Discount Adult and Kids Halloween Costumes, Mascot Costumes, Pet Costumes, Party Supplies, Halloween Accessories, Hats, Wigs & Masks, Decorations ... and How-To Tips to help you use them!

Costume Tips and How-To's:

• 20 Top Costume Tips from the Comic Con
• 10 Last-minute Halloween Costume Ideas
• Martha Stewart's Homemade Halloween Costumes for Adults
• Popular Party / Halloween costume Themes
• DIY Haloween and Costume Tips
• Costume tips from Lifetips.com
• halloweenforum.com -- halloween costume ideas
• Halloween costume topics
• halloweenishere.com -- costume ideas
• Pintrest Costume Ideas

• Holiday Costumes
• Plus Size Costumes
• More Large and Plus size Halloween costumes HERE
• Child STAR WARS & Sci-Fi Costumes
• Clearance Costumes up to 80% off
• Harry Potter costumes
• Adult Renaissance Faire Costumes
• Horror Masks
• Costumes for Adults
• Star Wars Costumes
• Gothic & Vampire Costumes
• Kids Costumes
• Adult STAR WARS & Sci-Fi Costumes
• Mascots
• Halloween Props and Decorations
• Santa Costumes
• Pet Costumes
• Easter Bunny Costumes
• Halloween Fashion Show
• Superhero Costumes
• Sizzling Hot Costumes
• Couples Costumes
• Hats, Wigs and Masks
• Novelties & Magic Tricks
• Wizard of Oz Costumes for Kids
• Humorous Costumes
• Accessories and Makeup
• Party Supplies
• Balloons and Helium Tanks
• Brithday Party Kits for Boys
• Birthday Party Kits for Girls
• First Birthday Party Kits
• Party Favor Kits
• Streamers, Ribbon and Confetti
• Theme Parties and Supplies
• Piñatas
• Candles and Cake Supplies

Tips and How-To's

• 20 Top Costume Tips from the Comic Con
• 10 Last-minute Haloween Costume Ideas
• DIY Haloween and Costume Tips
• Costume tips from Lifetips.com
• Pintrest Costume Ideas

Here are our original costume supplies inventory lists. Items are in alphabetical order, starting with symbols and numbers:

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"...this book is awesome for Halloween costumes, general period silhouette, and for the novice costumer. Instructions are not included, and seam allowance is not included in the patterns. Patterns are 1/8 scale unless otherwise noted (so they must be enlarged), and in sizes S-M-L (But I question the grading). For Period Costuming this book can be extremely frustrating at times. The illustrations that accompany each era's patterns do not always reflect the pattern pieces. Students enlarge these patterns by hand or take them to Kinko's to enlarge. As a patternmaking instructor, I give the patterns from this book a "C" grade. The patterns are not trued, seam lines are not walked, and skirt, bodice and sleeve patterns are not balanced. My students spend as much time correcting these patterns as they would starting from scratch with a set of blocks. But it is a great instruction tool showing differences in silhouette and cut over the centuries. "

Evolution of fear and evolutionary psychology:

The Evolution of Fear

The ScareHouse - Pittsburgh's Ultimate Halloween Haunted House

How Fear Works

Fear -- educational resources (links)

above: Screen-captured stills from horror-thriller Black Christmas (1974). Effective fear-/tension-inducing components include: Lighting/shadows, wide-open eye showing lots of sclera (white part of eye).

INTRODUCTION to Costumes for Halloween and other Festivities:

Halloween occurs at the time of the year when the last of the harvest is being gathered, the days are cooler, and the nights come earlier and seem more mysterious. It’s a time for children of all ages to enjoy the preparations as they invite witches and monsters and hobgoblins home.   Halloween festivities revolve around costumes. The adventure and merriment of the occasion are fueled by the creative collection of masqueraders. Original costumes always attract the most attention, much to the amusement of the wearer. It’s no wonder Halloween has become one of the busiest seasons for the home sewing industry. After all, sewing and creativity go hand in hand.

On this site you’ll discover ways to select or design / sew distinctive costumes. By breaking the total costume down into separate elements, you can build a costume that is as simple or detailed as you wish. Similar construction techniques are used for various elements throughout the guide, making them very compatible.
Above: A scene from near the end of The Shining (film, 1980). Human fear emotion effectively communicated by open eyes showing sclrea and gaping mouth.

Above: Unused lobby poster from Mirrors (film, 2008)

In our Halloween Décor section, there are a variety of projects that will help you greet your costumed visitors, from traditional pumpkin carving and child-friendly pumpkin painting to scarecrows and life-size figures for the front door. Decorate your home with wreaths, swags, and tripods that showcase the season. Create a bone-clattering skeleton, a spider-web mobile, or a small haunted house. Quilt a scarecrow wall hanging. Prop wooden shelf sitters next to whimsical picture frames or on a bewitching shelf. Dispel the gloom with lighted swags.

