Costumer Magazine
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Halloween 2020: The Natural Craving for Attention Will Save Costume Sales
The other day I was interviewed by a BBC reporter about how COVID will affect Halloween, and in particular how it is affecting sales at costume shops. It’s a topic that’s been on my mind a lot lately. Read more
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NCA Launching Help Halloween Happen Campaign
This year’s Halloween was supposed to be giant, since it falls on a full-moon Saturday. Then COVID interfered, and suddenly everyone is worried that Halloween will not be nearly what it should be. Well, the NCA can’t cure COVID, but we can help make Read more
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Q&A With Dale Morton: Mascot Restoration
Dale Morton, owner of Dale Morton Studio Mascot Costumes, presented a session on mascot restoration at the 2019 NCA Conference. In this interview, Dale discusses his business. Read more
Product Parade
Smiffys Announces Launch of New Wig Line in Partnership with Manic Panic®
Smiffys is delighted to announce the launch of their dazzling new range of licensed wigs in partnership with Manic Panic, the leaders in creative hair color and cosmetics. Read more
Oct 5, 2020
5:12 PM
Product Parade: Farthingales Rigelene
Woven boning a.k.a. Rigelene is an amazingly versatile product for costumers to create light weight apertures for unique shapes. It comes in various widths and in both black and white. You can cut it with scissors and sew through it, making it easy t Read more
Aug 20, 2020
3:06 PM
Product Parade: Dreamgirl Hot Haunts
Dreamgirl: Hot Haunts - Prince of Darkness, style 11939, has a rich velvet tunic with large pentagram patch and attached cape. Also includes belt with attached chains and pentagram charms. Princess of Darkness, style 11940, offers a sleek zip front f Read more
Aug 20, 2020
3:02 PM
Billie Eilish Costume
This BILLIE EILISH CLASSIC GREEN CHILD COSTUME from Disguise includes the top, shorts, headwrap and mask. Item #112579. Read more
Aug 6, 2020
1:09 PM
Beistle Skeleton Restroom Door Cover
Skeleton Restroom Door Cover (00014): Measuring 30" wide by 5' tall, this door cover is the perfect spooky decoration to guide your guests to the restroom. Read more
Aug 6, 2020
1:05 PM
Novelty Facemasks from Underwraps
Underwraps has developed a line of novelty masks that are perfect for the upcoming Halloween season. You can socially distance in style and keep the newest holiday essentials in stock. Styles are available for the entire family. Read more
Jun 25, 2020
2:16 PM
Morris Costumes Reaper's Ride
The full size Reaper sits atop an eerie steed from the underworld. Once activated, the Reaper’s mouth moves as he says one of six phrases as the horse bucks its head and kicks its front legs. Read more
Jun 11, 2020
1:53 PM
New Book: Hat Couture
Marianne Jongkind is a Dutch hat designer with more than 55 years of experience in hat making. She creates couture hats,both under her own name as well as for established fashion designers. The book (208 pages) is published in English and Dutch and c Read more
May 27, 2020
8:49 PM
Features
NCA Members: HQ Has Your Back
I know it’s been a crazy, scary, gut-wrenching year so far. Between COVID shutdowns, protests and looting, hurricanes in the Southeast and forest fires in the West, it seems like the body blows keep coming. Now we are on the eve of Halloween – which Read more
Oct 29, 2020
11:05 AM
No Disappearing Act: Stoner’s Funstore Keeps the Magic Alive
As we were researching an article about selling magic tricks and supplies in costume shops, the first few people we spoke to said that the internet has severely cut into their sales of those items. We were starting to lose hope for the topic until we Read more
Oct 29, 2020
10:47 AM
Disguise: Gaming and Adaptive Costumes Key to Success
Disguise was one of eight NCA Vendor Members who supported the association’s Help Halloween Happen campaign. In this Q&A with NCA Executive Director Ed Avis, Disguise General Manager Tara Hefter explains how the company finds and develops its costume Read more
Oct 10, 2020
3:05 PM
Zagone Studios’ Franco Pacini: Pent-Up Demand Will Help Halloween Costume Sales
Zagone Studios was one of eight NCA Vendor Members who supported the association’s Help Halloween Happen campaign. In this Q&A with NCA Executive Director Ed Avis, Zagone Marketing Director Franco Pacini predicts a successful Halloween. Read more
Oct 1, 2020
3:42 PM
Scott Morris: Halloween Décor Sales Dodge COVID Effect
Morris Costumes was one of eight NCA Vendor Members who supported the association’s Help Halloween Happen campaign. Morris Costumes is involved in the costume business in three channels: They operate several retail stores; they manufacture and distri Read more
Oct 1, 2020
3:46 PM
Theatre or No Theatre . . .
