Hot costumes for Halloween fun

Ok, so it’s only 10 days to Halloween and you still don’t have a costume. Not to worry – no matter what part of Queens you live in, there’s a place to go for that last-minute get-up.
On Bayside’s Bell Boulevard is Azure, a lingerie boutique that is doing something very different this year – an Exclusive Creations Line.
“After taking a look at all the new costumes for 2010, I was very disappointed with the repeated styles and material,” said owner Margaret Ioannou. “For many years I have had customers coming to Azure to create them something different so they can be unique and not feel like they will walk into a party where they will find someone wearing the exact same costume. With my customers in mind and the lack of new styles and quality from merchants I decided to create my own Exclusive Creations Line that cannot be found anywhere else but Azure.”
The line consists of a line of about 15 costumes that include corsets and accessories. “These costumes were made with high quality corsets to give the customer an ultimate fit and look,” she said. “I decided to go with this approach so it will give the customer an opportunity to reuse the items for years to come. Customers also found this to be a more economical approach to purchase costumes.”
Ioannou explained that her hottest selling costumes from the Exclusive Creations Line are the Burlesque Vampire, Peacock Vixen and Sizzling Devil. Other styles include a Frisky Kitty, Bite Me Vamp, Carnival Queen, Maid to Please, Spell Bound and Carousel Doll.
“We offer personal service with each exclusive costume sale. We give everyone the little extra attention they each deserve and that is what makes us so unique,” Ioannou said.
You can view the costumes online at www.azurelingerie.com or visit the store, located at 38-27 Bell Boulevard, Bayside; 718-428-1114.
At other stores around the borough, Halloween costumes that remain popular from year to year include superheroes like Superman, Batman and Spiderman. Other costumes, such as inmate costumes and vampires, actually sell throughout the year, according to a Party City employee.
“These things never go out of style,” said Chris, an employee of Party City in College Point.
Party City and Rubie’s Costume Co. both say that new licenses are also doing well this year, producing costumes from characters in James Cameron’s “Avatar,” “Transformers,” “Iron Man,” and “Alice in Wonderland.” Michael Jackson and the Playboy bunny are also becoming favorites.
The latest and biggest trend without question is Lady Gaga, they say.
Rubie’s Costume Co., which also offers rentals, is located at 120-08 Jamaica Avenue or online at www.rubies.com; 718-846-1008.
Party City has two locations – Bayside, at 211-20 Northern Boulevard; 718-423-3700; or in College Point at 30-10 Whitestone Expressway. Visit them online at www.partycity.com.
– With additional reporting by Tonia N. Cimino