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Halloween wants you to scream. Día de los Muertos wants you to remember, laugh and put the good tablecloth out.

Same skulls on the surface. Completely different point underneath. And if you've ever grabbed a sugar skull print, stuck it in the "spooky" pile and moved on, this one's for you.

Halloween lands on Saturday 31 October this year. Día de los Muertos follows right behind, on Monday 2 November. Two days apart. Two very different moods. Let's sort them out, because your leggings should know the difference too.

Halloween is a fright night. Día de los Muertos is a family reunion.

Halloween leans on fear. Blood, cobwebs, creepy clowns, a bloke in a hockey mask lurking in your hedge. It's black, orange and a bit unhinged. It's brilliant fun, and we love it.

Día de los Muertos comes from Mexico and is about honouring people who have died. Families build altars, share food, light candles and tell stories. It's celebratory, warm and loud with colour. Nobody is trying to scare anybody.

The skull in one is a threat. The skull in the other is a hug.

Why the colour matters (it's not decoration)

Walk past a Day of the Dead altar and the first thing that hits you is colour. Marigolds in blazing orange. Papel picado fluttering in pinks, purples and yellows. Sugar skulls iced in every shade you can think of.

That colour is the point. It's a way of saying life is bright, and the people we've lost are still part of ours. Marigolds, known as cempasúchil, are traditionally used to guide spirits home.

So when a print takes that palette and runs with it, it's not being quirky for the sake of it. It's borrowing from a tradition that chooses joy over dread.

La Catrina: the elegant skull with a sense of humour

You've probably seen her. A skeleton in a fancy hat, dressed for a grand night out. La Catrina grew out of an early 1900s engraving by Mexican artist José Guadalupe Posada, and she's been a Mexican icon ever since.

Her message is cheeky and sharp: we all end up the same underneath, so you may as well dress well. Fancy hat or not, everyone gets a skull.

That's a big, bold idea, and it's why her image works so well in art, fashion and, yes, leggings. She's glamorous, she's funny and she's not scared of a thing.

Gore-free is a design choice

Here's where we plant our flag. Our Day of the Dead prints don't go for blood, wounds or horror-movie grit. They go for flowers, jewels, swirls, rainbows and faces full of character.

Why? Because gore says "be afraid". Colour says "come closer". And Fiona (you know who you are) isn't dressing to frighten anyone. She's dressing to be seen.

If you love a darker, moodier look, we've got that too. Our Halloween collection is full of it. But if your heart beats faster for petals and neon and sugar skull glam, the Day of the Dead range is your people.

A quick note on doing it respectfully

Día de los Muertos is a living tradition with deep meaning for the families who keep it. So here's the approach we take, and the one we'd suggest.

Wear the art because you love it. Know what it stands for. Skip the "scary skeleton" jokes when you talk about it, and don't treat it as a Halloween costume. It's not a costume. It's a celebration of people who matter.

Curious about the story behind the day? Read up on it. Ask questions. Learn what the marigolds, candles and altars mean. A print means more when you know where it comes from.

Colour on the outside, comfort on the inside

Now for the practical stuff, because a gorgeous print means nothing if you're yanking your waistband up every four minutes.

Every pair has a 12cm high waistband that stays put. No rolling. No adjusting mid-squat. The fabric is squat-proof, so no see-through surprises. And it's soft, stretchy and buttery enough that one customer said, "These leggings feel like you are wearing nothing, so comfy and soft, firm in all the right places but not tight even after eating… well worth the money."

Plus there are deep pockets. Phone, keys, lip balm, emergency snacks. Actually functional. As another customer put it: "Pockets, we love pockets."

Meet the colour-first crew

A few of our current Day of the Dead favourites for the bright-and-bold brigade:

Rainbow Remains Skull Leggings With Pockets

Proof that skeletons can have a personality. Loud, bright and utterly unbothered. This one has the Curvy, Curvaceous and Curvalicious sizing, so sizes 6 to 26 are sorted.

Lux de los Muertos Day of the Dead Leggings With Pockets

Sugar skull glam with some serious attitude. Dress them up with a black tee and bold earrings, or throw on a hoodie and call it a day.

Girl With Kaleidoscope Hair Day of the Dead Leggings With Pockets

A rainbow riot of colour and culture. Wear these and you will not blend in. Blending in is cancelled.

Electric Dreams Skull Print Leggings With Pockets

Who says skulls have to stick to black and white? These crank the colour dial all the way up.

Stock moves fast on some of these, and a few sizes are down to the last pair or two, so don't dawdle if one has your name on it.

Wear them past November (because you will)

Here's the lovely thing about a colourful skull print. It doesn't have an expiry date.

Team them with a plain black top for the school run. Wear them to Pilates. Chuck them on for a long shift and a late coffee. They look as good in July as they do in October, because a good print is about personality, not the calendar.

Our customers say it best: "Forget the old leggings, these are all I'll ever wear now."

Ordering in time for the big dates

If you'd like your pair in hand before Halloween on 31 October or Día de los Muertos on 2 November, order sooner rather than later. We're an Aussie-owned boutique, so parcels need a little time to reach you.

Browse the full Day of the Dead collection and pick your colour. If you'd rather keep it moody, the Halloween collection has you covered.

So which one are you?

Halloween says boo. Día de los Muertos says welcome home. Both deserve a place in your wardrobe, and neither needs you to wear something scratchy, tight or boring.

Choose the mood that matches yours. Bold prints. Comfy as hell. Zero apologies. Then go and wear your personality all week, not just on the 31st.

Shop the Day of the Dead collection

Frequently asked questions

What's the difference between Halloween and Día de los Muertos?

Halloween is about fright, costumes and spooky fun. Día de los Muertos is a Mexican tradition on 1 and 2 November that honours loved ones who have died, with altars, food, candles and plenty of colour. One is about fear. The other is about love and memory.

Is it okay to wear Day of the Dead prints if I'm not Mexican?

Wearing art you love is fine when you do it with respect. Learn what the imagery means, don't treat it as a costume or a joke, and be open about where the inspiration comes from. If you're unsure, take the time to read about the tradition first.

Who is La Catrina?

La Catrina is an elegant skeleton in a fancy hat, based on an early 1900s engraving by José Guadalupe Posada. She's a symbol of the idea that death comes for everyone, so you may as well enjoy life and dress well.

Do your Day of the Dead leggings have pockets?

Yes. They have deep pockets that fit a phone, keys and a lip balm. They also have a 12cm high waistband that stays put and squat-proof fabric.

What sizes do you stock?

Sizes 6 to 26, split into Curvy (6 to 14), Curvaceous (14 to 20) and Curvalicious (20 to 26). Check each product page for current stock, as some sizes sell out quickly.