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It's costume crunch time, people. If you haven't already finalized your perfect Halloween ensemble, you need to get your act together. Like, now. But where to start shopping? Whether you're new to SF, a Bay Area lifer or you just want to get out of an online shopping rut, take this opportunity to reboot your Halloween shopping routine. From wig shops to vintage shops, there are tons of great choices in SF for a head-to-toe look. Go sexy. Go scary. Go sophisticated. Whatever you choose, just go in costume
Purchase a wig (long-hair styles start at $120), or bring in one you already own. Rosalie will evaluate whether it's up to the task you have in mind and give you an estimate—depending on how elaborate your needs are, a style can be finished in a couple days. Styling starts at $45 for something simple like a Wintour bob, but if you need the Marie Antoinette treatment, expect to pay more.
For those who know how to sew, Britex has the best fabric selection in San Francisco. With four floors of fabrics, buttons, and notions, it is your best bet for finding the exact textile you need for your costume. Fabrics tend to run on the pricier side, so be sure to check the cost per yard before you fall in love with something.
If you subscribe to the Mean Girls idea of Halloween —hey, we're not knocking it— Felicity's is your place for sexy costumes. Just don't forget to add a set of ears to your skimpy ensemble.
It may be hard to believe but the American Conservatory Theater will actually rent out costumes from its wardrobe vault. Although on the pricier end of the spectrum (starting at about $175), these elegant costumes are a step above the rest.
Specializing in full animal costumes (Victorian rabbit, anyone?), this shop is your best bet for transforming into a furry friend. (Word on the street is that the shop can rig up a decent Tron costume for a fair price, too). Fantasy Clothing maintains an alphabetized list of its rental costumes on their website, so you can figure out what you want to be before you walk into the store.
Want to buy a Halloween costume before you head into work? Fantastico opens at 7am on weekdays. Crazy, right? Almost as crazy as this huge SoMa store's massive costume and wig selection.
If you're looking for the complete package, head over to Costumes On Haight. This is one of those rare spots that both sells and rents costumes. If you want something fancy and expensive, Costumes on Haight has you covered.
The back room at Mendel's is filled with fabric for the craftier costume makers. For everyone else, the Haight Street shop has plenty of accessories. Think (pizza) hats, crowns, boas, and props like pirate daggers.
This costume shop is a house of fun. If you're looking for bright colors, feathers, and faux fur, this is your one-stop shop. For the time-pressed procrastinator, rushed tailoring and custom costumes are available.
Technically a vintage store, Held Over is a well-priced, hyper-organized treasure trove of period costumes. This store doesn't just limit itself to descriptive decades; it offers genres within specific time periods as well (e.g. '70s secretary, '60s bohemian). You'll also find an assortment of military looks (especially hats) and national origin outfits (dirndls, anyone?)
Cliff's knows how to stock for the San Francisco seasons, particularly Halloween. The craft and fabric side of the store offers costumes and beefs up its fabric stock for the holiday. On the hardware side, you'll find an aisle dedicated to costume implements, with the cheaper costume-in-a-bag options and accessories that populate most of the pop-up costume shops around town. Cliff's is also a fantastic option for the DIY-ers who like to build large-scale costumes because you can find supplies like PVC pipe, wire and bungee cords.
This may be a tiny party shop, but it's a really good tiny party shop. Find a floor-to-ceiling selection of costumes, wigs, and accessories. If you need help making a decision, let the cute shop dog make the final call.
Purchase a wig (long-hair styles start at $120), or bring in one you already own. Rosalie will evaluate whether it's up to the task you have in mind and give you an estimate—depending on how elaborate your needs are, a style can be finished in a couple days. Styling starts at $45 for something simple like a Wintour bob, but if you need the Marie Antoinette treatment, expect to pay more.
For those who know how to sew, Britex has the best fabric selection in San Francisco. With four floors of fabrics, buttons, and notions, it is your best bet for finding the exact textile you need for your costume. Fabrics tend to run on the pricier side, so be sure to check the cost per yard before you fall in love with something.
If you subscribe to the Mean Girls idea of Halloween —hey, we're not knocking it— Felicity's is your place for sexy costumes. Just don't forget to add a set of ears to your skimpy ensemble.
It may be hard to believe but the American Conservatory Theater will actually rent out costumes from its wardrobe vault. Although on the pricier end of the spectrum (starting at about $175), these elegant costumes are a step above the rest.
Specializing in full animal costumes (Victorian rabbit, anyone?), this shop is your best bet for transforming into a furry friend. (Word on the street is that the shop can rig up a decent Tron costume for a fair price, too). Fantasy Clothing maintains an alphabetized list of its rental costumes on their website, so you can figure out what you want to be before you walk into the store.
Want to buy a Halloween costume before you head into work? Fantastico opens at 7am on weekdays. Crazy, right? Almost as crazy as this huge SoMa store's massive costume and wig selection.
If you're looking for the complete package, head over to Costumes On Haight. This is one of those rare spots that both sells and rents costumes. If you want something fancy and expensive, Costumes on Haight has you covered.
The back room at Mendel's is filled with fabric for the craftier costume makers. For everyone else, the Haight Street shop has plenty of accessories. Think (pizza) hats, crowns, boas, and props like pirate daggers.
This costume shop is a house of fun. If you're looking for bright colors, feathers, and faux fur, this is your one-stop shop. For the time-pressed procrastinator, rushed tailoring and custom costumes are available.
Technically a vintage store, Held Over is a well-priced, hyper-organized treasure trove of period costumes. This store doesn't just limit itself to descriptive decades; it offers genres within specific time periods as well (e.g. '70s secretary, '60s bohemian). You'll also find an assortment of military looks (especially hats) and national origin outfits (dirndls, anyone?)
Cliff's knows how to stock for the San Francisco seasons, particularly Halloween. The craft and fabric side of the store offers costumes and beefs up its fabric stock for the holiday. On the hardware side, you'll find an aisle dedicated to costume implements, with the cheaper costume-in-a-bag options and accessories that populate most of the pop-up costume shops around town. Cliff's is also a fantastic option for the DIY-ers who like to build large-scale costumes because you can find supplies like PVC pipe, wire and bungee cords.
This may be a tiny party shop, but it's a really good tiny party shop. Find a floor-to-ceiling selection of costumes, wigs, and accessories. If you need help making a decision, let the cute shop dog make the final call.
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