Best Places in Missoula for a Halloween Costume – Our Top 5

If you want to really go 'all out' with not much effort, the Missoula Children's Theatre is your best bet! The key is getting your costume(s) reserved before anyone else. With the extensive history of MCT Community Theatre, they have tons of costumes and props available for rent. Everything is professionally designed, well-maintained (clean) and perfect for Halloween. Costume rental appointments are available from 9A - 4:30P, Monday through Friday. Appointments can be made by contacting Kara Chandler by phone at (406) 728-1911, ext. 134, or by emailing lwashburn@mctinc.org.

Founded 30 years ago by Max Gilliam, Carlo's One Night Stand is an awesome vintage clothing store on Missoula's 'Hip Strip'. They recently relocated about 3 doors down to 109 South 3rd West. You'll get lost in time at Carlo's with decade after decade of great vintage clothing and period pieces. If your looking for something from the 1880's or 1980's or anything in between, you'll find it at Carlo's One Night Stand. A little imagination will go a long way at Carlo's! Plus, you don't have to buy your costume from Carlo's, they rent a huge selection of great costumes if you're just looking for that perfect 'one night stand' costume.

If you're looking for costumes for the entire family, Party America is the place! Despite looking like a 'big box store', Party America is locally owned by an amazing woman who's a former teacher. Each year the entire staff dresses up in costume and throws a party of sorts for the kids called 'Freaky Friday' - usually on the 3rd Friday in October - that turns the nightmare of shopping for costumes for the kids into a fun afternoon/evening. Face painting, candy, balloons and fun atmosphere make for a much better costume shopping experience for everyone. Plus, Party America will let you (or your child) try on a costume to make sure it fits right and looks great! Not to mention, the prices are pretty reasonable especially as Halloween approaches. Not just for Halloween either, Party America is a great place for wedding and graduation announcements and party decorations for ANY occasion or party!

Many of us have had to 'tighten the belt' over the last couple of years, so if you're looking to save money get creative and go Goodwill! In addition to clothing and accessories, you'll find an entire selection of costumes ripe for the picking at Missoula Goodwill. The best stuff always goes first, so shop early for the best selection. You may have to sew on a button - or tear a few off a few for that matter, but with a few dollar bills and some time to browse you'll find a winning costume at Missoula Goodwill.

Some of the best costumes are the ones you find from years past, dust off, and use again. I've been a vampire at least 20 times over the years and sometimes you just don't find the opportunity to shop ahead of time for a costume. My mom is the queen of pulling something out of the closet and making a great costume out of nothing. She's not even the 'creative' type, but every year pulls it off! Last year she dressed in a white shirt and white pants, grabbed a name tag and went as 'Flo' from the Progressive commercials. The year before that she wore a purple shirt, affixed balloons to a skirt and went as 'grapes about to be wine'. Hey it may sound stupid, but she won the costume contest that year and all it cost was a 99 cent bag of balloons.