Halloween is two weeks from today, and while that may seem like a long time, I assure you it’s not. Before you know it, your friends will be pestering you with plans, and you’ll have to decide between a bar crawl, a night out on the town, or the house party being thrown by your friends’-cousin’s-friends. There’s plenty of things to worry about, so you don’t want to get caught without a costume at the last minute.
Of course, deciding what you want to be this year is the biggest part of the battle. Do you go pop culture or classic? Sexy or silly? Coupled up or solo? Once you have that all figured out, though, you have to actually put your costume together. And depending on how much effort you want to put into making it yourself, you’re going to have to do some shopping around, and between the thrift stores, costume stores, and pop-up mega shops, it can get a little dizzying.
If you want to avoid the massive Spirit pop ups and party stores, here’s a guide to getting everything you need to get on with yo’ scary self this Halloween in Boston—what you then decide to do with yo’ scary self is, of course, up to you.
Thrift Stores
It requires some creativity, but local thrift stores are gold mines when it comes to providing quirky items on the cheap. If you’re dressing up as Carmen Sandiego this year, chances are you aren’t going to invest in a designer trench coat that will set you back a few hundred bucks. Here are some of the best second hand stores in Boston where you can get costume fodder on the cheap.
Buffalo Exchange
180 Harvard Avenue, Allston
238 Elm Street, Somerville
Specializing in funky fashion finds, Buffalo Exchange is perfect for that missing piece of an outfit — crazy heels, 70s-style sunglasses, or even a tutu if you’re lucky.
Boomerangs
1870 Centre Street, West Roxbury
563 Mass Avenue, Central Square
1407 Washington Street, South End
Boomerangs provides a bevy of trinkets, jewelry and more unique finds—all in support of the AIDS Action Committee.
Savers
1230 Veterans of Foreign Wars Parkway, West Roxbury
Savers is a huge discount store, and for Halloween, they haul in new and thrifted costumes for discounted prices, making it a two-in-one stop for DIY items and packaged outfits.
Raspberry Beret
1704 Mass Avenue, Cambridge
Locations also in Reading and Wakefield
Retro goodies and unique items at a low cost make Raspberry Beret perfect for putting a last-minute spin on your costume idea.
Aggie’s Attic
43 Salem Street, Medford
Find your treasure at Aggie’s Attic, which emphasizes on personal memories — perfect for a vintage vibe this Halloween.
Goodwill
Locations in Allston, Central Square, South Boston, Roxbury, and more
When in doubt, Goodwill is always worth a good search. With multiple locations around Boston, chances are you’ll find something you can fashion into a get-up.
Costume Stores
Whether you’re not into making your own costume, or want to take a look around for some future-DIY inspiration, stores bearing Halloween-centric gear are are all over the city. Perfect for props, makeup, and decorations in addition to outfits, you’ll want to check out these spots early before they get picked over.
Dorothy’s Boutique
190 Mass Avenue, Boston
Dorothy’s has just about everything you might need — from a variety of costumes, to wigs, makeup, masks, and more, on a scaled-down size from a store that’s in business year round.
New Millenium Costumes
151 Tremont Street, Boston
A year-round costume and theme store as well, New Millenium offers rentals for costumes you don’t want to invest in, alongside costumes and accessories to purchase for men and women.
Great Eastern Trading Company
49 River Street, Central Square
Both a thrift store and costume and theme store, Great Eastern provides costume pieces, wigs, consignment clothing, and dress-up jewelry.
Boston Costume/Garment District
200 Broadway, Kendall Square
The local mega-store for costumes, this two-in-one mammoth retailer does become a zoo around Halloween, so plan accordingly. But if you can fight through the madness, you can pick up packaged outfits, costume finishing touches, props, wigs, masks and more thrifty items. Plus, it’s open till midnight in October.
Fast Eddies Barbershop
179 Harvard Avenue, Allston
A year-round barbershop, Fast Eddies crams costumes and themed accessories into the small store during Halloween season. Find makeup, wigs, costumes, and more for cheap, all while someone is getting their buzz cut.
The Costume Company
489 Mass Avenue, Arlington
If you’re looking for higher quality items that can be worn past November 1, The Costume Company offers costumes that don’t come in a plastic bag. Meant for more than just Halloween, the store offers props, accessories, and clothing for those wanting to get a little more bang for their buck, and aren’t messing around about dressing up.
Where do you get your Halloween gear in Boston?