Editor’s Note: With the business world all topsy, turvy these days, nobody can be quite sure where the costuming is headed. Hearing from NCA members is one way we try to keep our finger on the pulse of the industry. Here, NCA board member Gene Flahar Read more
Sep 28, 2020
2:52 PM
Dreamgirl: We Can Make This a Great Halloween!
Dreamgirl was one of eight NCA Vendor Members who have supported the association’s Help Halloween Happen campaign. In this Q&A with NCA Executive Director Ed Avis, Dreamgirl President Barry Revzen and National Sales Manager Gihan Gabor discuss the co Read more
Sep 24, 2020
3:37 PM
Ghoulish Productions: Helping Halloween Take the Stress Away
Ghoulish Productions was one of eight NCA Vendor Members who have supported the association’s Help Halloween Happen campaign. In this Q&A with NCA Executive Director Ed Avis, Ghoulish Sales Director Esteban Esponda and Sales Manager Adriana Espinosa Read more
Sep 24, 2020
3:34 PM
“Blood and Guts” Leading Sales at Graftobian
Graftobian Make-Up Company was one of eight NCA Vendor Members who have supported the association’s Help Halloween Happen campaign. In this Q&A with NCA Executive Director Ed Avis, Graftobian President Eric Coffman discusses the company’s views on th Read more
Sep 16, 2020
7:40 PM
Curtains Up Costumes Liquidates Stock: NCA-member shop offering great prices on high-quality inventory
From Head to Toe, One Costume or Your Entire Show…For more than three decades, that has been the scope of the inventory Curtains Up Costumes in Keota, Iowa, has offered professional and amateur theatre groups looking for high-quality, artistic costum Read more
Sep 16, 2020
2:34 PM
Five Generations Keep Arlene’s Costumes Going
No matter what your age, when you think of incredible costumes, you think of Arlene’s Costumes in Rochester. The store, which offers costumes for children and adults as well as makeup, accessories and novelties to meet its theatrical, business, schoo Read more
Sep 14, 2020
3:24 PM
History Corner: 1928 Costumer: Hallowe'en Issue
The NCA was only about five years old -- and newly incorporated -- when this issue of Costumer magazine was published. This sample of pages includes some interesting ads and an article about Halloween (or rather, Hallowe'en). Enjoy! Read more
Sep 3, 2020
10:26 AM
Spread ‘Em Out: How to Space Out Your Halloween Customers in the COVID Era
Everyone needs more customers right now, but nobody wants crowds potentially spreading COVID. With Halloween on the horizon – and hopefully lots of costume and makeup sales – how do you address this conundrum? By incentivizing customers to shop early Read more
Aug 20, 2020
2:37 PM
“Can I Try It On?” A Scary Question in the Time of COVID
When a customer walks into your store and starts looking around, you know that eventually he or she is going to find something to like. Back in the B.C. times (Before Covid), you’d gladly let that customer try on a costume or mask and never think twi Read more
Jul 23, 2020
4:14 PM
NCA Survey: Just a Trickle of Customers, Worried about Halloween
A survey of costume businesses in late June showed that shops are slowly reopening, but customers are not flooding back. Read more
Jul 9, 2020
4:09 PM
Safety Top of Mind as Atlanta Costume Shop Reopens
If anyone wonders how seriously Costumes ETC in Atlanta, Georgia is taking safety as it reopens, one sentence sums it up. Even the costumes are quarantined! Read more
Jul 9, 2020
2:58 PM
5 Ways You Can Beat the 90-Day Stores this Halloween
Halloween used to be great for costume shops, right? All those folks piling into the store to get their costumes for trick-or-treating or parties meant your cash register was smokin’! Read more
Jun 25, 2020
4:12 PM
7 Takeaways from Today’s Halloween 2020 Webinar
Halloween is going to happen! That was the key lesson from today’s NCA webinar on Halloween 2020. Despite the COVID fears and general anxieties in the world at the moment, people want to get out and celebrate. Read more
Jun 25, 2020
3:52 PM
Video Posted: Webinar on Reopening Your Costume Shop
The end of the COVID shutdown is near, and some costume shops have already started opening. In this webinar, we heard from three costume shop owners who have reopened -- Janine Caufield of Caufield's in Louisville, KY; Caren Bricker of Vintage Ooolee Read more
May 28, 2020
12:52 PM
Shifting Strategy at Performance Studios: Inventory for Sale
The COVID crisis dealt a blow to sales at Performance Studios in Antioch, Tennessee, just like at every other costume shop. But because much of the company's business has been based on events, and all of them have been cancelled, the situation is dir Read more
May 27, 2020
4:17 PM
March Ahead with New Mask Marketing
While many states are lifting stay-at-home orders and allowing businesses to re-open, nothing is likely going to be “business as usual” for some time. And whatever the next several months bring, masks are going to be a big part of the picture for you Read more
May 14, 2020
5:24 PM
Costuming News
Halloween Worth $8 Billion
Despite the ongoing difficulties faced by the Halloween and party industry as a result of the continuing Covid-19 restrictions, Halloween is estimated to be worth around $8 billion within the US market this year. Read more
Oct 29, 2020
11:58 AM
Letter from Ron Ede, Honorary Member
Editor's Note: We received a note last week from Ron Ede, an honorary member of the NCA and former owner of Junk for Joy. He also sent the photo above. Read more
Oct 14, 2020
7:33 PM
Now is the Time to Order Your Free Stickers and Posters!
