Halloween store manager has plenty of costume tips

Montana, a manager at Ooga Booga in Lodi, wears a custom-made claw and holds a severed head decoration, which is sold in the skate shop turned Halloween store. (Dan Evans/News-Sentinel)

Halloween store manager has plenty of costume tips

By Pam Bauserman
News-Sentinel Staff Writer

Monday, October 20, 2008 6:58 AM PDT

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Montana loves the Halloween season. The 43-year-old, who goes only by Montana due to her profession as a disk jockey, also works as a manager at the Halloween store in Lodi. She enjoys helping people with costume and decorating ideas.

"People come in and say, 'I need to decorate my house,' and the ideas just come," she said.

What are the most popular adult and children's costumes this year?

The most popular adult male costume is the "Indiana Jones" and "Gangster." Also "Hugh Heffner" — it's just a jacket and pants. For boys, "Star Wars," "Batman" and "The Joker" are the best this year, hands down. It's the lady bugs for little girls.

How have costumes changed over the years?

They haven't really changed, just grown. Everyone still wants to be a vampire or a ghoul. The eras have changed. In the '80s, no one dressed like the '80s rockers. They were more into the '30s or the '50s. Now, we have '80s mullets we sell.

What is the most unusual costume you have ever seen?

Montana at a glance

Age: 43.
Family: One daughter.
Hobbies: Watching scary movies, fishing and hunting.
Source: Montana

I saw a girl who was a Twizzler. She used real Twizzlers. You can guess how that looked. There was a baked potato one time. One guy was a beer bong.

If a child has an all-black costume, what can parents do to make them visible (for their safety)?

There is neon makeup or there are strips with sparkly stuff on them. Just take the glue gun and glue them on. There is a lot of glow-in-the-dark stuff.

Do costume trends change each year an example being what the popular movies are?

Yes, but Hollywood producers will come out with movies that are kind of the same. There is "Pirates of the Carribbean," which was "Pirates of Penzance." There was "Cutthroat Island," which is now "Treasure Island." Hollywood has made them popular. There was also "Batman," which is now "The Dark Knight." Also the video games such as "Halo." I have had people develop a costume according to what game they play.

Who do you sell the most to, adults or children?

There is a big separation between women and children, and men. Men always have to be talked into dressing up.

What are some ways to dress up but still save if money is tight?

The craft stores and thrift stores are really good, or they can come in here and get little accessories. They can get make-up and a wig for a clown. That's very inexpensive. There are so many things people can do. You can buy a white T-shirt and put black stripes on it for "Beetlejuice" or "Psycho." You can buy our Stretch Freaky Fabric and rip holes into it. It's called a build-a-creep because you can build your own creep.

When is the best time during the Halloween season to buy costumes?

The end of September. Most popular costumes go bye-bye and then they have to settle.

Do you see a lot of people going all-out for Halloween?

Absolutely. There was a lady who came in here and spent about $500. She bought a tablecloth, napkins, plates, Halloween signs and stakes that go up the driveway. She went nuts.

Has anyone really scared you with their costume?

I don't scare easily, but one year this guy was Pinhead from "Hellraiser." He put real nails in his head. That was creepy.

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