wore expensive designer duds. Some wore elaborate masks, drawing upon traditional Venetian commedia dell’arte shapes. Others went with over-the-top confections of lace and fake jewels that literally towered over other guests and created a stir.

Nearly 60 years later, Capote’s black-and-white bash is still a jumping-off point for party planners. The simplicity of the theme means it can swing sleek and modern, spooky and surreal, or minimalist and avant-garde. It gives guests an excuse to dress up without requiring an actual costume, and it creates a party that feels festive without looking like Halloween black and orange swallowed up your home. Best of all, you don’t have to buy or carve a single pumpkin.

Tori Barankin, TABLE Director of Advertising Janet Wizig, TABLE Director of Digital Advertising Stephanie Cravotta. Holly and Zack Durkin. Chef Selina Progar and her mom. Olivia Jobe and Cole Modell.

Let the Dress Code Do Most of the Decorating

Another genius selling point of a black-and-white Halloween party: the guests become the décor. Tell attendees to wear black and white, with masks highly encouraged. A little black dress, timeless tuxedo, no-nonsense white button-down, or classic black trousers can kick-start the look. From there, guests can go glamorous, retro, dramatic, sci-fi, or sinister.

Don’t worry about everyone following the same aesthetic. One guest might arrive looking like a 1960s starlet, another like a Venetian aristocrat with a floor-sweeping cape, and another like Darth Vader heading to the opera. That unexpected mix is exactly what you want to keep the party a little off-kilter and a lot of fun. 

Since there will always be guests who show up without masks, have a stash on hand to encourage a masquerade vibe. A DIY station with a glue gun and black-and-white embellishments—rhinestones, sequins, feathers, and lace—can be an ideal icebreaker activity, and could even inspire a competition for the most spectacular mask.

Photographer Dave Bryce, Dani Bryce. Cara George, Danny Mankin, Kirsten Necochea. Katie Long, Meg Van Dyke, Leah Hohman Esser. TABLE Editor in Chief Keith Recker and Dominika Bronner.

Skip the Halloween Decorations and Fussy Food

This is not the party for plastic novelty skeletons and animatronic Costco werewolves. Instead of a haunted house, aim for a mysterious dinner party at midnight. Start with bouquets of white flowers, masses of white tapers, black napkins and tablecloths, crystal glassware, and silver-plated punch bowls, then get creative from there. Dim the lights and let candlelight do the heavy lifting.

For food, go for on-theme appetizers and cocktail party fare that can be eaten while mingling and talking, like our portable Blackened Cajun Chicken Tostadas, super-easy Black Truffle Popcorn, and savory Batty Sweet Potato, Black Bean, and Harissa Hand Pies. If you love to cook and want to whip up a more substantial buffet or sit-down dinner, serve our hearty Black Pepper Crusted Shortribs or impress-the-guests Colossal Blackened Shrimp with Alfredo Sauce. 

Arrange everything on help-yourself white platters and black trays, or set a glamorous table with black-and-white chargers and plates.

Instead of Halloween novelty plates, set the table—and the scene—with timeless black-and-white dinnerware that can easily transition to your next party. Flatware, Christofle. Platinum Leaves dinner and salad plate with hand-applied Swarovski crystals, Prouna. Ecume Platinum charger and Ecume Noir salad plate, Bernardaud. Drinkware, Baccarat, for similar. All, Glassworks and Feathers.

While sparkling wine is a crowd pleaser, Champagne is a statement-maker, so break out the bubbly. A signature tipple can also add another layer of drama, like our Black Death cocktail: made with pastis and activated charcoal, it’s complex, creamy—and an amazing shade of near-black.

Getting Guests Into a Black-and-White Mood

To set the tone before anyone walks through the door, send a fashionable black-and-white invitation through Paperless Post, Evite, or Partiful. Since guests might want to bling up whatever they already have in their closet, encourage them to do some treasure hunting at Pittsburgh-area thrift, consignment, and resale shops. One-of-a-kind vintage finds can make a statement and add instant personality, whether it’s a boa, a bolero, or brooches en masse. Emphasize that the idea of dressing for the ball should be less, What am I supposed to be? and more, Who have I decided to become tonight?

Mini potato latkes from The Fluted Mushroom. Cookies by Sweet Talkers. Jason Grant, Founder Medici Importers Global, LLC. Justin Matase, TABLE Magazine Publisher and Keith Recker, TABLE Magazine Editor-in-Chief.

A Black-and-White Halloween Ball, TABLE-style 

For proof of just how low-stress it can be to throw a black-and-white ball, check out these photos from the weeknight party we threw at TABLE. With only some white tapers, candelabras, and old-school appetizers like mini potato latkes and deviled eggs from The Fluted Mushroom—plus staffers embracing the theme—the office was transformed into a glam masquerade ball. The team and their guests donned an array of creative costumes, accessorizing with add-ons like elaborate laser-cut masks, ruffled Elizabethan-style collars, towering top hats with netting, and devil’s horn sunglasses. The result was exactly what we’d hoped for: an on-brand Halloween party that felt celebratory and chic—without looking like a traditional Halloween party at all.

Deviled eggs from The Fluted Mushroom.

For more spooky food and cocktail recipes, plus tons of ways to get your Halloween on, head to TABLE’s Ultimate Guide to Halloween in Pittsburgh.

About the Author

Keith Recker is Editor-in-Chief and Co-Owner of TABLE Magazine. A color and trend forecaster for nearly 20 years, his clients have included Pantone, WGSN, Stylus, and the Color Association of the United States. He is the author of three books on color, including Deep Color: The Shades That Shape Our Souls and True Colors: World Masters of Natural Dyes and Pigments, and PANTONE: The Twentieth Century in Color. He is co-founder of the Open Source Colour Association, a new organization devoted to inclusive and transparent color forecasting. Earlier in his career, he was a vice president of home merchandising at Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdale’s and Gump’s San Francisco. Listen to his podcast appearances at The Color Authority and EcoFashion Hub. 

Read more of his work here or contact him at keith@tablemagazine.com. Follow him on Instagram as @TheChromosapien.

Production by Star Laliberte
Food by The Fluted Mushroom
Balloons by Party on Butler
Cookies by Sweet Talkers
Linens by Party Mosaic
Photography by Jeff Swensen

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