The NCA Help Halloween Happen campaign is in full swing and now it's time for you to take part! This campaign, generously sponsored by eight NCA Vendor Members, is designed to encourage Halloween events in your community, with a focus on local bricks Read more
Sep 30, 2020
8:20 PM
PFA Cancels 2021 Trade Show
Paper First Affiliates (PFA) has cancelled its 2021 Trade Show, which was originally scheduled for January 30 to February 1 in Washington, DC. Here is the statement from PFA: Read more
Sep 30, 2020
9:23 PM
Party City Opening Way Less Halloween Pop-Ups This Year
Party City will open about 90% fewer Halloween pop-up stores than last year as the coronavirus pandemic makes many traditional Halloween celebrations scarier than usual. Read more
Sep 24, 2020
1:09 PM
Smiffys Wants You to Bring the Party Home Safely this Halloween!
Halloween at home is well and truly on track for 2020 despite trick or treating, gatherings and parties seeming off the cards. Smiffys has created an innovative guide on how to celebrate the spookiest time of the year, while ensuring you comply with Read more
Sep 23, 2020
2:21 PM
Webinar About NCA Halloween Campaign Tuesday
Want to learn more about the NCA's Help Halloween Happen campaign? Then tune into a webinar on Tuesday, September 22 at 10 a.m. Central. Read more
Sep 17, 2020
9:19 AM
HCA Offers Tools for a Safe Halloween
Navigating the upcoming Halloween holiday in the time of COVID-19 is different than before. The Halloween and Costume Association today announced new tools and resources to help families this Halloween season, including a color-coded COVID risk level Read more
Sep 16, 2020
1:31 PM
Underwraps Seeking Your Photos, Videos
Underwraps Costume Co. is promoting participation in Halloween through its social media sites, and they are seeking photos and videos of NCA members' stores. If you can help, please send your images to mshaffa@underwraps.net Read more
Sep 11, 2020
9:50 AM
Ibsen's Featured in Newspaper Article
NCA Member Ibsen Costume Gallery is featured in an article in the Omaha World-Herald. The article discusses owner (and NCA Board Member) Dwayne Ibsen's GoFundMe campaign and the fact that the store is a "really magical place" that he hopes to keep op Read more
Sep 3, 2020
10:49 AM
Zagone Studios Featured in Chicago Tribune Article
NCA Vendor Member Zagone Studios was featured in a Chicago Tribune article about how COVID will affect Halloween. The article included several photos from Zagone's factory in suburban Chicago. Read more
Sep 3, 2020
10:54 AM
Costume Shop Makes Lip-Reading-Friendly Masks
A Somerville, Mass. -based costume shop is working to produce lip-reading-friendly, clear-front face masks to support Boston’s deaf and hard-of-hearing communities, as well as others who rely on facial expression to communicate, Read more
Sep 3, 2020
10:44 AM
Indiana University Costume Shop Sews Masks for Students
The creative skills that staff and students typically use to make hundreds of period costumes for operas and ballets, and create new fashion designs and fabric patterns, temporarily turned to personal safety. Read more
Sep 3, 2020
10:41 AM
ACT Costume Shop Closing in SF
Hats off to the end of an era. After 31 years, the American Conservatory Theater costume rental shop is closing while the theater company tries to get through the the coronavirus pandemic, which has continued to delay any in-person productions this Read more
Sep 3, 2020
10:39 AM
'Help Halloween Happen' Campaign Launching Next Week
The NCA's Help Halloween Happen campaign, designed to help local communities celebrate a safe Halloween, will launch next week with the release of the NCA Guide to a Safe Halloween. This guide, which includes tips on 10 things a community can do to s Read more
Sep 3, 2020
9:35 AM
