Shoppers are set to spend more than ever before on Halloween costumes as the ghostly celebration becomes Britain’s biggest adult party night, after New Year’s Eve, a study reveals.
October 31st has become increasingly an event where adults indulge in fun fancy dress and enjoy a night of revelry.
New research for fashion brand Simply Be, which has a choice of nearly 200 Halloween outfits for adults and children, shows that sales of creepy costumes for men and women are fast overtaking those for kids.
Purchases of fiendish fancy dress is up 52% for women and 44% for men compared to this time last year, while seven out of ten Brits say they are planning to celebrate the date this year.
Over a third of those questioned in the study (35%) said they intended to buy a Halloween outfit this year, either for themselves, or family.
Latest industry figures show the UK spend on Halloween is estimated to be around £460 million with £155 million of that spent on themed clothing.
The top selling costume for women at the online and high street retailer Simply Be is the dramatic ladies Graveyard Bride outfit, with a black velvet bodice and pale pink net ragged skirt over a black asymmetric hem skirt, complete with a matching long veil.
Coming second is the Dark Temptress long red and black dress, complete with detachable hood, closely followed by a Miss Beetlejuice striped mini-dress.
Most popular men’s fancy dress is the scary deluxe Pennywise the Clown costume consisting of a yellow jumpsuit pom-pom, embellishments, gloves, neck ruff, waistcoat and creepy mask with wig.
The second best-seller for men is the Bad Hatter costume – a creepy take on Alice in Wonderland’s Mad-Hatter, it includes a top hat with attached hair, blood stained shirt, mask, shoe covers and gloves. At number three is an adult version of the evil Chucky dolls with a stripy top, dungarees and mask with wig.
Kids get in on the act with the best-selling Zombie school girl outfit, complete with blood spattered uniform. The second highest seller is the Girls Gothic Vampiress long red dress with a high collar and velvet trim and third is the distinctly creepy Boys Crazy Clown costume.
Jenni Bamford of Simply Be said: “Halloween has become a major party night for adults as well as children. We are seeing adults are happy to put on fancy dress, carve pumpkins, decorate their homes and invite friends round for an evening of themed fun, food and drink.
“As a result of growing demand there is now far more choice of clever and funny fancy dress outfits to suit all budgets, from cute to totally creepy.”
Halloween celebrations are often thought to be an American import, but in fact have their origins in Celtic Britain. The exact origin is disputed, but experts believe both pagan and Christian practices have evolved into what Halloween is like today.
The holiday falls on the days before the feast of All Hallows, which began as an attempt to stamp out pagan celebrations. Christians would honour saints and pray for souls who have not yet reached heaven. There are also similarities with the Celtic pagan festival of Samhain, meaning 'summer’s end' which celebrated the end of harvest. Gaels would offer food and drink to appease the spirits and light bonfires to ward off evil ones.
In 16th century in Ireland, Scotland and Wales people went door-to-door in costume asking for food in exchange for a poem or song. Many dressed up as souls of the dead and were understood to be protecting themselves from the spirits by impersonating them, which is thought to be the origin start of trick or treating.
