The best Halloween stores in NYC

In a city where your favorite coffee shops were once button factories, Frank Bee Costumes has been consistently supplying New York with whatever mad make-believe garb its residents have required since 1957. Whether you’re in the market for a respectable Hannibal Lecter mask or plan to don a sexy Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles ensemble, Frank Bee probably has it. After all, it does stock 10,000 costumes year-round.

These outfits may give your wallet a pinch—the Unisex Handmande Loin Cloths retail for more than $50, which is pretty steep for a get-up you could easily mistake for a fancy dinner napkin. But if you’re keen on high-quality gear, look no further. There’s also an extensive line of in-house makeup, called Abracosmetics, for whenever you want to paint your lips perma-pink.

This spot is flush with clutch vintage digs. If you’re going to a blast-from-the-past bash and want to wear legit old school threads, then you should pop in here. It’s also a choice outfitter for mind-blowing Burning Man or Coachella duds.

No shop in New York understands the need to express yourself through a cold-weather protector than one of Manhattan's new vintage shops Spark Pretty. The store describes its aesthetic as “I Want My MTV” meets '80’s hair bands, crossed with the flash of '70’s glam-rock, so if either of those looks are what you're going after this Halloween, you know what to do next. 

If you’re throwing a themed soirée or are in need of niche balloons that match your paper plates, hit this place up. It appears to have the most robust bachelorette party section in the city (and possibly the world). Surprise your favorite bride-to-be with a gaudy pink goblet inscribed with Sexy Bitch and a penis-adorned curly straw. So classy.

If you’re looking to dress up as a convincing Slash or Debbie Harry, pop into this punk-clothing mother lode. Festooned with feather boas and neon signs—it’s where the aforementioned rock idols actually shop for their everyday threads—the bi-level store features a mix of punk, goth, mod and classic rock gear from brands such as Underground and T.U.K, as well as Trash and Vaudeville's own eponymous line. Pay homage to Guns N’ Roses’s lead guitarist by scooping up a seven-inch top hat and tight pleather pants.

Why dress up as a standard-issue superhero when you can create your own character? At this Brooklyn shop, you choose from a variety of stick-on emblems—bombs, mustaches, rabbits and stars—and belts to customize your leotard. Finish your look with the all-essential cape; the basic style comes in a variety of colors. Arrive at your Halloween bash armed with a bottle of Truth Serum—the perfect icebreaker—and keep enemies away with your Photon Shooter.