Celebrate the Halloween or any other season with a party. Make intriguing invitations from ordinary paper bats. Decorate your table with runners, placemats, napkins, and coasters just right for the season. Make wired felt place cards and foam treat cups for your guests, and serve them Halloween goodies on painted glass. Set the stage with a haunting centerpiece, bathed in the eerie glow of spook-inspired candlelight.   Get creative, have some fun, and enjoy the Halloween season!

COSTUME SAFETY & COMFORT:

Safety and comfort are important considerations when masking a costume. Restrictive or oversized clothing can be uncomfortable and unsafe to wear. Tabard costumes, however, allow free movement of the arms and legs, and are both comfortable and safe. Long gown costumes are easier to walk in if they are hemmed at the anklets. The addition of a belt helps control the fullness of a gown. Full suit costumes fit well when they are made from pajama or sweat suit patterns.   Headwear that covers the mouth or nose can make breathing and communicating difficult. Most of all, the wearer of the costume must be able to see clearly and be seen by others. Instead of a mask, face paint can be used to create the desired effect, while still hallowing maximum range of vision for the wearer. To increase the safety of trick-or-treat activities after dark, use light-reflective fabrics, such as metallics, whenever possible. Also consider attaching battery-operated lights to a prominent area of the costume for visual impact as well as safety. Open-faced hoods and face paint allow the wearer clear vision and breathing, unlike masks, which often impair these functions.

Metallic fabrics reflect light, making the costume more visible.

Battery-operated lights and chemical-reactive lights can be worn or carried for added safety.

Fundamentals of FOUNDATION GARMENTS:

Various garments arc suitable to serve as the foundation of a costume. Some can be purchased inexpensively, while others can be sewn following simple instructions or by using basic patterns.   Costumes that consist of a tabard and assorted accessories require very simple undergarments.   Depending on the climate, these may include a leotard and tights or, for more warmth, a fleece sweatshirt and pants. Measurements for the outer costume should always be taken over these undergarments. A gown may be the basic garment needed for a variety of costumes, such as a witch, a wizard, a princess, an angel, and many others. Any basic gown pattern can be used, or a simple gown can be folded, cut, and sewn, following the instructions below. The distinguishing characteristics of the gown costume are derived from the fabric selected as well as the embellishments and accessories that are added to it.   Simple costumes for toddlers and older children can be created from purchased sleepers and a few creative embellishments and accessories. Or basic sleeper, pajamas, jumpsuit, and sweat suit patterns can be modified to create many costumes, from assorted animals to vegetables to wherever your imagination takes you.

Our Best-Selling Costume Accessories and Makeup …

First off … Using makeup and accessories to complete a costume can make the difference between ordinary and amazing. These little extra touches can really make a big difference in the authenticity of a costume.

Popular Accessories Makeup categories: Period and Era stuff incl. 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s; Historic/Patriotic; Jewelry; Shoes; and of course Zombies.

Using accessories to complete a costume idea shows a lot of foresight. For those who enter costume contests, the use of accessories can mean a first place trophy. A cowboy costume needs a hat and a lasso, and a ninja needs a sword and nunchucks. A clown needs brightly colored hair and a red nose. Without the extra accessories, these costumes just would not be complete.

Girls of all ages love dressing up. There are many girls' costumes that appeal to a wide range of tastes and preferences. Here are some favorites.

Seldom do costumes come with everything needed to dress up. A pirate costume, e.g., might come with an eye patch and a sash, but it’ll still need the hat, sword, and parrot to make it complete. Wigs, jewelry, and stockings can add a lot to a costume for women. Inflatable props, such as guitars, axes, or genie bottles can be a perfect way to enhance a costume.

Masks are another great accessory. They're available for almost every type of costume, from animals to horror characters, and even historical figures. Action hero masks are very popular, and they add the final touch to super hero costumes.

Makeup is another great way to improve a costume. Makeup is available both in kits for specific themes, and separately. Kits are most often sold for clowns, vampires, and witches. White, black, and colored face paint is sold by itself, as is fake blood. For those who really enjoy using makeup to complete a costume, stage makeup may be the way to go.

Stage makeup can provide professional results with only a little bit of skill. With some practice, it is possible to make realistic black eyes and cuts or scrapes, and adds facial hair or prosthetic facial features. It is possible to use costume makeup for many of these same techniques with similar results.

Makeup TIPs: The best way to get great results when applying costume makeup is to use the right tools. Foam wedges work well for applying a smooth makeup base, and smaller wedges for more detailed areas. Use a stipple brush to make realistic scrapes and bruises. A fine-tipped applicator is best for oozing blood. Makeup color pencils, similar to eyeliner pencils, are good for fine lines and detailing.

A well-applied makeup job can be a costume in itself. Makeup is a superb alternative to masks, which may be hard to see through. That can be dangerous when traveling in the dark on Halloween. Makeup is a much safer alternative, and can be used for multiple costume types. The green used for a witch's face also creates a sickly pallor for a zombie.

