Here are 10 of the best pet costumes we found floating around the web, posted by proud pet owners.

A dog dressed up as a human baby… yep, adorable!

It’s always adorable to dress up an animal as a different animal–
especially dressing up a dog as a ferocious member of the feline family.

There is nothing cuter than a cat pumpkin turkey.

The only things dogs love more than hats… are goggles.

One pug wanted to be a crab, but their owner decided on matching costumes to make it fair.

Express your love of public transportation through your pet.

We’re not sure what this is (sea anemone?), but it’s adorable!

What can make a dog’s lady bug costume even cooler? Sunglasses.

Take advantage of your pet’s natural features! Just add a balloon!

Confusing at first glance. Is that.. a bird? No.. it’s a plane. Oh wait, it’s a dog dressed up as Superman.
 

The post 10 great costumes you’ll love (but your pet will hate) appeared first on Metro.us.

Portions of three bus routes may be skipped, according to MTA officials; those three routes are the Bx8 in Edgewater Park, the Bx24 in the Country Club section of the Bronx, and the B31 in Gerritsen Beach, Brooklyn, a bus that’s often a target for chucked ice and snowballs during the winter months.

The MTA has shut down lines in those areas in years past to avoid vandalism, such as egg-throwing.

The MTA will work with the NYPD today to determine what routes need to be curtailed.

The concerns come at a time when assaults on bus drivers are on the rise. Nearly 70 bus drivers were assaulted in the first nine months of this year, compared with 57 drivers in that same time period in 2010, according to the Daily News.

The City Council will convene a hearing this afternoon to address the increase in attacks.

Part of the hearing will assess the results of two pilot programs meant to keep drivers safe: The use of thick plastic partitions to separate drivers and riders, and on-board cameras.

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You may recognize this off-kilter instrumental thanks to DJ Shadow sampling it on his track “Dark Days.” But the 1967 original, with its introductory groans and  building organ, lends to a feeling that you’re running from a terrible monster.

“Cherub” Butthole Surfers

This song from these Texas weirdos has a quality that almost makes it seem like a glimpse into the haunted thoughts of a psychopath.  Gibby Haynes laughs ma- niacally against nauseous guitars and screams things like, “I see bodies!”

“I Walked with a Zombie” Roky Erickson

A lot of Halloween music is just downright silly — “I Was a Teenage Werewolf,” “Monster Mash,” etc. Though this title sounds like it could fall into that trap, it escapes that fate, mostly because Erickson actually comes across like he believes that he did, in fact, walk with a zombie.

“Me and the Devil Blues” Robert Johnson

Another narrator who sounds like he believes his otherworldly subject matter, this track is violent, morose, and proves that delta blues is way scarier than metal. Johnson is one of those artists, like Glenn Danzig, where if you play anything by him, it can terrify any visitor.

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Over the last 80 years, the Rush Rhees Library has inspired many a campus ghost story, with its dark, imposing stacks of literature hidden in endless passageways.  Each year UR librarians transform the Rhees into a haunt for only the tweediest of book lovers. This year’s theme: “The Haunted Forest.”

Zombie walk at Bucknell University

This Halloween, residents of Lewisburg, Pa., will be confronted with hordes of zombies stumbling down Market Street, with police protection! Courtesy of Bucknell’s Interfraternity Council, the zombies will gather on campus, then moan their way through town to a screening of the 1968 classic, “Night of the Living Dead.”

Zombie drills at Ohio Wesleyan University

Partnering with their local Office of Homeland Security, OWU is making a hazardous materials spill demo  a little more interesting by simulating a zombie apocalypse. Today, authorities are hoping up to 350 locals will dress and act like zombies in order to practice emergency procedures. “If people are prepared for a zombie apocalypse, they will be prepared for more likely disasters such as floods or blizzards,” reasoned the Delaware County Emergency Management Agency in a statement.

Case Western Reserve University’s pumpkin toss

In what has become an annual tradition, CWRU’s physics department honors Galileo by dropping pumpkins of varying weights from the top of the physics building and howling with glee as they splat below. Onlookers are served cider and pumpkin pie.

