Arts & Entertainment
Dressing Up for Halloween, Chicago? These Local Costume Shops Can Help Your Dreams – or Nightmares – Come True
With Halloween just days away, many Chicagoans might have an important question on their minds this week: What am I dressing up as?
Whether there’s an easy answer to that question or not, WTTW News recently explored some of Chicago’s independent costume shops that are open year-round and can help outfit any customer’s dreams — or nightmares.
Fantasy Costumes
A wall of masks at Fantasy Costumes in the Portage Park neighborhood. (Nicole Cardos / WTTW News)
Operators at this Portage Park costume shop say it’s one-city-block long and has more than a million items in stock — from wigs and make-up, to masks, rentals and decorations — across all budgets.
“We try to accommodate every price point there is,” said Bela Farkas, a manager with Fantasy Costume who’s worked with the store for more than 20 years.
“Some people want to go all out and spend thousands of dollars. Some people just want to spend like $10,” he said. “If you want to just wear a headband, we have headbands with a pickle on it.”
Farkas said one of the top-selling Chicago-themed costumes this season has been Pope Leo XIV, which customers have been personalizing with other Chicago icons, like the Chicago Bears or adding a bottle of Jeppson’s Malört. 4065 N. Milwaukee Ave.
Chicago Costume Company
Chicago Costume Company has customized this year's hottest costume: the Chicago pope. (Nicole Cardos / WTTW News)
Over at Chicago Costume Company, the mitre (or hat) to the pope costume is made in-house and is branded with a Chicago flag.
“One of our very talented seamstresses was able to bring my vision to life from our workshop,” said Courtland Hickey, the store’s general manager.
It’s just one of the many accessories offered at the shop’s two locations — Lincoln Park and Portage Park — on top of the dozens upon dozens of costumes, masks and make-up products.
Cortland Hickey’s mother, Mary Hickey Panayotou, opened the shop in the 1970s to sell theatrical-quality costumes, some of which are sold today in the shop’s Vintage Vault. 1120 W. Fullerton Ave. & 4727 W. Montrose Ave.
Lost Eras
Lost Eras in Rogers Park has collected vintage costumes over the past 50 years. (Nicole Cardos / WTTW News)
This Rogers Park shop offers exclusively vintage costumes collected over the past 50 years that customers can buy or rent.
From Bollywood styles, Renaissance, pirates and Michael Jackson-esque attire, Lost Eras prides itself in offering a wide selection of costumes that aren’t sold in plastic bags.
“We like to let people wander around and try and put their own costume together,” said owner Charlotte Walters. “They don’t want to have a costume in a bag and say, ‘Here, put this on.’ They like to put their own spin on it so they can rent whatever they want.”
If not for the costumes, come for the quirky knick knacks, books, jewels — or even, the shop’s two caskets. 1511 W. Howard St.
