Oct. 27--With Halloween falling on a Saturday, you might need to dress yourself and the kids up twice -- both Friday and Saturday for school or work and othersocializing.

But don't worry. You won't have to break the bank to join in the fun. Treasure Valley stores still have plenty of affordable costumes and accessories to make this Halloween weekend rock.

"There has been more of an emphasis on value pricing this year because times are tough, so we have more in the lower price range, but still quality stuff," said Robert Stevahn, owner of The Costume Shop at 3777 W. Chinden Blvd. in Garden City. "We brought in more value price costumes this year, so we have kids' costumes starting from $12.95, and women's starting at $17.95."

For the ladies, The Costume Shop has rolled out a line of costumes capable of doing double-duty. "We do have some reversible costumes this year from a company called Dreamgirl," Stevahn said. "So you'll have one costume that reverses from a cat to a mouse, or a cop to a convict. You can wear it twice for the same amount of money -- two looks for the price of one."

So, what's hot this Halloween?

"Vampires, vampires, vampires! With all the movies coming out, the TV shows, 'True Blood,' we've got everything you need -- the teeth, blood, we even have contacts to make your eyes different colors," said Jason Green, store manager for Joker's Wild at 7115 W. Overland Road in Boise. "We also have the gingerbread man from 'Shrek,' cereal characters like the Trix rabbit and the Lucky Charms guy, and Tinky Winky, everyone's favorite Teletubby. We even have the Travelocity garden gnome."

Another popular theme this year gives props to the King of Pop.

"We got a fair amount of Michael Jackson stuff, and it's going pretty fast," Stevahn said. "We sell tons of wigs and makeup. Zombies for a makeup theme this year has been really big."

And with just days left before Halloween, local costume and specialty stores are prepared for the last-minute scramble.

"The last one or two weeks before Halloween we see a huge push," Green said. "People come to us last minute because they know we usually have it. We stay well-stocked because we have this stuff year round."

From masks and shoes to makeup and rentals, Joker's Wild also has increased its inventory this year.

"We have a lot of the masquerade masks this year, bigger than what we usually have. We have a great selection of men's and women's shoes. And we have the best wigs; we keep those well stocked," Green said.

OFF THE BEATEN PATH

Looking for something different this Halloween?

Restaurant supply stores and pawn shops may not immediately come to mind when thinking about creating that perfect costume. But if you want to get a little more creative this year, several Treasure Valley businesses can help you think outside the box.

® Do-it-yourself: For shoppers faced with pulling together last-minute Halloween looks, Savers (10475 Fairview Ave. in Boise and 1560 Caldwell Blvd. in Nampa) suggests using everyday thrift finds to create a roller derby diva (pair tough and sassy clothes with a helmet and temporary tattoos), an Olympic medalist (combine your favorite outdoor sportswear and equipment with a homemade gold medal and a bouquet of faux flowers), or a zombie (splatter ripped khaki trousers and a classic white button up with fake blood, then add tousled hair and some white face makeup).

® Go high-tech: Looking for a riot shield, a Geiger counter, a HAZMAT suit, components for a robot costume, or some strange gizmo to complement your mad scientist or space alien getup? Check out The Reuseum, an engineering and industrial surplus supply store at 4566 Chinden Blvd. in Garden City. Harbor Freight at 10296 Fairview Ave. and Second Chance Building Materials Center at 1423 Grove St., both in Boise, have complementary components for robot costumes like weird little tubes and myriad bolts and nuts.

® History more your style? If you want to design a period piece, vintage stores such as Atomic Treasures at 409 S. 8th St. in BoDo and Antique World Mall at 4544 W. Overland Road offer retro jewelry, clothing and accessories, old hand tools, and other timeworn possessions.

® Want to explore your inner artist? Need some art supplies to complete your costume? Try Boise Blue Art Supply at 820 W. Jefferson St. and Quality Art Inc. at 200 E. 52nd St. for arts and crafts, or Puffy Mondaes at 200 12th Ave. S. in Nampa for unique and fair-trade yarn and knitting supplies, fabric dyes and markers.

® Doctors and nurses are classic choices: You can't beat the ease and comfort of donning a pair of scrubs to the Halloween party. Uniformity at 3427 N. Cole Road in Boise and Uniform World at 303 2nd Ave. S. in Nampa have great options to dress up as Dr. House or your favorite doctor or nurse from "Scrubs" or "Grey's Anatomy."

® Waiters, policemen, military and more: Have other occupations in mind? Standard Restaurant Supply at 6910 Fairview Ave. in Boise can outfit any would-be chef or waiter, and Cop Shop Etc. at 7000 W. Overland Road in Boise has law-enforcement apparel and accessories. Or get your camo on at Boise Army-Navy at 4924 W. Chinden Blvd. in Garden City.

® Pick pawn shops for accessories: Many Halloween revelers head to the second-hand or thrift stores for their costumes. But don't overlook pawn shops. Vista Pawn Shop (503 S. Vista Ave. in Boise, 9115 W Chinden Blvd., No. 102, in Garden City, and 421 Caldwell Blvd. in Nampa) and Jay's Pawn Shop at 3131 W. Chinden Blvd. in Garden City might just have that accordion to accompany your lederhosen, a guitar to complete your rock star, or some power tools so you can go as Bob the Builder or Leatherface.

® Check out the second-hand stores: For high fashion at a low price? Try upscale secondhand stores like Lux Fashion Lounge in Downtown Boise at 785 W. Idaho St.

® Costume swap: If you're really looking to stretch your dollar this year, organize a costume swap with neighbors and friends. No one wants to wear the same costume year after year, and kids typically outgrow last year's princess or pirate outfit. Gather up the family's old costumes, and start trading -- you won't have to spend a dime.

Brenda Gutierrez: 377-6440

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