As the hordes of Halloween parties begin to rise from their graves this week, gay revelers across the country are packing their Louis Vuitton bags to fly out of town for some macabre merriment. But, those who prefer to travel with a compact carry-on to avoid the hassles of checking a bag, or are just pathological procrastinators, may want to just pick up their costumes after they land. It’s for these party boys that we’ve rounded up this list of local costume retailers to help cobble together killer Halloween lewks.
Abracadabra – New York
Since 1981, this compendium of costumery has lauded itself as “the world’s most unique store.” Nestled in the Manhattan gayborhood of Chelsea, Abracadabra offers a copious selection of costumes, wigs, accessories, and makeup. For those out-of-towners looking for some last-minute costumes to flaunt at the annual City of Gods Halloween party, you’ll have plenty of togas and golden laurels from which to choose.
Gypsy Treasure – San Diego
This family-owned business strives to add a personal touch to its patrons’ costuming experience, providing a diverse selection of authentic, handmade items. In addition to its costumes, Gypsy Treasure features an array of accessories, from hats and wigs to jewelry and shoes. They literally have you covered from head to toe. And for the gay geeks who fly in for San Diego Comic-Con, this shop offers a treasure trove of options to zhuzh up your cosplay.
Hollywood Toys and Costumes – Hollywood
While most costume shops only pop up in October, this iconic Hollywood institution purveys a litany of lewks to locals and tourists alike all year round. Hollywood Toys and Costumes‘ inventory provides overlapping aesthetics of cute, creepy, and campy, which makes it a perfect destination for those assembling ensembles for the Boulet Brothers Halloween Ball. But its biggest draw is its collection of wigs, both standard and stylized, for both veteran drag queens and holiday gender benders.
Iguana Vintage Clothing – Los Angeles
For those traveling to Los Angeles for Fred & Jason’s Halloweenie, your best bet for embracing this year’s ‘Peace, Love and Disco Balls’ theme is hitting up Iguana for some retro threads. With locations in Hollywood, North Hollywood, and Sherman Oaks, you’ll find plenty of options for vintage platform kicks, fringe vests, and bell-bottom catsuits. And for all you gaymers hitting up the enCRYPTed party at NoHo’s Player One adult arcade, dip into the Lankershim location beforehand and snag one of their many kitschy cartoon lunch boxes. It can serve as a geek-chic attache to stow your quarters.
Knob’s – San Francisco
Although the Bay Area is notorious for its brisk climate, it’s important to remember that venues like Public Works, which is hosting this year’s Horror Story: Psycho-Delic, can get incredibly shvitz-y. Fortunately, Knob’s offers plenty of apparel that covers as little as possible, from mesh tops to botties shorts. This Castro clothier is ideal for those looking for simple but slutty lewks. Want to be a soldier? Just snag a camo jockstrap. Or strap on one of their winged harnesses and go as a pegging pegasus. It’s pretty much the Mean Girls “Duh, I’m a mouse!” of gay SF Halloween.
Value Village – Toronto
DIY fashionistas pride themselves on excavating those diamonds in the rough. It’s for those that Value Village exists. With nine locations across Toronto, this thrift chain offers a plentitude of quarry for intrepid apparel hunters. Admittedly, more effort than just nabbing premade Halloween lewks at Party City, but it will be worth it for whoever wins the cash prize for the costume contest at the Pitbull Halloween party.
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