Party City Unveils This Year's Halloween Costume Trends

ROCKAWAY, N.J., Oct. 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Halloween season is a BOOming business for retailers with a significant portion of Halloween purchases spent on costumes. In 2011, Americans spent a total of $2.21 billion on Halloween costumes according to the National Retail Federation, and as more and more adults embrace the Halloween season, anticipating the newest costume trends is key for Halloween retailers. Each year America's largest Halloween retailer, Party City, analyzes pop culture, the latest fashion trends and Hollywood blockbusters to determine the year's biggest costume crazes. For the 2012 Halloween season, Party City unveils the top Halloween costume trends.

• Superheroes: Influenced by 2012's major blockbuster hits "The Avengers", "The Amazing Spider-Man" and "The Dark Knight Rises", superheroes reign true as this year's biggest Halloween trend. With an assortment of superhero costumes for all sizes, supers of all ages can get into this major trend rooted in comic book history.
• Mattel's Monster High: Featuring the fashionable descendants of the world's most fearsome monsters, these popular characters are perfect for younger girls who have outgrown storybook characters, but still want to dress like their favorite trendy television idols. Party City's exclusive Monster High costumes include wigs, leggings and premium dresses to complete this modern-chic take on classic monsters.
• Fairies: Fairy costumes are seeing peak demand as Disney fuels fairy fans with new Tinker Bell movies like this year's "Secret of the Wings". Party City's 2012 costume collections include more Tinker Bell costume accessories than ever, plus Flutter Fairies mix-and-match costume accessories including tutus, wings, wands and more. A variety of fierce or friendly pieces allow for many costume options for all tastes and budgets.
• Futuristic: Sci-fi glamour is hotter than a supernova this year as comic characters invade the scene. Take dressing up for Halloween to a new dimension with chrome wigs, shiny alien gloves and creative, bright makeup. Pair up with an astronaut for an out-of-this-world couples costume.
• Disney Princesses: Classic characters are still winning hearts and topping the charts as favorite Halloween costumes. With this year's blockbuster hit, "Brave", and the Blu-ray release of "Cinderella", Disney Princesses will be more popular than ever among little trick-or-treaters. Party City's exclusive Disney Princess costumes make it easy for little ones to look like their favorite characters without all the toil and trouble.
• Solid Color Themes: Make a bold statement this Halloween by pairing crisp, standout colors, inspired by 2012's favorite firework, Katy Perry, mix and match bright tutus, wigs, hoods and more to guarantee a head-turning look. For those with big personalities, create a costume by pairing a Morphsuit with comic costume accessories. Sports fans can stock up on their team's colors and breast cancer awareness supporters can dress head to toe in pink.
• Gothic Romance: Look drop dead gorgeous this Halloween in romantic gothic glamour. Hauntingly beautiful accessories like black floral lace gloves and an antique ruffled shrug put an elegant twist on the undead look. Create sunken features and porcelain skin with a Party City zombie makeup kit to complete the gothic transformation.

As the premier Halloween retailer with nearly 750 stores North America, Party City provides the inspiration people need to transform into any Halloween character. Consumers can find Halloween costume ideas and this year's best costumes at PartyCity.com, which features Halloween videos, idea galleries and costume makeup tutorials under a special Halloween & Party Ideas Tab. For additional information on this year's hottest Halloween costumes, visit a local Party City store or PartyCity.com.

About Party City

Party City Holdings Inc. designs, manufactures, contracts for manufacture and distributes party goods, including paper and plastic tableware, metallic balloons, accessories, novelties, gifts, stationery and Halloween costumes, and is North America's No. 1 party retailer with more than 750 company-owned and franchise locations throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Headquartered in Rockaway, N.J., Party City became part of the Amscan Holdings, Inc., family in 2005. With their worldwide facilities in Asia, Europe and Australia, as well as distribution centers in the Americas, the merger has made it possible to design, manufacture and distribute products in the United States and overseas. The vision of providing more party for less has made Party City the largest specialty party retailer and premiere Halloween destination in North America.

SOURCE Party City