Halloween Costume Shopping in Chicago: Where to Find Costumes, Makeup, and Everything You Need

Shopping for Halloween costumes in Chicago? Come visit Chicago Costume!

If you’re searching for Halloween costumes in Chicago, you already know the challenge: most stores are either too small, too seasonal, or don’t have the range you need to build a complete look. Chicago Costume solves that problem with an two Chicago shops  (Lincoln Park and Portage Park) filled with costumes, wigs, accessories, and professional makeup supplies—all available year-round.

Whether you’re building a Halloween costume, a cosplay character, or a theatrical look, you can shop everything in one place and try it on in person.

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One of Chicago’s largest costume shopping experiences

Chicago Costume offers a large in-store experience where you can actually build your costume, not just buy it.

Inside the Fullerton Shop, you’ll find:

• Hundreds of costumes for adults and kids

• Wigs in every style and color

• Masks, props, and accessories

• Professional theatrical and SFX makeup

• Vintage-inspired clothing and wardrobe pieces in our Vintage Vault

• Hats, gloves, and finishing details

This makes it easy to mix and match pieces instead of relying solely on pre-packaged costumes.

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Fullerton location: makeup + vintage + full costume building experience

If you want the most complete selection, the Fullerton Avenue store is our busiest destination, tucked into a storefront across from DePaul University. Just look for our bright mural storefront.

 

This location features:

• The largest selection of theatrical and SFX makeup

• Professional-grade Halloween makeup and special effects products

• Prosthetics, fake blood, and character makeup tools

• The Vintage Vault! A wide selection of vintage-inspired tops, vests, and wardrobe pieces

• Full costume and accessory selection for building custom looks

This is especially useful if you’re creating:

• Detailed Halloween characters

• Theater or performance makeup looks

• Cosplay builds

• Renaissance, pirate, or fantasy costumes with layered styling

If you’re interested in character makeup, visit our Theater Makeup Chicago page for more details on professional products available in-store.

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Montrose location: massive retail for costumes and accessories

Our Montrose Avenue location is another great option for Halloween shopping in Chicago, especially for costumes and accessories. This 8,000 sq foot retail shop may be the quieter shop, but its got aisles of fun costumes to shop and lots of fun kids costumes too. 

At Montrose, you’ll find:

• A strong selection of costumes and accessories

• Aisles of Kids Costumes

• Wigs, masks, and costume essentials

• A lighter selection of theatrical makeup, but lots of Stage Blood and Halloween Face Paints, Latex and SPFX

• Friendly in-store assistance for building complete looks

Montrose is also home to Broadway Costumes rentals (by appointment only) for theater, film, and event costumes and Chicago Mascot Company. Learn more on our Costume Rentals Chicago page. 

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Build your Halloween look, piece by piece

One of the biggest advantages of shopping at Chicago Costume is the ability to build your costume instead of buying a one-piece outfit.

You can combine:

• Costumes + vintage wardrobe pieces

• Makeup + prosthetics + accessories

• Wigs + hats + props

• Everyday clothing + theatrical elements

For example:

• A pirate costume becomes more authentic with a vintage vest from the Fullerton Vintage Collection

• A vampire look becomes cinematic with SFX makeup and prosthetics, some Vampire Teeth (Scarecrow Teeth are our favorite!) and a cape

• A Renaissance outfit becomes complete with layered wardrobe pieces and accessories

For cosplay creators, our Cosplay Supplies Chicago page covers wigs, makeup, and character-building tools in more detail.

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Why in-store shopping matters for Halloween in Chicago

Online costume shopping often leads to:

• Incorrect sizing

• Not the full look you are hoping for

• Shipping delays! Your costume doesn't arrive on time

• Last-minute replacements

In-store shopping solves this by letting you:

• Try everything on before buying

• Match makeup tones to costumes in real time

• Compare wigs, fabrics, and accessories side-by-side

• Get help from staff who understand costume design and want to help you look your best

With Halloween being one of the busiest times of the year, seeing everything in person can make a huge difference in your final look.

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Plan ahead for the best Halloween selection

The best time to shop Halloween costumes in Chicago is between late August and mid-October. Popular costumes, wigs, and accessories sell quickly, especially:

• Trending pop culture characters

• Classic horror costumes. Last year Scream was a Best Seller and we sold out of the full costume before the big party weekends.

• Group and couple themes

• Kids’ costumes in popular sizes. Last year K Pop Demon Hunters was the Top Selling Kids costumes, and the most popular sizes sold out first.

Shopping early gives you access to the full selection at both Fullerton and Montrose locations.

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Visit Chicago Costume in Chicago

Chicago Costume has been serving Chicago’s costume, theater, cosplay, and Halloween community for decades. With two shops, the Fullerton Avenue location and strong Montrose retail store, and professional makeup and vintage-inspired wardrobe options, you can build almost any look in one place.

Whether you’re going simple or theatrical, we make Halloween costume shopping in Chicago easier, more creative, and more complete.

Start your search in-store today and build a costume that stands out.