Find the perfect Halloween costume this year. Credit: Getty Images
1. Check the fit.
Try your costume on ahead of time and make sure it fits decently. You don't want to be fussing with something that gets more uncomfortable with every passing hour. This goes for your shoes, too! Worst case scenario, it could wreck the costume... or your night out.
2. Keep in mind your night's plans.
Will Halloween involve dancing, eating, a parade or chasing around toddlers? Consider how your costume will suit your celebrations -- after all, you can't drink through a Mexican wrestling mask.
Think about the people around you as well. "Crowded places are horrible for wings," warns Chuck Nicklow of Costumes on Haight. "If children are around, their parents may not appreciate that super sexy Wonder Woman costume or the fantastic but horrifying zombie makeup."
Try to anticipate the temperature, too. Will you be at a warm, crowded party or outdoors on a chilly night? Wearing layers may be your best bet.
3. When in doubt, ask for ideas.
Longtime costume store employees have seen everything under the sun and can brainstorm with you. Give them some guidelines about your tastes, sense of humor and what you'll be up to on All Hallow's Eve so that they can dream up appropriate suggestions. That said, try to be open-minded, especially if you're renting late in the game.
4. Ask if the store has anything unique.
The racks of handmade costumes may yield some wonderful, exclusive ensembles. A great costume store not only tracks trends but also creates items that won't be found elsewhere.
For instance, Nicklow reports, "some costumes we've had produced exclusively for us, when we've noticed a niche missing in the industry. A few years ago we made some 1940s dresses from vintage patterns, because there just weren't any commercially available." Whoever wore those retro-fabulous dresses surely turned heads.
5. Have fun (but don't get arrested)!
If high expectations start getting you down, just think back to Halloween's chance for transformation. Courtland Hickey, manager of Chicago Costume, recommends putting aside any concerns about being cool; "you get to be somebody else for a while, so just have fun!" Even if you've procrastinated and are putting together a last-minute look, a dramatic disguise will boost your spirits.
Don't get too carried away with your transformation, though! "We didn't get one set of costumes back because [the customers] went swimming in the Atlantic Ocean and they got arrested," laughed Jeanne Keenan, owner of The Costume Company in Boston.
We've got more costume rental advice here -- and if you're a DIYer, check out our simple celebrity costume ideas.
