Edmonds Kind of Play: Halloween Part 1 — Thrifty Halloween costume ideas

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Costume finds at the Goodwill store on Edmonds Way.

Thank to Macklemore, “Poppin’ tags” is back! For some people, the art of skimming thrift shop racks was never really gone but nonetheless, if the guy cleaning up at the VMA’s is talking about it, it is bound to be mainstream. Thrift shops are great options for budget friendly costumes for kids and adults and we have some really great options in and around Edmonds.

Local thrift stores are making sure their Halloween departments are easy on you and your wallet. Both Goodwill and Value Village have dedicated staff to help you choose your costume.

On Tuesday, I stopped by the Goodwill in Edmonds, located at 10117 Edmonds Way, and checked out their Halloween section. You can find the costumes, for young and old alike, along with accessories right when you walk into the store. If you feel like you need some help with your get-up, the Goodwill will have Costume Consultants on hand Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. While in the store, I saw some great stuff, like an adorable toddler-sized dragon costume for around $12, a kid-sized shiny red firefighter jacket for about $5, and racks of wigs and accessories. My favorite accessory is a shoulder parrot, $9.99, sure to make a regular ole pirate costume a little snazzier.

There were both racks of adult costumes and vintage clothes to browse through and, I have to say, the Edmonds Goodwill is kind of the Cadillac of Goodwills. It is clean, not over- packed, and the items are pretty fantastic. I personally have gotten a few amazing children’s books there, including hardcover science books and a copy of a hardcover Harry Potter for less than a dollar each. The Goodwill also suggests your visit their website to not only “see how classic costumes can be created using different items found at Goodwill” but to enter their costume contest.

Another great option in Edmonds is Value Village, located at 21558 Highway 99. I called Value Village to ask if they have staff just for the Halloween department and the person answering the phone politely offered to have me speak to one right away — she  explained that they have people there to help you with your costumes from now until Halloween. I went to Value Village once looking for a very specific item for a 5-year-old boy set on a costume modification he had dreamed up. The young man helping me, dressed as the Joker from the latest Batman installments, didn’t stop until we had what we needed. You’d think a Dracula/magician’s cape would be easy to pick up, but this was days before Halloween and most come with an actual costume. I was told they have costumes and accessories for all ages as well.

Consignment is another good option for Halloween costumes. In Edmonds, there is City Kids Quality Consignment, 9726 Edmonds Way, across from PCC. I called to make sure there were costumes available and was assured there were. While I have never been to City Kids, they have a lot of great feedback on Yelp.

If you are looking for the whole experience, typically at full price, I recommend Spirit Halloween, 18520 33rd Ave. W., Lynnwood, next to Home Goods. They have all the creepy pop-up Halloween decorations I see in my nightmares and many are on display for you to try out. These stores are either great or terrifying for the little ones and I have had both the experience of dragging out one kid who could stay all day and having to carry the other out, scared to death of the plastic undead inhabitants of the store. I have always had great service at Spirit and with our 20-percent off coupon, we got a decent deal on an Iron Man Costume.

On the other hand, the Wolverine costume we saw at Spirit was a full $10 less at Target. I am a big fan of Halloween at Target because I’m already there, it’s convenient and the selection has always been just right for us (Boba Fett, a Clone Trooper, an adorable Rocket, a witch hat, and now Wolverine). I am happy I did comparison shopping this year though, as I saved at least $15 by checking both places.

I can’t wait to share my next column with you guys — I have info on the events of the weekend, which include live tarantulas, a pumpkin-decorating party, plus a fun addition to Halloween in Downtown Edmonds.

Jen Marx

— By Jen Marx

Jen Marx, an Edmonds Mom of two young boys, is a traffic reporter by dawn and writer and PBJ maker by day. She is always looking for a fun place to take the kids that makes them tired enough to go to bed on time. You can contact Jen with your local event at play@myedmondsnews.com or find her trying to make sense of begging kids to ” just eat the mac n cheese” at SnackMomSyndrome.com. If you have a kid-friendly event you’d like to share, email her at play@myedmondsnews.com.

 

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