The post The best college campuses for Halloween appeared first on Metro.us.

From Max Brooks’ bestselling novel “World War Z” (an upcoming film adaptation will star Brad Pitt) to a glut of first-person shooter video games to mainstream TV, the zombie has mysteriously reached the peak of his popularity.

But it’s been a long, slow progression — a road littered with taboo and terror — and most of it can be traced back to the brain of one man, the master of zombie lore, George A. Romero.

It was Romero who, in 1968, took the basic thrust of Richard Matheson’s shattering vampire apocalypse novel “I Am Legend” and brought the dead back to life with his game-changing black-and-white masterpiece “Night of the Living Dead.”

That film would spawn a series of rip-offs, sequels and eventually spoofs like Edgar Wright’s smash-hit comedy “Shaun of the Dead.”

Look anywhere and you’ll see evidence of the zombie phenomenon surrounding us, trapping us, ready to eat us alive.

And that is what’s so spooky about the concept of the zombie. They’re us, back from our final rest, hungry to devour the people we once loved. Zombies are ugly, grotesque shadows of their former selves. Zombies are not nice, and if, by some sort of biologically bad stroke of viral luck, Romero’s fantastical prophecies were to come true, what would we do? Or more importantly, what shouldn’t we do?

Do not attempt to out-swim the dead

Zombies aren’t bears. As a few unfortunate characters in Romero’s 2010 horror-western “Survival of the Dead” discover, they aren’t afraid of the water. Why? Because they don’t have to hold their breath — they don’t breathe.

Romero: I had underwater stuff in “Land” and “Diary” but really played with it here. There is a lot of humor in “Survival,” but it’s also really melancholic, less free-and-easy. Though at this stage of my life, I’m thinking of calling the next one — if there is a next one — “Enough of the Dead”!

Do not take the elevator

In Romero’s incredibly influential 1978 epic “Dawn of the Dead,” a handful of survivors land their helicopter on the roof of Pittsburgh’s Monroeville Mall and block out the corpses, creating a Shangri-la of material bliss. But when the ghouls gain entrance as they always do, chaos ensues. It was successfully remade a few years back.

Romero: “Dawn” is a romp, and I think it’s the most entertaining of all the “Dead” films. I really cut loose and did it as “comic book.” But there’s tragedy in there, too.

Do not marginalize or exploit the dead

Romero’s post-“Dawn” remake comeback, 2005’s “Land of the Dead,” saw the late Dennis Hopper as a capitalist swine who allows his fellow Republicans to hide in his multimillion-dollar condo while the dead population are hunted and slaughtered beyond his electrified fences.

Romero: I think [“Land”] was the first time mainstream American critics saw the satire of my work, and I owe it all to George Bush! I think it’s all there when Hopper says the line: “We do not negotiate with terrorists.”

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Spooktacular
Friday, 5 to 8:30 p.m., Al Oerter Recreation Center, 131-40 Fowler Ave., Queens, free, 718-353-7853
www.nycgovparks.org
Fowler Recreation Center has Halloween fun covered with a haunted house, Halloween crafts, music, games, ghost stories and a pumpkin patch all on offer for kids to enjoy on Friday night. There will also be many more events over the weekend.

Haunted Fort Halloween
Friday, 6:30 to 8 p.m., Fort Totten Park, Cross Island Parkway between Totten
Avenue and 15 Road, Queens, free, 718-352-1769
www.nycgovparks.org
Haunted shipwrecks are said to attract ghosts and ghouls to the Fort Totten Park, and this Halloween is no different. Bring a flashlight and enjoy the spooky atmosphere and sights this former army base has to offer. It is designed as a free event for children of all ages.

