It’s that time…oh yes, the much beloved or much dreaded search for Halloween costumes is on. Admit it moms and dads – you either LOVE Halloween or you HATE Halloween. KC Kids Fun has given you a list of pumpkin patches and apple orchards– and now we’re moving on to costumes. With Halloween falling on a Saturday this year–chances are good that you are either throwing some sort of party, have been invited to one, or are just planning on doing it up with your own family. We’ve got some suggestions for you!
Of course, there’s always Target, WalMart and the seasonal Halloween costume shops at the malls and strip centers. But if you’re looking for something more, something different – and you’re not a whiz at the sewing machine – we’ve got a few suggestions for places to check out.
Thrift Stores
Thrift stores like Goodwill, Salvation Army and 2nd Chance (City Union Mission) are a treasure trove of interesting, inspiring and funky clothing which could easily turn into your child’s favorite Halloween costume ever. And you are bound to find something awesome to wear to the adults-only costume party that you’ve been dreading. The best part about thrift store finds? Cheap!
Costume Shops
Sure you can run into Party City and Party America and find a quick costume for your little ones – but there are a lot of places around town to find some a little more unique than what you’ll find at the discount and party stores. The strangely-named Have Guns Will Rent costume shop in Kansas City, Kansas has costumes available for purchase and more elaborate costumes for rent. Costumes and More in North Kansas City also has some interesting selections – including a great variety of historic period costumes. If you REALLY want to go all out, peruse the thousands of costumes available for rent at Kansas City Costume Company. This is the place where stage productions go for costumes – you’re bound to find something fabulous!
My Favorites
My two favorite spots in Kansas City for costume-hunting are Dottie Mae’s at 83rd and Wornall and U.S. Toy at 103rd-ish and State Line. Dottie Mae’s has been around for quite a while and is truly an experience. Not a shop for your littlest goblins but your older elementary, middle school and high schoolers are bound to find lots of fun things to choose from. You and your spouse will find some ridiculously fun options here too. They have great 60’s and 70’s retro-looking items and tons of accessories to make your look complete.
U.S. Toy has costumes for all ages, wigs, make up and accessories galore. While they have a dedicated costume shop which is great, I often find more for costumes in the party/carnival section of the store. Tiaras, magic wands, fancy gloves, silly hats, swords, bandanas and more can be found – and usually relatively inexpensively. In addition, you can find everything you need to host a Halloween party. Invitations, favors, decorations, party and paper goods, it’s all here! I just picked up a huge plastic, black cauldron and am using it to hold the candy that I’ll be handing out on Halloween. I also found some cute twig brooms which are on my front porch.
On the Internet
If you dread the stores, there are TONS of online costume options. Many sites have sales and/or shipping deals right about now – but don’t delay! Some of our favorite online spots for costumes are:
- Shop.NickJr.com!
– featuring Halloween costumes like Dora, Diego, Blue’s Clues, Backyardigans and SpongeBob–20% off now.
- The Children’s Place has some super cute costumes – especially for babies–40% off now.
