Picture this: The annual Halloween party is fast approaching and you’re stuck sifting through what remains at Spirit Halloween.
Read more Survey: Concern about AI growing in Silicon Valley, even among tech workers
You stare at the dwindling selection, and all that’s left is full-body, 3D foam costumes — the type that will surely send you into a heated rage.
Before having to shop Spirit Halloween’s rapidly thinning shelves, there are a few standout costumes this year that might help you avoid a meltdown and take home the coveted “Best Costume” award.
“Spider-Man costumes? Oh, they’re huge this year. For kids and for adults,” said Selena Deluna, a District Manager for Spirit Halloween, adding that the signature red-and-blue, skin-tight costume appears to be flying off the shelves ahead of Oct. 31.
And while it only slightly beats waddling around in a clunky head-to-toe foam costume all night, finding one in stock could be another challenge. When it comes to Spider-Man, “we are restocking a lot of them,” added Deluna. Perhaps it was Tom Holland who inspired the craze, or maybe it really is just a classic costume. Either way, Spider-Man costumes will be tough to find.
“Toy Story has also been big this season. As you can see, my walls are empty,” she said, adding that Buzz Lightyear, Woody, Jessie, and all the fun side characters like Bullseye and even Rex are all among this year’s top-grossing costumes at the store.
Across Fairfield, Vacaville, and Napa stores, Deluna has observed the same trend, noting that the popular costume is a favorite among families looking to coordinate their outfits. Again, whether that’s due to the release of the newest movie in the family-friendly series, “Toy Story 5,” or the fact that it’s a family-friendly classic is tough to say.
A walk through stores also reveals the enduring popularity of Ghostface, the masked killer from the “Scream” franchise.
“There’s always gonna be Ghostface that’s up there. That’s just something that is always popular every single year,” said Deluna. “I feel like Ghostface is just kind of that classic horror costume that really everybody can default to.” Variations of the costume, including rhinestone-studded, pink, aged, or bloody, also appear to be rising in popularity.
This year, Deluna says shoppers are also quicker to snag the more playful “Wassup” version of the mask, which features a tongue sticking out and a relaxed expression. Sold as a kit, complete with a fake phone, the mask offers a fun comedic twist on the otherwise familiar horror icon.
The release of “Scary Movie 5” in April is potentially responsible for the resurgence of the mask’s popularity.
Read more NASCAR Hall of Famer Fred Lorenzen diagnosed with CTE, first known case in racecar driver
Among young trick-or-treaters this year, workers have also noticed a surprising draw towards Coraline costumes. “Coraline has been making another come up, which I especially love and think is so funny because Coraline is kind of creepy for kids,” laughed Deluna.
Bella Derfuss, Vacaville store manager, echoed the same observations.
“The Coraline craze has kind of just sprung up this year,” she said. “People have been going crazy for those costumes.” Featuring a dark blue shoulder-length wig, a bright yellow raincoat, and the iconic black button eyes, the costume, at several local stores, is continually hard to find.
For the young ones, Fortnite costumes are also drawing attention. Based on the massively popular video game, the costumes include quirky characters such as “Peely Bone,” a half-banana, half-skeleton hybrid, and the gingerbread-inspired “Merry Marauder.”
Part of the appeal this year comes from a new addition to the costume: a virtual code that unlocks a special character emote in the game.
“People are really liking the new code that comes with it; kids can unlock a fun emote in the game,” said Derfuss. “As you can see, most of the newer costumes here are already sold,” she said, pointing to the empty shelves.
For a more niche pick, Derfuss pointed to costumes inspired by “KPop Demon Hunters,” the hit animated Netflix musical. “I don’t know what it is about them, but it’s another costume this year that we cannot seem to keep on the shelf,” she laughed.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, there are a handful of costumes that, this year, seem to be losing their Halloween appeal.
Costumes based on the 2006 Pixar movie “Cars” have seen a dip, as has Spirit Halloween’s racing section. “Last year, with our racing section, we couldn’t keep it stocked. This year, we can’t seem to sell a thing,” Derfuss shrugged.
Ghostbusters costumes have experienced the same. “Ghostbusters costumes have always been really popular in previous years, but this year, that’s not the case,” she said. “We typically always have people looking at our proton packs, but nobody is asking about them this year. We used to have signs to tell people to stop opening the boxes, and this year, it seems like everybody’s moved on.”
If you’re looking for a costume that will likely still be plentiful on the shelves, Pokémon-inspired costumes are among those that have seemingly also lost their appeal this year. Shocked by the sudden change, Derfuss said that Pokémon was “normally the number one go-to costume, especially for kids.”
Read more Court overturns life sentence of man convicted of killing friend off Dana Point coast
This year, that just isn’t the case.