Find The Best Halloween Costume Shops

For a successful Halloween costume, you really need to start with the end in mind. What is it you want to be... Scary? Sexy? Glamorous? Just plain weird? If you've been invited to more than one party, you might even need more than one costume. After all, you might want to be a little more conservative at the office party than you would at your best friend's.

Once you have your goal in mind, a good costume shop will be able to help you get it together. You can buy your costume, but it can be a little too predictable if you wear the same one year after year. For that reason, a rental may be your best choice.

Of course, you can always opt for one of the pre-packaged costumes you'll find at your local store but honestly, they don't usually do it justice. If you spend the same money on a rental, you'll come out a lot further ahead.

A great costume really comes down to the little details. If you want to be unrecognizable on Halloween, these details can be critical. For example, a scary mask will hide your identity but it's far more effective to work with a costume shop that can use some theatrical makeup to completely transform you.

When your costume search is underway, be sure that you find a costume shop that offers everything you need. Some really don't have much of a selection so you'll have a much smaller chance of finding what you want.

Look for a shop that not only has the costume you want, but all the accessories you might need to personalize it and make it your own. Wigs, makeup, fake blood, fake cigarettes (complete with fake smoke) and other little things can make all the difference.

How To Buy Your Halloween Costume Online

Just as in the "real" world, there are many costume shops on the internet that all claim to be the best source for costumes and accessories. Obviously they can't all the be the best, but how can you tell which ones will be the best to deal with? After all, it's a little harder to judge them from a website than it is by walking into their store and actually looking around and speaking with someone.

When shopping for a costume online, you should follow the same principles you would when dealing with a traditional store.

Find out where they're located. Any decent web-based store will have a physical address and contact information listed on their website, in an easy-to-find spot. If they don't list this information, or it's buried somewhere hard to find, they may not be the best choice.

What are their return policies? Buying over the internet means you can't actually see and feel the costume before you get it home. If what you order turns out to not be what you expected, you should be able to return it with minimal hassle.

How do they ship your costume and how quickly will it arrive? If you're ordering a costume with lots of accessories and detail you want to be sure that it is well protected in shipping, to avoid damage along the way. And the shipping time is important, especially as it gets closer to Halloween.

Do they allow special orders? Most online costume shops carry a wide range of accessories, as well as complete costume kits. If you want to order a kit but substitute a couple of items, will they work with you?

Is there a telephone number that you can call to speak to a representative? Even if you can find all the information you need on the website, it isn't a bad idea to call them just to get a feel for how easy it is to deal with them in person. If you aren't happy with the quality of their service before you buy, it probably isn't going to be any better afterwards.

Shopping for a Halloween costume online can be a lot more convenient than visiting a bunch of stores in person. You'll probably find a lot bigger selection, for almost any age. By using these tips, you'll be a lot more likely to be happy with your costume, and more able to enjoy Halloween.