Halloween Boo-tiful, Not Scary, for Some East End Merchants

If you see a Swiss Miss walking down the street in East Hampton, don't worry that she is lost. She probably works at Ricky's on Main Street. Joseph Baez, the store's manager, encourages his salespeople to "dress up" for Halloween. "Since we can't hand out fliers, it's a great way of promoting the store and our costume selection," he said.

For Mr. Baez, the "trick or treat" holiday has been in full swing since the end of September. The first Ricky's opened in Manhattan in 1962; the store has since became a favorite of city dwellers looking to score the perfect Halloween outfit. The lines to get into any one of their 19 urban locations right before Oct. 31 are legendary. The East Hampton branch is entering its second season with about 70 costumes in stock, and the word appears to have spread faster than you can say jack-o'-lantern.

"Halloween is the best time for the company," said Mr. Baez. "The workers make it work." Ricky's carries a selection of dress-up gear for the young, including movie and popular cartoon characters. "Batman Now" and "Star Wars" characters are predicted to be hot sellers, as are the Fantastic Four.

And for older customers, costumes run the gamut from G ratings to XXX. "Sexy costumes are popular with adults," said Mr. Baez. So popular, in fact, that an entire wall is devoted to a variety of dominatrix-nurse outfits in shiny pleather, French maid costumes, and fishnet thigh-highs. The store will be open until midnight on Friday and Saturday until Halloween to accommodate shoppers.

There is no mistaking that Halloween is nigh at the Party Shoppe in the Reutershan parking lot in East Hampton. "We are closed the day after Labor Day because we labored all summer," said Theo Landi, the shop's owner. But when the store reopens next day, it is resplendent in orange and black, skulls and bats, goo, and spooky sounds from floor to ceiling. "Everyone loves Halloween," said Ms. Landi.

Besides an array of whimsical children's costumes, she pointed out three - Darth Vader, Batman as a Ninja, and Batman as plain old Batman - that are expected to curry favor with boys. "Young girls want to be divas," she said. And for those whose "children" are on all fours, the store carries a selection of costumes for infants as well as a few for cats and dogs.

The Party Shoppe excels in decorations for the home. "We specialize in sonics," said Ms. Landi. An army of screaming and shaking things dangle overheard, ready for action - witches, ghouls, and ghosts. Specialty Mylar balloons in fanciful shapes along with an assortment of Halloween-inspired paper plates and cups are also available. "This year, we have bones for table sprinkles!" Ms. Landi said. The perfect complement, it would appear, for edible chocolate body parts, like fingers and toes.

The Party Shoppe carries a selection of costumes in plus sizes as well. The standard costume for a woman is size 12. "We have a whole selection of costumes in sizes from 14 to 24 for women, and for men, we have XL and XXL." Customers can try on their outfits and Ms. Landi and her staff will help them perfect their look. Another benefit is cost. "You don't have to pay Main Street prices," she said.

Has she seen any trends in her 16 years in business? "Well, the rats have gotten bigger," Ms. Landi observed with a smile.

Dress-up is a year-round business for Out of the Closet in Bridgehampton. Like most retailers, the vintage clothier and collectibles shop sees spikes in sales. "Summer is always very busy for us," said Ruth Chernaik, who owns the store with Lucille Martin. "Theme parties were big this year, particularly 1950s and 1970s." For the past two years the store has occupied a former Main Street residence. Before that, it was in Sag Harbor for 10 years.

Another busy time for the store is holidays. "People started getting ready for Halloween last month," said Ms. Chernaik. The store has two or three vintage costume items that were made specifically for Halloween. The majority of merchandise is authentic to a time period. The store stocks clothing from the Victorian age to the 1980s. "We prefer to concentrate on the styles of different eras, versus designers." However, there is a selection of Chanel, Pucci, and Courreges, to name a few boldface names.

"Dresses and 1970s stuff are popular this year," said Ms. Cherniak. "And there's also been a lot of guys buying dresses." The shop offers thousands of items to choose from along with alterations, made by Delgado Sisters. They are "reasonable, quick, and very good - a nice combination in a seamstress."

In addition, the store rents clothing for All Hallows Eve and other occasions. The rental fee is 40 percent of the retail price and not all items in the store are for rent. Delicate pieces, including some jewelry, hats, and clothing, are only available for purchase.

While it is true that designers such as Betsey Johnson and stylists from Ralph Lauren peruse the shop for inspiration, its eclectic mix can ignite anyone's imagination.

At a crossroads about what to be for Halloween? The outlook now might not be so scary.