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Halloween Indulgence: Not Just Candy
When we were children, Halloween was all about who got the most and best candy, which we eagerly gathered in plastic pumpkins, shopping bags and pillowcases. For adults, though, it’s all about the costume.
Whether it’s to scare the neighborhood children to the point of giving them nightmares or to be the freakiest freak at your local Halloween party, some people just can’t resist going all out on Oct. 31. And anyone without the skills to make an amazing costume at home may be ready to let their wallet do the crafting.
For those who measure their creepy clout by the extravagance of the costume, MainStreet scoured the major online costume retailers to pick out the most expensive and over-the-top options out there. Read to the end to see who is king.
Photo Credit: Party City
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10. Sgt. Pepper
Cost: $399.99 on Amazon
Equivalent Rent: $399 for a 1-bedroom in St. Louis
Leading off the expensive costumes list is Sgt. Pepper, a blast from the past whose price tag might make you think you’re on the drugs that are such a big part of the eponymous Beatles album that inspires it. A full satin getup with some nice tassled detailing accounts for the considerable cost, which is equivalent to a month in a cute little house in St. Louis. It may be worth it, though. John Lennon frightened some people back in the 1970s, so maybe his ghost can still freak people out today.
Photo Credit: Amazon.com
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9. Brown Bear
Cost: $499.99 on Amazon
Equivalent Rent: $500 for a 1-bedroom in Dallas
No matter how cute they are, bears are super scary. So there’s no elaborate accessories needed on this realistic brown bear costume, which costs the equivalent of a bedroom in some parts of Dallas. What could be scarier, on a night when everyone expects bloody zombies and scantily clad anythings, than seeing a normal-looking BROWN BEAR running straight at you?
Photo Credit: Amazon.com
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8. KISS (Gene Simmons)
Cost: $499.99 on BuyCostumes.com
Equivalent Rent: $500 for a room in Brooklyn, N.Y.
Although born in Israel, Gene Simmons grew up in Brooklyn after his family moved to New York, so it seemed appropriate that a deluxe KISS costume runs about the same as the monthly rent for a bedroom sublet in Brooklyn. Simmons grew up poor, he says, but this costume is definitely for the post-fame KISS.
Photo Credit: BuyCostumes.com
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7. Halo 3
Cost: $508.94 on Amazon
Equivalent Rent: $505 for a 1-bedroom in Detroit
Halo 3, a popular Xbox game that takes place in a dystopian future where humans battle aliens, gives the subject for the next costume on our list – this incredible fullbody suit of futuristic armor. The quilted bodysuit and multiple pieces of armor mean it will double as an egg-resistant getup that will be ready for any tricking that your fellow trick-or-treaters try to pull on you. Any fans of the dystopian narrative could also choose to spend their cash on a month of rent in one of the more dystopian parts of the U.S., the hard-hit area of Detroit, of course.
Photo Credit: P. Hiatt via Amazon.com
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6. Freaky Dracula
Cost: $599.99 at HalloweenMart.com
Equivalent Rent: $600 for a 3-bedroom in Philadelphia
Well, Pennsylvania sounds like Transylvania, so it seems only fitting that this freaky Dracula costume costs the same as a month’s rent in Philadelphia. No matter the city, though, the costume’s grotesquely distorted proportions may be even too scary for the neighborhood kids, so be careful who you scare or you might have to pay out some cash for inflicting emotional distress on your neighbors.
Photo Credit: HalloweenMart.com
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5. Santa Claus
Cost: $599.99 at BuyCostumes.com
Equivalent Rent: $595 for a 1-bedroom in Minneapolis
Ever since Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas changed the holiday forever, Halloween and Santa Claus have gone together like pumpkins and candy canes. That is to say slightly disturbing. With this exquisite Santa Claus costume you can impress your friends with your ironic approach to the holiday season and have the outfit on hand when your Christmas morning celebration needs a proper Santa. The only thing is it’ll cost you, about the equivalent of a nice apartment in Minneapolis.
Photo Credit: Buycostumes.com
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4. Dippy Dolphin
Cost: $799.99 on BuyCostumes.com
Equivalent Rent: $800 for a 1-bedroom in Miami Beach
Mascots spend all of their time in costumes, so the ones they wear must be able to breathe and move so that the fans aren’t constantly let down by fainting characters. This Dippy Dolphin costume, while perfectly appropriate for a sunny day on the football field, can also be the scariest one in the neighborhood come trick-or-treating time. After all, who isn’t terrified of the day when the dolphins leave the sea to take over the world? Certainly not Tyra Banks, at least.
Photo Credit: BuyCostumes.com
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3. Hulk/Batman/Superman
Cost:The Incredible Hulk: $890.99 at HalloweenAdventure.com Batman: $799.99 at HalloweenMart.com Superman: $742.49 at HalloweenAdventure.com
Equivalent Rent: $890 for a 5-bedroom in Las Vegas
It’s true that the official license to brand superhero costumes probably accounts for a large portion of their cost, but these Marvel-inspired costumes achieve exactly what they need to for a realistic look: the ridiculously bulging muscles that define most every superhero out there. Just look at Batman’s legs (pictured), made of latex and foam. It may cost more than a year of gym memberships, but it’s certainly less work to look the part.
Photo Credit: HalloweenAdventure.com
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2. Star Wars
Cost: $999.99 for a Storm Trooper (HalloweenMart.com), Darth Vader (HalloweenMart.com) or Boba Fett (HalloweenMart.com)
Equivalent Rent: $1,000 for a 1-bedroom in Boston
An obsessed legion of fans and an extra costume-related holiday (ComicCon) mean that proper replica Star Wars costumes can charge a pretty penny. While plenty of low-end alternatives are out there, any self-respecting fan with the cash will spring for the real deal. And as usual, the devil is in the details: The Boba Fett costume (pictured) features a basic jumpsuit with at least 14 accessories to complete the package. Keep in mind, though, that one Halloween as Boba Fett will cost the equivalent of a month in a nice apartment in Boston, so make sure it’s worth it.
Photo Credit: HalloweenMart.com
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1. Elvis
Cost: $1,600 at LuxuryCostumes.com
Equivalent Rent: $1,600 for a 1-bedroom in San Francisco
It’s only fitting that The King be the king of Halloween costumes, as he was one of the most flamboyant performers the music world has ever seen. And for someone with such a large cult of impersonators carrying on his legacy, it makes sense that the costumes would get pretty elaborate. Case in point: This over-the-top costume that is fully lined in red satin and features more beadwork than an Occupy Wall Street protester’s necklace. Alternatively, $1,600 could get you a month’s rent in a nice place in San Francisco, the country’s most expensive housing market.
Photo Credit: LuxuryCostumes.com
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