Business & Tech

What are the Most Popular Costumes for Halloween?

Zombies in? Presidents out? Caldwell Patch asked a local costume shop owner.


The suburbs will be crawling with zombies this Halloween, a North Jersey costume shop owner is predicting.

Costumes inspired by the popular AMC television series The Walking Dead are hot again this year, said Jameson Sindt of New Jersey Costumes, which has seasonal shops in Caldwell, Wayne and elsewhere.

Sindt said zombie costumes let people flex their creative muscles.

Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.

“You can be a zombie anything. You can be a zombie mailman, a zombie beekeeper. Your imagination isn’t really limited,” he said.

Accessory sales are on the rise with people turning to do-it-yourself costumes as a way to save money.

Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.

“We’ve been focusing on accessories, things to supplement people’s costumes,” he said. 

It’s too early to tell what’s going to be a big seller for kids, although Power Rangers are selling well, he said. A hot trend from past years, Angry Birds, seems to be cooling down.

Monster High costumes inspired by the cartoon are in with the tween set. Options include Clawdeen Wolf, a glamorous teenage werewolf in a fur coat.

Don’t expect to see many Barack Obamas and Mitt Romneys, however. Sindt said masks of the president and his challenger are not selling well even with the election just weeks away.

“I think it says something about the election,” he said. “Honestly people aren’t interested.”

Despite the lukewarm sales, Sindt said the costume industry claims there’s a link between the better selling mask and the winner.

The Halloween pop-up shop will remain open at 340 Bloomfield Ave. in Caldwell through Nov. 15. Hours are Monday to Friday, from 1 to 8 p.m., Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Items will be marked 50% off after Halloween. All sales are final.

Have a creative idea for a costume? Share it in the comments.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here