Mallatt Pharmacy and Costumes
Still in pinch for a costume?
If you haven't picked out your Halloween costume yet, you still have some time. And if you want to find a geeky costume worthy of Comic Con, some stores around Madison definitely have great options.
Here are four to explore.
The original location on Monroe and the new outpost on Willy carry a wide array of pre-packaged costumes, along with wigs, makeup, hats, and other accessories. Karen Brown-Larimore, the buyer for Mallatt's, says that for adults, Avatar is particularly popular this year, so prepare to see a lot of blue people out and about. She also says that Mallatt's carries a cockroach costume that fans of Kafka should snatch up quickly. Her personal favorite costume she's seen so far this year is someone who will be going as Sloth from The Goonies. "That will be a makeup job," she says.
The tone was a little more frenzied at this thrift mart, located at the corner of Willy and Baldwin, across the street from the new Mallatt's. Shoppers scoured the aisles for pieces to put together their own costumes, selecting from a special Halloween section as well as the everyday clothing racks. Some costumes of yesteryear are becoming less popular, and some presidents less recognizable. One college student held up a Nixon mask and commented to his friend, "Hey, you should be George Bush! I found a great George Bush mask!" His friend replied, "Oh, that'd be funny!" (They left the mask behind.) As of Saturday afternoon, there was an adult-size Boba Fett costume on the racks at St. Vinnie's. Go get it, nerds!
Ragstock This State Street shop was hopping last Sunday afternoon. Costume shoppers included a grandmother trying on bridal gowns ("I can be a bride for ten bucks!"), a twenty-something attempting to find an appropriate March Hare vest ("It needs to be really crazy-looking"), and lots of Lady Gaga-wannabes. Anyone who is willing to wear a swimsuit, crazy sunglasses, and a hair bow can emulate the pop star on a budget.
That old corporate standby has plenty of geek-worthy costumes and costume fixings on the shelves. Ladies who want to be sexy Freddie Krueger or a sexy Hogwarts student can do so for under $40. Gents can strap on a Centurion helmet to become a character from Civilization. Party City definitely caters to families more than college students, but they have aisles of party accessories to complete your Halloween look.
Still in pinch for a costume? Try ironing a Merlotte's logo onto a plain white t-shirt, then throw on some shorts and tennis shoes. Add an apron and a ponytail, and you're instantly a waitress from the hit vampire show, True Blood. Feel a little undead? Regular clothes and fake blood, with some strategically placed flesh wounds, can combine to create a believable zombie. Or pull a Wednesday Addams and wear regular clothes: "I'm a homicidal maniac, they look just like everyone else."
Happy haunting!