Top Halloween Costume Stores in New York City

If the outlandishly dressed people I see on the street on my way to work are any indication, every day is Halloween in NYC. Costume shops abound in New York City and are open year round, so I can only assume they're being kept in business by the crazies. However, those of us who prefer to dress up only on October 31 may be tempted to make our own Halloween costumes rather than shelling out big bucks for a store-bought costume. Lucky for us, there are plenty of costume shops that offer a great selection of fun costumes for the right price.

New York Costumes
Located at 104 4^th Ave. at 11^th St. (800-995-8679), New York Costumes takes up an entire city block. This means they have space for an enormous inventory of costumes, not to mention dress-up accessories like masks, wigs, weapons, prosthetics and even costumes for pets! The sheer volume of costumes is overwhelming - a trip to New York Costumes can take a full day. However, you're sure to find any costume you can imagine, plus a few that you couldn't imagine if you tried. They also have a website and offer fast delivery at a very reasonable price. Their costumes range in price from $25 for a simple nurse's outfit to $500 or more for rental quality costumes.

Creative Costume
Not just a Halloween store - Creative Costume, located at 242 W. 36^th St., 8^th Fl. (212-564-5552) is the place for people who are serious about quality costumes. They offer a huge variety of rental quality costumes available for every occasion and season, including period costumes (perfect for madrigal groups or carolers), dance costumes and even sci-fi costumes for all your Star Trek convention needs. They will also design and make costumes to order, and alter rentals to fit. Their rental prices range from $50 to $300 for 48 hours, which can be a real bargain when it comes to elaborate costumes.

Spirit Halloween Superstore
Spirit Halloween Superstore is a household name in Halloween attire across the country, with stores in 48 states. Their excellent website allows you to shop their extensive selection of costumes from home as well. They have costumes to fit any budget, from $20 to $100 or more, and have many specialty sizes (maternity, big and tall, plus size, etc.). Makeup, masks and other accessories are also available in-store or online. Their single NYC location is at 20 E. 4^th St., and they have several other locations throughout New Jersey and on Long Island as well.

Abracadabra Superstore
As you may have guessed from the name, they know a little something about magic at Abracadabra Superstore. In addition to costumes, masks, makeup and such, Abracadabra has an extensive selection of magic paraphernalia, props, juggling accessories, gag gadgets and special effects equipment. You can check out some of their inventory on their website, but it's a little outdated and difficult to maneuver. Head to their store instead, located at 19 W. 21^st St. (212-627-7523). Magic always looks cooler in person anyway!

Ricky's
The quintessential New York "where-can-I-find-a-Cleopatra-wig-fake-handcuffs-and-donkey-ears-two-blocks-from-my-office" shop. While Ricky's stocks a reasonable selection of costumes during the Halloween season, I find that their strength is in the accessories - they have wigs, makeup, eyelashes, tights, shoes, hats, headpieces and other costume accoutrements galore. They define themselves as a "beauty shop," which helps to explain the minimal selection of actual costumes. According to Ricky's website, there are 18 locations in Manhattan alone, in addition to stores in Brooklyn and Long Island, making them a convenient choice for those last minute Halloween extras.

So you see, there's no need to spend a fortune on a great Halloween costume in NYC, and there's certainly no need to enlist Martha Stewart to help you make your own. These shops offer something for everyone at a price anyone can afford. And hey, if worst comes to worst, you can always ask your friendly neighborhood nutjob if you can borrow one of her outfits for Halloween!