Adults Get the Edge in Finding Right Costume

When it comes to costumes for Halloween, grown-ups probably get as good a deal as the kids at Magic World Costuming.

Costumes for adults are available on a rental basis for one month. Not that anyone needs their costume for a whole month, but this way you can get there early, before everything is picked over, and take your selection home.

Also, it seems that when you have a killer costume at the ready more costume parties just pop up. And you may even decide to wear the outfit to work.

This year at Magic World, mom and dad should get theirs first. If you follow entertainment news, it won’t come as any surprise that “Star Wars” characters are again dominating the costume selections this Halloween. Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader, Chewbacca, Princess Leah and the storm troopers are available for rent from $50 to $65.

And there’s never a lag in popularity for “The Wizard of Oz” characters--the Tin Man, Cowardly Lion, Scarecrow and Dorothy are all available for rent in the same price range.

But the focus should be on the children, right? At Magic World, the costumes for kids are not for rent but are for purchase. Ninjas with accessories are $12.99, clown suits with wigs are $14.99. Spider Man is popular mainly because of the built-in muscles. So for $37.99, any kid can be a hunk.

The best deals for kids at Magic World now are various types of costumes--around 40 of them--at 40% off, which means that the prices run from $13 to $18 for items that were selling for $22 to $30. In this group (but not in every size) you’ll find a gypsy, a cheerleader, Dick Tracy, a clown, a bee, a boxer and the appropriate Casper (the Friendly Ghost).

Yes, mom, there are more inexpensive places for costumes--but most sell such cheaply made outfits that it isn’t worth the money. Better to go for a little better quality--maybe the get-up can be passed on to a sibling next year.

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* Magic World Costuming, 10122 Topanga Canyon Blvd., Chatsworth. (818) 700-8100. Hours: 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m.- 5 p.m. Sunday.

Weekend Super Sale: Seymour Fashions is offering great stretch jeans in 20 colors at 25% off the regular prices--$36 to $40--until Oct. 26. Everything else is also 25% off--a rarity for this off-the-beaten-track, semi-custom shop. Seymour Fashions, 7040 Darby Ave., Reseda. (818) 705-1911. Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday.