Fairytale misfits reign as the queens of Halloween 2014 – for girls, anyway.
If there were any doubt that Maleficent and Elsa are heroes to any lass who has ever felt mistreated or misunderstood, this spooky season will prove their popularity. Costumes for both Disney characters flew out of stockrooms as the first chill hit the autumn air. “It definitely is the year of ‘Frozen,’ “ said David Niggli, president of Chasing Fireflies.
31 days of Halloween: our favorite family-friendly events this October
31 days of Halloween: our favorite family-friendly events this OctoberOpen link
But it’s not just the year of the ice princess: The horned fairy from “Sleeping Beauty” who recently headlined her own film starring Angelina Jolie, Maleficent is the goth counterpart to blonde Elsa. Chasing-Fireflies.com sold out of its inventory of girls’ and women’s Maleficent costumes by the second week of September. ToysRUs.com, too, sold out of its Maleficent costume, a black gown with horns.
Among these hot sellers, there’s one upside for “Frozen” fans: Costumes for the scene-stealing Olaf character abound, and any kid dressed like the magical snowperson is likely to receive warm hugs.
For boys, DC Comics’ The Flash costumes were vanishing quickly, thanks to buzz over the TV show premiering Oct. 7 on the CW. Marvel Comics’ “Guardians of the Galaxy” hero Star-Lord is another popular choice — the costume was sold out at CostumeExpress.com. Ditto for the Toothless Night Fury and Hiccup costumes from “How to Train Your Dragon 2.” Meanwhile, parents of toddlers had snapped up both the Chase and the Marshall costumes from “Paw Patrol.”
Costume shopping in Chicago
Costume shopping in Chicago
Wendy Donahue
Parents will have better luck transforming kids into characters who didn’t headline films in the past year. “The Dark Knight Rises” costumes, both Batman and Catwoman, earn stellar reviews at CostumeExpress.com, as do “Star Wars” and “Harry Potter” options.
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Among the classic cast of scary creatures, vampires (and vampiras) bare their teeth, re-energized by the origin story of “Dracula Untold,” hitting the big screen this October. The Chris March collection of foam wigs and other accessories at Target stores includes a set of bat wings, an instant costume for a parent in a supporting role (just add black yoga attire).
Characters from franchises such as My Little Pony, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Monster High are popular picks, as well as bushy-tailed creatures inspired by the viral Ylvis refrain (“What Does the Fox Say?”) Beyond brand names are candy-related costumes, a menagerie of cuddly creatures, nostalgic throwbacks for parents (such as Hey Kool-Aid) and — as Niggli said — “anything with a beautiful set of wings.”
50 things to do with your kids this fall
50 things to do with your kids this fallOpen link
“We are also finding family-themed costumes continue to grow in popularity,” Niggli said, citing everything from “Downton Abbey” to a zombie football team.
Looking to save a bit on your Halloween regalia? Andrea Woroch, consumer expert for Kinoli Inc., points to CouponSherpa.com, which offers coupon codes for savings such as 25 percent off orders of $20 or more at CostumeDiscounters.com, and $20 off $100 at BuyCostumers.com.
Read the fine print on Web sites. Many offer discount codes through the end of September, or even beyond. Also, not all costumes include the accessories pictured; some are sold separately, even in the “deluxe” version. Scrutinize the details.
Friday, October 17, 2014
Saturday, October 11, 2014
Rare are the opportunities for me to participate in my sons
Rare are the opportunities for me to participate in my sons’ sartorial choices — or, for that matter, in my daughter’s. I do not have an “eye.” I cannot throw together incongruous items from my closet to create a stunning ensemble. And I missed the memo on how to properly accessorize.
Truthfully, I can’t even claim a signature style, though I’d like to think that I’ve improved my fashion sense over time.
So it was with a mixture of excitement and trepidation that I accompanied my two youngest sons to shop for enough office attire to tide them over until they could afford their own.
Lover Fashion sexy club wear
One was starting his first grown-up job in New York as a CPA and the other an actuarial student internship with a ginormous insurance company (brag, brag), which meant they needed adult clothes beyond the standard job interview outfit. The suiting of choice for Florida college students, namely T-shirts, mesh shorts and sneakers, won’t do in the brave new world of finance.
But once we finished purchasing the blindingly bright-colored shirts and the slim-fit slacks, the good leather belts and the plain black slip-ons, their interest fell on what I would consider the most pedestrian of all frills: socks.
