By Ed Avis
Everyone wants to look good in their Halloween costume, even if they don’t have a wispy figure. That fact is why NCA Vendor Member Starline is so successful in plus-size costumes.
“In the past we had a few costumes available through 3X, and we saw a lot of success with that, so in the last 4 to 5 years we’ve introduced costumes up to 5X, which is size 32 dress size,” says Dani Fitzgerald, the company’s CEO. “We dipped our toes in the water with a few styles up to 5X, and they sold really well. So we’ve added the plus sizes to a lot of our new styles and some of our proven best-selling styles.”
Starline recently purchased Party King, and is incorporating that company’s products as a separate line. Party King has more “fun and flirty” costumes, Fitzgerald says, and they also come in plus sizes 1X through 5X.
Fitzgerald says the plus-size costumes sales have more than doubled in the past year. That’s not surprising since the average American dress size today is 16 to 18, she says, and that’s in plus size territory.
“We’re expecting our plus size sales to increase,” she says.
Still Flattering
Many of Starline’s best sellers are classic costumes with a sexy twist – such as an adult version of a mermaid or an especially frisky-looking cat burglar -- and their plus-size versions do not play down the sexiness in any way.
“We found that redesign is not necessary in most cases,” Fitzgerald says. “For example, our bodysuits in the plus sizes are still form fitting and highlight a woman’s curves. Keeping our regular styling in the larger sizes has been very successful for us.”
Some of the companies’ best-selling plus size costumes are Midnight Violet Witch (PK2050XL), Alluring Sea Siren (S8022X), Cruel Madam (PK2151XL), Uptown School Girl (S1199X), Rosas Day of The Dead (PK2053XL), and Empress Divine (S9025X). (See the gallery of images of these costumes below.)
Tips for Retailers
Fitzgerald says the key advice she can give retailers is to make sure customers know that the plus sizes are available.
“I think a lot of plus-size women feel that there are no costumes for them, so promoting the fact that your store has them would be beneficial,” she says. “Especially if you carry the full line from small to 5X – let people know they are all available.”
In addition to advertising plus sizes, stores can specifically promote them on their social media, using photos that show how attractive those larger costumes are. And of course displaying the costumes on plus-size mannequins in the store will increase sales of that category.
“All women want to look good at Halloween,” Fitzgerald says. “They want to look cute or sexy, and they deserve that. Our plus-size costumes give them that opportunity.” Click here to see Starline’s full selection of costumes.
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