MIAMI (WSVN) - It’s nearly time to start shopping for Halloween costumes, but you don’t have to look further than recent silver screen hits and the news cycle for inspiration.
7News went to La Casa De Los Trucos in Little Havana to find the latest costume styles. Phantasmagoric displays greet customers who walk into the Little Havana shop.
“You want to go to a place that has a large selection,” said store manager Jorge Torres. “You want to go to a place that’s going to give you options.”
The Calle Ocho institution has been dressing folks for the spooky holiday for more than 45 years.
More often than not, Torres said, customers want to step into the shoes of a well-known film character. “The most popular costumes are always movie costumes,” he said.
Torres singled out Disney’s live action “Beauty and the Beast” as being a popular choice this fall. “This is the mask that moves when you talk,” he said as he showed a lifelike Beast costume.
The global smash has also inspired gender-bending looks. “This is called ‘Beauty is a Beast,'” said Torres as he held up a yellow gown with straps that’s actually meant for male revelers.
“The woman can dress up as The Beast,” said Torres as he showed a photo of a skimpy outfit inspired by Disney’s furry prince.
Torres said superheroes are also big this year. “Spider-Man is the other one that’s huge this year,” said Torres, referring to Marvel’s summer reboot “Spider-Man Homecoming.”
Costumes of DC heroes like Batman and Superman are also expected to sell well, ahead of their upcoming screen adventure “Justice League,” set to hit theaters Nov. 17., and in the wake of the summer release of the first live-action “Wonder Woman” feature.
Adults are getting in on the action, but there are also plenty of options for children. “It’s called ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s.’ It’s extremely popular with the boys,” said Torres.
Girls, on the other hand, are showing an interest in costumes from the Disney Channel’s “Descendants” movies.
Then there are costumes for the whole family, like the characters from the “Despicable Me” trilogy. “You can dress up your kids as Minions, and you can dress up your dog as a Minion,” said Torres.
For revelers aiming to combine politics and pop culture, there’s a costume that trumps the rest. “What’s huge this year, and I do mean ‘yuge,’ is the ‘Presidential Piggyback,'” said Torres. “They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.”
But whether you’re looking to flatter or turn heads this year, Torres said, there’s one thing most important when it comes this Halloween. “People need to have fun, and Halloween is a time where people have fun,” he said.
The Force will also be strong this year, and not because of an upcoming “Star Wars” film coming out in December. The National Retail Federation predicts U.S. shoppers will spend a record $9.1 billion on Halloween shopping, with the average costume costing more than $86.
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