My boys, 23 and 21, are into hosiery, the flashy, sassy kind. Tangerine orange and pistachio green and lemon yellow. Striped and cubed and plaid. Chevroned and squiggly-lined. With tiny beer mugs and Marvel comic superheroes. With works of art and motivational logos.
It was hard to reconcile these young men to the boys who, not so long ago, wore only black Nike socks. I bought those by the dozens for my four sons.
I was reminded of that shopping experience just this week when I heard on the news that Dwayne Wade, fabulous guard for my hometown Miami Heat, has teamed up with the sock company Stance for the third installment of The Wade Collection. Holiday 2014 will showcase 18 styles of casual socks, gentlemen’s socks and, a new addition, kids’ socks.
The eight themes featured in the collection include “The Classic Stance,” inspired by Wade’s love of boxing, and — as a shoutout to my beloved 305 area code — “Weather Report,” focused on Miami’s tropical weather, and “What Is Art,” influenced by Miami’s funky Wynwood Art District.
Socks, I come to find out, are the new ties. In offices where everyone pretty much dresses the same, hosiery is how you stand out, how you express yourself.
Today’s statement socks don’t come cheap, though. While the Wades range from a reasonable $10 to $14 a pair, I found some on the Web priced for three figures. And here I thought Gold Toes were a splurge! (Half a dozen pairs is what I got my husband for our anniversary, by the way. He’s making me a sofa table. We are the ultimate power couple, huh.)
Socks are so popular, such a must-have item for the urban male, that some industry professionals point to men’s footsies as the economic engine behind the boom in men’s fashions. Sock sales grew by 2 percent in the past year, outperforming other apparel sectors. Analysts with the market research firm NPD Groups calls this trend “a move from commodity to fashion piece.”
Well, OK, I get it. Socks as foot garments. Socks as accessories. Socks as lingerie and bling. But just one question, please:
Does that mean the new fashion faves will remain forever paired, never to mysteriously disappear in the wash?
Truthfully, I can’t even claim a signature style, though I’d like to think that I’ve improved my fashion sense over time.
So it was with a mixture of excitement and trepidation that I accompanied my two youngest sons to shop for enough office attire to tide them over until they could afford their own.
Lover Fashion sexy club wear
One was starting his first grown-up job in New York as a CPA and the other an actuarial student internship with a ginormous insurance company (brag, brag), which meant they needed adult clothes beyond the standard job interview outfit. The suiting of choice for Florida college students, namely T-shirts, mesh shorts and sneakers, won’t do in the brave new world of finance.
But once we finished purchasing the blindingly bright-colored shirts and the slim-fit slacks, the good leather belts and the plain black slip-ons, their interest fell on what I would consider the most pedestrian of all frills: socks.
My boys, 23 and 21, are into hosiery, the flashy, sassy kind. Tangerine orange and pistachio green and lemon yellow. Striped and cubed and plaid. Chevroned and squiggly-lined. With tiny beer mugs and Marvel comic superheroes. With works of art and motivational logos.
It was hard to reconcile these young men to the boys who, not so long ago, wore only black Nike socks. I bought those by the dozens for my four sons.
I was reminded of that shopping experience just this week when I heard on the news that Dwayne Wade, fabulous guard for my hometown Miami Heat, has teamed up with the sock company Stance for the third installment of The Wade Collection. Holiday 2014 will showcase 18 styles of casual socks, gentlemen’s socks and, a new addition, kids’ socks.
The eight themes featured in the collection include “The Classic Stance,” inspired by Wade’s love of boxing, and — as a shoutout to my beloved 305 area code — “Weather Report,” focused on Miami’s tropical weather, and “What Is Art,” influenced by Miami’s funky Wynwood Art District.
Socks, I come to find out, are the new ties. In offices where everyone pretty much dresses the same, hosiery is how you stand out, how you express yourself.
Today’s statement socks don’t come cheap, though. While the Wades range from a reasonable $10 to $14 a pair, I found some on the Web priced for three figures. And here I thought Gold Toes were a splurge! (Half a dozen pairs is what I got my husband for our anniversary, by the way. He’s making me a sofa table. We are the ultimate power couple, huh.)
Socks are so popular, such a must-have item for the urban male, that some industry professionals point to men’s footsies as the economic engine behind the boom in men’s fashions. Sock sales grew by 2 percent in the past year, outperforming other apparel sectors. Analysts with the market research firm NPD Groups calls this trend “a move from commodity to fashion piece.”
Well, OK, I get it. Socks as foot garments. Socks as accessories. Socks as lingerie and bling. But just one question, please:
Does that mean the new fashion faves will remain forever paired, never to mysteriously disappear in the wash?
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