How To Choose An Adult Halloween Costume

So your friend invited you to her big Halloween costume party and you have no idea what to wear. Fear not! There are huge selections of adult Halloween costumes available online. Before you buy that new costume, there are a number of factors to consider.

Cost and Quality


If you're getting a Halloween costume you will only wear one time, you probably don't want to spend a lot of money on it. Fortunately, there are many adult costumes for less than fifty dollars. Also, be sure to check the store's clearance section. It might have just what you need and save you lots of money.

If you're looking for an elegant costume and don't mind spending a couple hundred dollars, you can find better quality in costumes in the one hundred to two hundred dollar range. If you're more concerned about quality than cost, there are also many collections of elegant costumes made to last through repeated uses.

Accessories and Wigs

Deluxe costumes will usually come with some of the accessories you need. Don't forget that you might have to buy extra items, such as a wig, to make the costume complete. If you're going to be Elvis or Marilyn Monroe, for example, you won't look like that person without the appropriate wig.

Weather, Safety, and Comfort

Consider where you will be when you're wearing your costume. If you're going to be in a warm building with a large crowd, that gorilla suit will get too hot very fast. If you're going to wear the costume in freezing weather - while taking the kids trick-or-treating - you don't want to buy a skimpy costume and have to cover it up with a winter coat.

If you're not sure if you're going to be in cold or hot temperature, choose a costume under which you can wear another layer such as thermal underwear or black leotards and leggings. You can wear the costume outside with the extra layer and remove the extra layer when you go inside.

You might want to consider using costume makeup instead of a mask. Masks make an instant costume, but they reduce visibility, which could be a safety hazard if you're walking around in the dark.

Think about what kind of activity you will be doing while in your costume and pick a costume that is suitable for that activity. If you'll be moving around a lot, like walking or dancing, you don't want a costume with lots of draping or dragging parts that you will trip on.

Sizing

If you're a woman who wears a size small or medium, or you're a man who wears a size medium or large - you have it made! Many adult Halloween costumes are one-size-fits-most. Adult Halloween costumes are constructed with elastic and extra fabric to fit a range of sizes, but standard size may not fit if you need an extra large or large.

Most of the adult standard costumes I've seen will fit a woman up sizes 8 to 12 dress and a man sizes 38 to 44 shirt, but these sizes will vary by the manufacturer. There are also some costumes that do come in different sizes - small, medium, large, etc.

If you need something larger, look for the full-cut or plus size costumes. If your size is borderline between large and extra large, consider if you're going to wear a layer under the costume. You should check the store's size charts. Most plus size costumes will fit a size extra large through 3X. I saw some full cut men's costumes that fit up to 300 pounds.

If you're an extra small person you should look for teen or youth sizes, which are in the size 2 to 6 range for women and sizes 36 to 38 for men.

Store's Return Policy and Timing

Some costume stores, online and locally, may not allow any costume returns at all, for the obvious reason that some people would wear the costume on Halloween and try to get their money back. So, check the store's return policy. Some stores allow returns up to a couple weeks before Halloween, but not after that. If a store does not accept returns, they may accept exchanges if your costume doesn't work for you.

If you're looking for a particular kind of costume theme, you're wise to shop early. Popular costumes like superheroes and famous characters will sell out weeks before Halloween. You may not be able to get what you want if you procrastinate.

Your Audience

Finally, when choosing an adult Halloween costume, you should consider the people who will be seeing you. You don't want to wear a costume that offends other people. If you're going to a Halloween party at your boss's house, for example, you would be smart not to wear a costume that is vulgar or shows too much skin.

If you're going to be around young children in your costume, it's a good idea to wear something that is not scary. Some of those creepy, ghoulish costumes are frightening to small kids. You want your costume to be family friendly around children.

By: Nancy Barney

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Visit Adult Costumes Guide for more ideas on choosing a Halloween costume. We have pictures of thousands of Adult Halloween Costumes. You'll find information about couples costumes, funny costumes, sexy costumes. plus size costumes, and much more.