Halloween isn't the only time to use accessories and makeup when dressing in costumes. They also work for sporting events, parties, plays, and other stage performances. Most accessories can also make great pretend play toys for young children.

SOME COSTUME EXAMPLES:

The examples shown here and provide many combinations of costume elements that can be sewn, following the instructions in this guide.

BABY BEE buzzes around in a design-blocked hooded sleeper with detachable sheer wings and springy antennae. How sweet!

BAT COSTUMES must have bat wings to get them flying. Worn over tight clothing, they can be attached with elastic loops. Baby bat’s wings are buttoned to her sweat suit. Sew bat ears to headbands, apply face paint, and add some simple accessories.

BUTTERFLY flits into view, wearing appliquéd padded wings attached to a tabard. A restyled ball cap sports glossy eyes and metallic antennae. Inexpensive canvas shoes are painted to match the costume. Undergarments can be selected to suit the weather.

JACK-O’-LANTERN consists of a tabard worn over a sweat suit. The leafy gathered collar, wristlets, and anklets testify to her roots in the plant kingdom.

FAIRY PRINCESS wears a full-overlay skirt over a leotard and tights. Sparkly padded wings, halo-style crown, and glitzy star wand feed the fantasy. Gathered collar, wristlets, and anklets give her a magical aura.

LION COSTUME sewn from a jumpsuit pattern, boasts a terrific tail, furry tummy insert, and shoe flaps. The proud mane, attached to a padded hood, is the purr-fect frame for a cute face.

SUPERHERO wears sleek-fitting pants and top. Padded spats, armbands, and collar are emblazoned with layered metallic appliques. Padded headband and belt are sewn with the same techniques.

ANGEL floats about in a gathered-sleeve gown, adorned with decorative cord. Star-spangled padded wings are worn with an elastic harness, hidden under the gown. A shimmery halo is proof of her innocence.

MAGICIAN wears a knee-length lined cape over plain black pants and shirt. Add a curled mustache and a hat deep enough to hide a bunny, and—presto!— you have a costume.

BUMBLEBEE TABARD sewn with stinger, sheer wings, and extra legs, can be worn over any weather-wise clothing. Perky antennae and glossy eyes transform an ordinary ball cap.

WIZARD conjures up Halloween fun, wearing a gown and cape. Celestial accents twinkle, from his hat to his cheeks to his glow-in-the-dark wand.

PETS’ COSTUMES require some modifications. Half-circle cape allows free movement; hats are made in miniature.

ROBOT costume includes a tabard dotted with gadgets, vent hose leggings and armbands, and padded spats. These elements, sewn from metallic fabrics, are worn over tight-fitting clothes. Effective details include spray-painted gloves, an aluminum pail hat, and some imaginative face painting.

DRAGON COSTUME worn over tight-fitting undergarments, includes a design-blocked tabard with shaped, spiked tail and padded wings. The padded hood has horns, ears, glossy eyes, and spikes. Claw-tipped gloves and knee-high spats reinforce the theme, while face paint enhances a ferocious expression.

GYPSY whirls in her long gathered skirt, adorned at the waist with a trinket-trimmed scarf. Purchased or sewn peasant blouse, gaudy jewelry, and head scarf quickly complete the costume.

THE ROYAL COUPLE crowned and bejeweled, promenade in rich-looking capes. Her Highness wears a gathered skirt with braid-trimmed sheer overlay. Velvet ribbon woven through lace beading makes quick, elegant cuffs. The king, wearing a short, braid-trimmed gown over knickers, bears the royal scepter.

WITCH makes the Halloween scene in a hat, gown, and cape. Gloves with long green fingernails clutch her broom. Store-bought hair sets off her eerie, painted face.

ZINNIA grew from a basic leotard and tights. A padded hood with petals blooms around her face; a leaf skirt encircles her waist; and leafy gathered wristlets, anklets, and collar complete the transformation. A whimsical dragonfly is painted on her cheek.

THE LARGEST COLLECTION OF COSTUMES -- THOUSANDS and THOUSANDS TO SELECT FROM...

Our vendors specialize in Infant Costumes, Children's Costumes, Adult Costumes (All Sizes: X-Small -- XXXXL), Medieval costumes, Renaissance/Period Costumes, Wigs, Masks, Makeup and Props.

Also on Uniquize.com...

Costume shop: http://ns1.commondns.com/~uniquize/crbasics_info

Carpentry: http://ns1.commondns.com/~uniquize/crhowto_com

Car Resources: http://ns1.commondns.com/~uniquize/crsupport_net

More Car stuff: http://ns1.commondns.com/~uniquize/crintro_com

Collectibles: http://ns1.commondns.com/~uniquize/mycrdiet_com

Updated: Sunday, 2014-09-21 19:36 Pacific Standard Time