By Kathleen Furore
The June 12 weekend box office results from Rotten Tomatoes were no big surprise: Jurassic World Dominion came in with a $143 million debut, while Top Gun continued to soar.
With two blockbuster movies vying for the top spot just four months before Halloween (and less than that before costume shopping begins), predictions from costumers who responded to the NCA’s Halloween 2022 survey weren’t surprising.
Top Gun gear/flight suits and dinosaur inflatable costumes topped the list from Marion Bradley, past president of the NCA and owner of Balloons-N-Parties in Warner Robins, Georgia. Ellen Renger of Ellie Shoes, along with a few others who didn’t share their names, also predicted that Top Gun-themed costumes will be popular this year.
Martin Sadowitz, owner of American Costumes in Las Vegas, isn’t quite as confident, but acknowledges that what’s showing on the silver screen will impact what customers buy or rent this October. “I don’t know...depends what movies or shows precede Halloween by two months,” Sadowtiz said.
Gayle Vaartjes, owner of The Kostume Room in Wyoming, Michigan, has a similar take on the flight gear boon. She believes Top Gun costumes would be big if the movie had debuted in September. “They could still [be popular], but just not as pronounced,” Vaarties adds.
Other top vote getters from the survey: superheroes; classic fairy tale characters; and princesses (“modest, not sexy versions,” according to Kyra Stewart, owner of A Masquerade Costume in Bellevue, Washington). Vaartjes thinks “anything Marvel or Disney-related like Star Wars” will sell well; Courtland Hickey of Chicago Costume agrees, citing Mandalorian costumes as one example.
Customers also will be looking for costumes that elicit a sense of nostalgia or connect with nature and fantasy genres, industry experts say.
“People are feeling a lot of nostalgia, wanting things to be like they used to be,” says Stewart, who notes that “magical beings, especially wizards and fairies, who wear natural fibers and earth tones, accessorized with a staff made of real wood with real crystals” probably will be popular this year. Ann Wilton, owner of Renaissance Rose in Ashland, Oregon, also predicts shoppers will be drawn to costumes with a nature/fantasy theme – think fairies with pixie ears, she says.
Whatever the costume, shoppers will be looking for high-quality items that stand out from the crowd – “something that feels real from the inside as well as the outside” and gives customers the feeling of being able to authentically express a piece of themselves in a creative way, Stewart adds.
“I've been seeing a lot more self-expression when creating characters,” she explains. “Cosplay is morphing, where people want to do a nod do the original character while expressing themselves, rather than trying to precisely imitate a drawn figure.”
Supply Chain Issues Abound
The search for those high-quality costumes that stand out from the crowd – in fact, for costumes in general – is a challenge that costumers are facing.
Most of the NCA survey respondents haven’t placed their Halloween 2022 orders yet; a few are relying on existing inventory; and several are frustrated with the process.
“The sad news is that my favorite maker of high-quality – and by that I mean rental-quality – was the Rubies Tillie Beige line which has now been discontinued and liquidated. InCharacter was another go-to brand I cannot source anymore. And I am missing Tabi's,” Stewart says. “Vagabond Mike had great rustic authentic men's garb and is no longer in business. All the excellent hat makers have gone out of business. The list goes on and on, of sources that are no longer available. It's a real struggle to source well-made durable goods. People want to buy theatrical quality items and are willing to pay the price, but the supply chain is diminished so that just when people are hungry for the good stuff, they are stuck with a bunch of low-end mass 'fast fashion' version of costuming coming out of China.”
Stewart does add, however, that she’s found “a few real treasures, such as authentic leather lederhosen, and a few other really great pieces” from Funny Fashion. “When those treasures get pulled out of boxes I have ordered, I am delighted!” she says.
Vaartjes reports she’s received a few of the Marvel costumes she’s ordered. “I was able to purchase some of the left-over costumes of Rubies costumes from Morris costumes,” she says.
Julie Keck, owner of of Starline Costumes in San Antonio, says she’s ordered superhero costumes but has had no luck getting any. “Renaissance costumes I'm pulling from stock to sell...I’m tired of begging vendors for merch!” he says.
