News, guides and community updates.
A flagship grand opening, a 32-item licensed pet costume line, and a talking animatronic witch just gave shoppers something concrete to plan around instead of another vague trend forecast.
Masters of the Universe had a rough run in theaters, but its late-July arrival on Prime Video and a wave of newly licensed gear are turning Prince Adam's alter ego into one of the season's most requested builds.
Ryan Gosling as Johnny Blaze and David Jonsson as the next Black Panther were the two biggest surprises out of Comic-Con 2026. The movies are years away, but the costume ideas are already here.
The Tony-winning ballroom reimagining of Cats will take its final Broadway bow on August 8, 2026. Here's what Qween Jean's history-making costume design means for your Halloween look this year.
A new trailer for HBO's Lanterns finally shows off Hal Jordan's Green Lantern costume in full, and the design debate it sparked online has us thinking about how to bring the look home for Halloween.
Universal just confirmed its 2026 haunted house lineup for Hollywood and Orlando, but the two parks handle guest costumes completely differently. Here is what got announced and how to dress for the season either way.
A fresh Mars trends report confirms what we already see at the counter every summer: Gen Z is planning costumes months early, and 'Summerween' is turning Halloween into a season instead of a single night.
Jake Shears, Lorna Courtney, and Kevin McHale are stepping into Studio 54's fishnets this fall, giving the Tony-nominated Rocky Horror revival a fresh cast and a great excuse to talk about why this show remains the ultimate Halloween costume cheat sheet.
Between the Avengers villains and the Wicked green face paint, a completely different kind of costume has been going viral this year, and it is not based on a movie, a show, or a game at all. It is built around a nonsense phrase, and it says something real about how Halloween costume trends actually spread now.
Comic-Con International wrapped its annual costume competition Saturday night in Ballroom 20, and the trophy list runs from a towering Transformers build all the way down to two kids in matching cookie costumes.
Reynolds crashed Marvel's Hall H panel in a comic-accurate gray and black X-Force Deadpool suit that has never been worn on screen, and it might be the sneakiest good costume reveal of the whole convention.
A green-robed, silver-masked figure on the Avengers: Doomsday display floor at San Diego Comic-Con 2026 has fans buzzing, and it is already shaping up to be one of the year's most build-worthy mystery costumes.
Tom Holland's redesigned web-slinger look drops in theaters July 31, and it mixes three eras of Spidey style into one silhouette costume fans will be chasing all fall.
While cosplayers line up for the Masquerade stage, working Hollywood costume designers are quietly roaming the San Diego show floor handing out their own honor: a blue rosette from the Costume Designers Guild.
Seasonal costume chains are unlocking their doors before the kids are even back in school. Here's what the early rush really means, and why the smartest costume shoppers are already ahead of it.
The Oscar-winning sequel moved from Peacock to Netflix on July 20, putting Paul Tazewell's Elphaba cape, Glinda's butterfly wedding gown, and Fiyero's scarecrow transformation in front of a whole new streaming audience right as costume season ramps up.
The 12th annual Her Universe Fashion Show hits San Diego Comic-Con on July 23 with, for the first time ever, every single design pulled from the DC universe. Twenty designers, a stacked judging panel, and a runway full of couture Batman and Harley Quinn looks.
The World Cosplay Summit just wrapped its final summer edition in Nagoya, with a record 42 countries competing before the whole event shifts to November. The reason is heat, and it's the same problem Las Vegas cosplayers already know well.
The National Costumers Association is launching National Independent Costume Store Day this October, a fresh reminder that a real costume shop still beats a pop-up tent every time.
Houston's fastest-growing multi-genre convention drew over 32,000 fans in 2025, and its 2026 cosplay contest now demands real handmade craftsmanship, a shift every Vegas costumer should watch before fall con season.
Disney's biggest fan convention just confirmed its full lineup of cosplay meet-ups and a judged costume contest for August, giving builders a firm deadline and a fresh batch of category ideas before Halloween season hits full swing.
The world's longest-running musical is trading its bare-bones Off-Broadway roots for a full Broadway production this fall, with a reimagined love story and a two-time Tony winner sketching the wardrobe.
A franchise-record opening weekend in June is already showing up in early Halloween 2026 forecasts. Here is why a summer blockbuster matters for your October costume plans.
A ballroom-culture reimagining of Cats just delivered a landmark Tony win for costume design, and there are craft lessons in it for anyone building a character from scratch.
A Speaker of God group cosplay just won Best Group at GalaxyCon Oklahoma City. DragonCon is eight weeks away. Here is why Hazbin Hotel has become the cosplay franchise of the summer and which characters are driving the most builds.
The best costumes at 2026 conventions are no longer just sewn, they are engineered. Here is what the technology shift means for builders, renters, and anyone heading to San Diego Comic-Con this month.
Netflix's award-winning animated musical has produced the biggest new character costume demand of the Halloween season. The official Disguise Inc. line is heading to Spirit Halloween now, and the yellow jacket and purple wig look is already everywhere.
When the studio behind Avatar and Lord of the Rings costumes sets up a full booth at Comic-Con, the gap between Hollywood craft and fan-made cosplay narrows dramatically. Here is what to expect in San Diego this month.
From LED-embedded armor to flowing traditional robes, this year's convention circuit has developed a clear aesthetic language. Here is what is trending and why it matters for anyone planning a build.
Search data shows a meaningful shift toward eco-friendly, thrifted, and upcycled costumes in 2026 -- driven by rising costs, growing environmental awareness, and a cosplay culture that increasingly values originality over exact character replication.
The collectible toy craze has crossed into Halloween culture, and K-Pop has sent its first character to the top of the most-searched costume lists. Here is what is actually driving the trends this year.
The Masquerade returns to Ballroom 20 on Saturday, July 25. Here is everything costume enthusiasts need to know about the competition, this year's franchise trends, and why SDCC matters for the rest of convention season.
Anime Expo ran July 2-5 in Los Angeles with tens of thousands of attendees, and the cosplay on the floor revealed where the craft is heading for the rest of the convention year.
Marvel's most anticipated film in years has unleashed a wave of new villain and X-Men costume designs that are already dominating cosplay floors from Comic-Con to Halloween planning. Here is what is trending and why.
From emerald gowns to emotion characters, this year's most-wanted Halloween costumes are driven by streaming hits, viral K-pop crossovers, and a growing demand for character accuracy. The planning window opens earlier every year.
HoYoverse franchises dominate Anime Expo 2026 character picks. EVA foam and LED builds are pushing craftsmanship further. And a mid-2010s nostalgia wave is quietly reshaping what counts as a good cosplay.
From Doctor Doom to ancient Greek warriors to streetwear-inflected character builds, the 2026 costume and cosplay calendar is being shaped by blockbuster releases, convention culture, and a growing appetite for looks that work as everyday fashion.
Costume lovers know the magic is in the details. We spotlight a Las Vegas business that shares our obsession with getting it right.
Some heroes wear capes. Others arrive with a wrench at 2 a.m. Meet the real-life Las Vegas rescue squad we can't help but cheer for.
Hauling a giant costume build across town is half the battle. Here's the local towing crew we trust when the night doesn't go to plan.
We're all about the bold look and the heavy makeup. But all that latex and glitter takes a toll. Here's where Vegas costume lovers go to recover their skin.
You spent hours building the perfect look. Here's a downtown bar that's actually worth being seen in.