By Hayley Brauer and Sarah Warne
Halloween is right around the corner and many students are still searching for the perfect costume. Malabar has been in business for 90 years and is still one of the most popular costume shops in Toronto. Malabar employee Alana Sambey, explains that most people still gravitate towards classic and timeless costumes.
“There’s nothing really original anymore,” says Sambey. “For example, superheroes have always been around, we always know to carry them.”
She explains old Halloween favourites such as zombies and ballerinas have maintained their popularity. Trends this year include Great Gatsby inspired flapper outfits, and superheroes.
However, she notes if a celebrity figure increases in popularity during the year, Malabar will make an effort to put that outfit on the shelves before Halloween begins.
“There’s a little bit of the Miley Cyrus thing… all of our Beetlejuice suits, which pretty much look like Robin Thicke’s outfit from that [MTV] award show, they all sold before Halloween was even a though process,” says Sambey.
Another trend Sambey notices is that many of the same costumes are worn by people of all age groups.
“Anyone who is 18 and anyone who is 40 likes the same thing, they just do it a different way,” says Sambey. “Someone who is a little bit older sometimes they like to be a bit more covered up because they’re more aware of being cold when it’s freezing outside, versus the younger girls who will wear whatever and go.”
Malabar is located at 14 McCaul Street, Toronto, which is an 18 minute walk from Ryerson.
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