Martin Sadowitz, owner of American Costumes in Las Vegas, is having the same issues Keck is having. “All of my ordering seems tough to get,” he says.
Coping with the Costume “Shortage”
There’s no denying that supply chain problems are impacting inventory – and that problem likely won’t be stopped before this Halloween. But there are ways to navigate the situation in creative ways, Stewart says.
“It's time to recycle from the theaters and buy from our own customer base. Customers don't mind used costumes, so just become a place where you will accept the one-off unique beautiful things, well-made by your customers, and offer them store credit to trade out for other well-made beautiful things, made by others in the community,” she suggests. “I seek out local makers of wearable art, and my collection has become quite eclectic, by demand.”
Stewart admits that approach makes it almost impossible to keep her website current where inventory is concerned.
“It no longer reflects my actual inventory because things that are coming and going are much more interesting than anything online. And they disappear fast – back off the shelves before I even have time to worry about documenting them and getting them online,” she reports. “Wherever you find really great-quality, cool pieces, scoop them up. Even if it's vintage or used or one-off it's worth it. Don't be afraid to invest in the best pieces from everywhere and fill your store with quality. And be ready early. People are already announcing their shopping for this Halloween when they are browsing in my store.”
SIDEBAR
How Shop Owners Predict Trends
The Costumer reached out to Kyra Stewart, owner of A Masquerade Costume in Bellvue, Washington, and Marion Bradley, owner of Balloons-N-Parties in Warner Robins, Georgia, to find out how they came up with their predictions for Halloween 2022. This is what they told us:
Kyra Stewart: I have been in business since 1999 and build rapport with my customers all year round. That helps me keep my finger on the pulse of trends. The year-round regulars help me predict where Halloween is likely to go. I pay attention to the individuals, then start to see patterns and trends. I think exit interviews are just as important as greeting customers. It's a chance to thank each person for supporting your business while they are checking out, or even if they are leaving empty-handed. It also helps take a pulse about what they had hoped to find but didn't. By keeping everything very personal, customers feel how important they are, and they want to give me all the advice and suggestions they can. Some offer to bring in their own collection to share (sell or donate), some offer to volunteer their time and skills, some give lots of other types of support, to my surprise and delight. I just lean into my gratitude that people keep walking in the door. I work on building genuine human relationship bridges with my customers, try to remain flexible about what my business can offer, and the knowledge I need bubbles up from there. The gratitude creates more reason to be grateful.
Marion Bradley: I gave my predictions based on what seems to be the hot trends. If a movie, a toy, a comic book is popular, then the chances are high that the costume will be, as well. If we are getting year-round requests for items – such as inflatables/dinosaurs – then those will probably remain popular during the upcoming Halloween season. Of course, it is all a guessing game – and we just hope we played the game well!
SIDEBAR:
Not sure what to carry? Ask your customers!
Every September, the National Retail Federation (NRF) releases results of its Annual Halloween Spending Survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics, which provides a glimpse into what the season will hold for retailers hoping to capture a big piece of the Halloween pie.
But waiting for the NRF’s report of what will be trending for Halloween 2022 isn’t an option for shops that have to order inventory now.
If you want to know what customers in your area will be looking for, why not ask? You could include a survey on your social media platforms, post signs in-store, and possibly offer a discount or small give-away to anyone who answers the survey.
Questions to ask, based on the NRF survey, include:
•When do you plan to start your Halloween shopping?
•Do you plan to rent or buy costumes?
•What are some costumes you, your family members and friends considering?
•Do you plan to buy materials to make your own costume? If so, what will you be looking for?
•Will you be buying a costume for your pet?
•How much do you plan to spend overall on costumes?
•Do you plan to buy décor? If so, will it be for inside decorating, outside decorating, or both?
•How much do you plan to spend on décor?
•How do you plan on celebrating Halloween 2022? Give several options: Dress in costume, hand out candy, decorate my yard, decorate inside, throw a party, visit a haunted house, etc.