Halloween Costumes Ideas

It looks like the King of Pop will make his comeback thrilling trick-or-treaters this Halloween.

While Michael Jackson will presumably be mimicked in many costumes, vampires, pirates, athletes and witches are among the top adult Halloween costumes, according to the National Retail Federation’s 2009 Halloween Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey. The survey found some pop culture costumes of last year, including political figures and Batman, fell in popularity.

Jill Sherman, co-owner of Halloween Express on Picardy Avenue, said Michael Jackson and vampire accessories are popular this year.

“Sales [on vampire costumes] have been up because of the big movies and shows on television right now,” Sherman said. “We’re running out of certain vampire fangs and the makeup that goes along with making them white.”

Sherman said her store sold out of Jackson costumes early and had to order more, but it sold out of The King of Pop’s signature sequin gloves.

Christian Coleman, chemical engineering freshman, said dressing up like the late superstar is a respectful tribute to his memory if he’s portrayed in the right way and no lines are crossed.

Sherman said the sexier costumes are the most popular with women.

“We always sell cats, bumble bees, lady bugs [and] sexy firewoman [outfits],” she said. “With men, it’s the funnier costumes.”

Immigrant advocacy groups, offended by the “illegal alien” costume, urged retailers, like Target, to pull the adult costume from shelves in mid-October.

Ashlea Walker, Spirit Halloween store manager, said her store initially carried an “illegal alien” costume but pulled it off the shelf.

Sherman said Halloween Express also carried the costume. She said when news about it hit, people rushed to the store to buy it. She said she did not restock the costume when it sold out.

Chris Williams, history and French junior, said he noticed Target pulled the “illegal alien” costume but said he didn’t find it offensive.

Consumers are expected to spend an average of $56.31 this year compared to last year’s $66.54, according to the NRF survey. National spending on Halloween is expected to reach $4.75 billion — a decrease from last year’s $5.77 billion.

“Retail sales, in general, are down,” said Doug Weimer, economics professor. “You see Halloween sales reflect what’s going on in general. There’s also a projection that it won’t be as strong a Christmas season.”

Weimer said people are more likely to recycle costumes to spend less money.

Sherman said Halloween Express has not had any problems with sales.

“We’re about even where we were last year,” she said. “I expect to be up slightly, but not by a large margin.”

Sherman said this is Halloween Express’ second year in business in Baton Rouge. She said the store is doing better with sales this year because more people know about it, and the store has more costumes and accessories stocked.

Spirit Halloween declined to comment about sales.

Mollye Ashmore, apparel design junior, said the reason Halloween sales are up locally is probably because “people in Louisiana celebrate everything more.”

Sherman said the costumes at Halloween Express range from $19.99 to more than $100, but the average costume costs between $50 and $60.

The average 18 to 24 year old will spend $68.56 on costumes, according to the survey, but some University students have a lower number in mind.

Kayli Robichaux, fashion merchandising sophomore, said she and her roommates are dressing as Barbie dolls.

“I didn’t want to spend that much money,” Robichaux said. “I just needed a wig and a microphone. I already have the outfit.”

Robichaux plans to borrow her friends’ clothes for her Rockstar Barbie costume, but she went to Halloween Express for the accessories.

This article is from www.lsureveille.com


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Contact Mary Walker Baus at mwbaus@lsureveille.com

Do-it-Yourself Halloween Costumes

More trick-or-treaters will be donning "do-it-yourself" Halloween costumes this year, predicts HowStuffWorks.com, a website that offers explanation for thousands of topics.

The number of people who searched HowStuffWorks.com looking to create their own costumes has doubled since last year, likely due to tough economic conditions.

"Whether cute or creepy, we're seeing more and more resourceful people searching for information online on how to create homemade Halloween costumes," says Conal Byrne, Editor-in-Chief, HowStuffWorks.com.

Here are the 10 most searched 'do-it-yourself' Halloween costumes for kids:

1. Owl

2. Horse

3. Ghost

4. Pig

5. Zombie

6. Donkey

7. Elephant

8. Vampire

9. Turkey

10. Pilgrim

If you're in a bind and don't have time to make a zombie or donkey... how about making your own Halloween mask!

If you need a last minute transformation, this quick idea explains and illustrates how great Halloween Masks can be made with little more than a milk jug and a bit of enthusiasm!

Halloween Masks made from milk jugs!

Here's what you need:

One empty, washed gallon milk jug for every two guests

Scissors

Electrical tape

Permanent marker or paint

String

Hole punch

Glue and yarn (optional)

Directions:

Cut along the side seams of each jug, starting from the mouth of the jug.

Shift direction toward the center of the jug (toward the handle) when the scissors are about even with a point roughly one inch below the handle (the end furthest from the jug mouth).

Continue cutting across the jug until you reach the seam on the other side, then cut back up along that seam toward the mouth until the jug is in two pieces. The handle piece, with its built-in "nose," will be smaller.

To finish, cut the mouth part of the jug from each piece, making a slightly rounded cut after it is removed to echo the shape of the chin. Trim any rough edges.

On the larger piece, the jug bottom is meant to sit atop the child's head and the longer side against the child's face. Cut the shorter side so the opening is large enough to slide comfortably over a child's head.

Using your child as a model, mark dots on each mask for eyes and mouth holes.

Remove the mask, and cut out large eye holes -- at least twice the size of your child's eyes. Make evil upturned eyes, as well as wicked grins, crooked smiles, and gaping-gasp mouths.

Tape the outside edges of the mask with colored electrical tape to prevent scrapes or cuts.

If you're planning on making these with kids at a Halloween party, provide permanent markers or acrylic paints with which the kids can decorate the masks.

Yarn can be glued on for hair. Use a hole punch and elastic string to secure the masks to each child's face.

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Easy and Cheap Halloween Costumes

Are you lazy? Cheap? Prone to procrastination? All of the above? If so, one or these easy and inexpensive costume ideas may be right for you or your kids

1. "Jay Crew." One of eight last-minute ideas from Real Simple. For Jay, you simply wear a polo shirt and khakis, and stick a name tag on that reads "Jay Crew."

2. A Grandma. Becoming an old person: Now that's scary.

3. Construction Worker, one of FamilyFun's Last Minute Kids Costumes. Easy so long as you already have the plastic hard hat in your toy box or basement somewhere. This is easily the easiest and cheapest outfits of all the members of the Village People.

4. Fireman. Again, you probably have this stuff in your house already. From a list of Storybook Costumes from Scholastic Parent.

5. A Recyclable. Wear a trash bag and adorn with empty bottles and cans—which you can later turn in for money.

6. Just about anything from Savers, or any secondhand store, really.

7. The Nerd. Some of us require less "dressing up" than others. A just-as-easy, just-as-dorky alternative here: the tourist. Hawaiian shirt, camera, sunglasses, and you're there—fanny pack optional.

8. Ghost, '50s Character, and the Joker are among WiseBread's Cheap and Easy Halloween Costumes.

9. Backwards Man. I haven't seen this one anywhere, so I'll offer it up. It's my idea—or rather, I stole it from a college roommate who came up with it in a stroke of last-minute brilliance as we were on our way out the door to a party. It's free too: You simply put on a shirt and a pair of pants backwards, then put a couple of T-shirts or other padding into the pant's butt, to give yourself some "back." Presto! You're done. To impress partygoers and trick-or-treaters with your cleverness, tell everyone you're "ass-backwards."

10. Cheap Store-Bought Costume. Cheating? Perhaps, but you do what you gotta do. Use the coupon code PUMPKIN to get 20% off costumes at Walgreens.

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