Congratulations to Mairin Heard, formerly known as Mad Hatter, of Austin, Texas for winning our Virtual Halloween Costume Contest and a $250 beauty basket from Victoria’s Secret (Mairin - this lingerie and beauty selection won’t disappoint!)

Mairin’s Do It Yourself approach to Halloween went over big with the community this year, racking in 200 votes and rave reviews! We caught up with the Texan music blogger and self proclaimed “nerdy boy lover” to find out just how she managed to win a contest with over 650 of contenders! 

GO TRY IT ON: First of all, you’re clearly a Halloween lover, yes?

MAIRIN: Yes! I love how transparent and outgoing everyone can be in a costume. It invites new people to interact and compliment each other when you normally stick to your group of friends.  

GO TRY IT ON: Finding the perfect Halloween costume and then executing it to match your vision can be quite stressful and exhausting. How did you manage to pick your costume, put it together flawlessly and only buy the hat!?

MAIRIN: The first time I saw the preview for Alice in Wonderland with Johnny Depp as Mad Hatter, I fell in love with the costume design.  The colors, the makeup, and that hat!  I had the makings of my costume planned way ahead of time, and my mom actually helped me re-construct my jacket!

GO TRY IT ON: Besides you, what was the best costume you saw while out and about in Austin?

MAIRIN: One of the best costumes that I saw in Austin this year were two ladies dressed as the famous wrestlers Hulk Hogan and Macho Man! They both wore fake facial hair and acted out their parts completely. My boyfriend was The Ultimate Warrior wrestler, and let’s just say they made for a hilarious photo opp.

GO TRY IT ON: Any tips we can steal from you for next year?

MAIRIN: Find a costume theme that allows you to act like the character.  It allows you to have fun and be outgoing, and feel confident.  Before running to buy a costume in-a-bag, map out what elements you need for it, and search through your closet.  

For the Mad Hatter, I used pieces I already had: an old plaid blazer, a pink button up shirt, a denim vest, a high wasted pleated skirt, glitzy tights, mis-matched socks, lace up oxford shoes, and neon make up from an 80s party—oh and died my hair orange!  Then I sewed lace on the sleeves, ribbon in the pockets, bought a piece of fabric for the tie, and I had to buy that hat to get it exact! We even glued “hat pins” in the side.

Want more of this Mad Hatter? Add her as your personal stylist and follow her on twitter!