The recent municipal elections inspired one person's choice of Halloween costume this year.
Dartmouth resident Sheena Clark says she was looking for a fun idea and defeated mayoral cat candidate Tuxedo Stan came to mind.
"I thought, why not do something different this year and dress up like Tuxedo Stan?" she said. " It is a current thing and not many others will have thought of this costume."
Clark was one of dozens of people looking to buy or rent costumes at Boutilier's Costume Shop at 211 Windmill Road last Thursday.
Owner Rob Boutilier said this year he has seen a lot of customers go for the more traditional costumes.
"There have been lots of requests for Dracula and vampires. What is trendy goes in cycles."
Boutilier says the internet, movies and the media all have a say in what people want to wear at Halloween.
"For many years there was a lot of interest in Pirates of the Caribbean, after that movie came out. But there hasn't been as much interest in the Johnny Depp look this year though."
Halloween falls on a Wednesday this year, which is good for Boutilier's shop.
"There will be lots of parties before Halloween and even on the weekend afterwards. Halloween is one great day to dress up and have a blast. Sometimes all it takes is to buy that one new wig. Accessories are always an important part of any costume. They are always big."
Mohammed Gendi, manager of the Spirit of Halloween tent store at Mic Mac Mall, says more people are now buying decorations for their homes for Halloween, as well as buying costumes.
"And they seem to be buying a lot of Leg Avenue Sexy Costumes. They are big and so are the body suits and skin suits."
No longer is Halloween just for kids.
"And they arrive here in groups," said Boutlier. "We can't have just one flapper costume, we have to have many, because having a group of friends or families dressed up as the same theme is still popular."
Boutilier says he can usually outfit even the most unusual costume requests.
"People look up things on the web, that has been the biggest change in the 25 years we have been in business at this Dartmouth location. They see costumes from around the world and they call us."
At its peak in the late 1980s Halifax drew over 40,000 people to downtown Halifax on Halloween.
"The demand for costumes was huge then," said Boutilier. "But it is still busy now, people are hosting lots of Halloween house parties and they still need to dress up."
Costume shops are open right up until the big, scary day.
"And if you don't like to dress up for Halloween, there is always Christmas," said Boutilier. "We have lots of Santas and Elves."
Popular costumes
Leg Avenue Sexy Costumes
Group costumes such as flappers, Disney characters, nuns, animals
Movie, tv show characters such as Honey Boo Boo
