Dressed for Halloween success

By Tina Daunt of The Los Angeles Times

This is the year Frodo took down the Terminator and Paris Hilton partied with the peons.

Pop culture is topping politics as Halloween shoppers are opting to don wizard cloaks and hobbit feet in homage to “The Lord of the Rings,” or a skimpy skirt and halter top (and stuffed pet pooch) to emulate the hotel heiress turned “Simple Life” star.

But with the presidential election just days away, politician masks are still making a statement about the nation’s scary future, whichever side of the vote you’re on.

For about $20, you can nab a President Bush mask on the internet. If your fears lean the other way, you can go as Sen. John Kerry.

You can make the former a family affair by adding the Laura Bush and elder George Bush masks.

The California governor, though, is apparently on the outs. Arnold Schwarzenegger was big last year, says Ellen Tolley, a spokeswoman for the National Retail Federation, but he has been supplanted by hobbits and Hollywood starlets in the hearts of adult Halloween revelers. And they are many.

A recent national poll found that adults are more likely to dress up for Halloween than ever before, sometimes as an attempt to hang onto a little fantasy from their youth.

“Basically, everyone is a kid at heart,” says Melanie Rattray, a costumer at the Western Costume Co. in North Hollywood, where the French court and pirate outfits are popular among men this year. “They can be whoever they want, especially guys, who never get a chance to dress up,” Rattray says. “If they can dress up and still look manly, they are quite happy with that.”

Also selling well this year for the guys are Spider-Man and Keanu Reeves’ Neo character from the “Matrix” movies.

For the women, a slinky, black vinyl Catwoman suit (think Michelle Pfeiffer and Halle Berry) is one of the leading sellers, as is the Paris Hilton ensemble, complete with long blond wig and toy Chihuahua (back-ordered at www.Buycostumes.com). For the edgier pop culture divas, there’s an Uma Thurman-esque “Kill Bill” outfit available at www.Brands-onsale.com, but you’ll have to supply your own sword.

Children, the experts say, still prefer the more traditional Halloween attire—pirates and princesses, superheroes and ghoulish creatures.

And retailers are geared up for the onslaught. Party City stores are stocking more masks, feather boas and plastic eyeballs these days than paper plates.

The 99 Cents Only Stores are staying open late for last-minute Halloween shoppers. And shopping online can turn up a dizzying array of possibilities, such as bleeding skulls, psycho clowns and aliens.

Diana Enriques, a 20-year-old saleswoman at the Pasadena Party City, says that last year she dressed as a cop. This year she’s keeping up with current events and going as “an Army girl,” donning a uniform bought at a surplus store. “It’s fun to dress up for a day,” she says.

Says Phil Rist, vice president of strategy for BIGresearch: “Halloween remains one of the only days where society gives adults permission to act like kids again.”