Masked Parade of Hairy Insects
Saturday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.,  Wave Hill Garden and Cultural Center Ecology Building, West 249th Street and Independ­ence Avenue, Bronx, free until noon, 718-549-3200
www.wavehill.org
Create your own fuzzy, funny insect masks by using materials of all shapes and sizes at Wave Hill. Once kids have created their bug, they’re invited to walk them around the park before the fall parade begins. Admission to the grounds is free until noon and is designed for families and children of all ages.

Botanical Garden Nighttime Adventure
Saturday, 6 to 7:30 p.m.,
New York Botanical Garden, 2900 Southern Blvd., Bronx,  $20 adults, $8 kids, under 2 free, www.nybg.org
Have you always wanted to explore the garden after dark? Well, now you can. Get the family together, grab your flashlights and explore the spooky sculptures at night. Decorate your own pumpkin to take home and treat-or-treat along the paths. This event is for children of all ages and designed for the whole family.
 
Dread of Night
Saturday, 7 p.m., Historic Richmond Town, Staten Island, adults $10, children $8,
718-351-1611
www.historicrichmondtown.org
Staten Island Historical Society archival material is on display, told as stories for Halloween. A self-guided tour goes in and around some of the “hauntingly lonely” buildings, where guests will meet many interesting characters on their journey.

Highland Park Harvest Festival
Saturday, Elton Street and Jamaica Avenue, Highland Park, Queens, 718-235-4151
Enjoy a fun day with the family this Saturday afternoon at the Highland Park Fall Harvest Festival. Dress up and enjoy free horse and carriage rides, crafts, games, a pumpkin patch, pirate music, a treasure hunt and a pirate show. There will also be a surprise visit from Captain Jack, but shh! You didn’t hear it from us.   

Boo at the Zoo
Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Queen’s Zoo, 53-51 111th St., Flushing Meadow’s Corona Park, free for kids in costume, 718-271-1500
www.queenszoo.com
This Saturday and Sunday, enjoy Queens Zoo’s annual Boo at The Zoo. Kids dressed in costume will receive free admission and a day of trick-or-treating, face painting, pumpkin picking and much more. Can’t make the weekend? On Monday, the zoo also offers a family fun day from 3 to 4:30 p.m., which is $10 for adults and $3 for children. Reservations are required for Monday.

Decker Farm Pumpkin Picking
Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m, Decker Farm, 435 Richmond Hill Road, Staten
Island, $5 per person or $16 per family of four
www.historicrichmondtown.org
Decker Farm is throwing a pumpkin-picking day for the whole family. Enjoy transportation to the farmhouse for a guided tour and hayride, then bring a pumpkin home with you at the end of the day.  

Halloween Celebration at the Museum
Monday, 4 to 7 p.m., American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th Street, $10, 212-769-5200
www.amnh.org/halloween
Children are invited to dress up and head to AMNH for an afternoon of trick-or-treating, arts and crafts, and the chance to meet with cartoon characters such as Curious George and The Cat in the Hat. There will also be live performances by acts such as David Grover and Big Red Band.

The Amazing Maize Maze
Saturday and Sunday, Queens Country Farm Museum, 73-50 Little Neck Pkwy., Floral Park, Queens, $9 adults, $5 ages 4-11, 3 and under free
www.queensfarm.org
Get lost in a three-acre corn maze, take a walk through a haunted house (open from 4 to 7 p.m. on both days), and enjoy other Halloween fun like sack racing, trick-or-treating, pony rides and much more. Please note:?There are different costs associated with each activity.

Village Halloween Parade
Monday, 7 to 10 p.m.,
New York’s Village Halloween Parade, Begins at Sixth Avenue at Spring Street, free
www.halloween-nyc.com
On Monday night, anyone and everyone is welcome to join New York’s annual Halloween parade for a scary good time. Arrive in costume at 6:30 p.m. and join marching bands, puppets and other revelers for the 39th annual event through the Village.

The post Spine-tingling Halloween fun for kids appeared first on Metro.us.

1. ‘Skulls,’ Misfits

Classic Halloween horror punk. There’s no better way to start the night off. Crunchy guitars, mad vocals, driving rhythm. Trick-or-treaters beware: Glenn Danzig is in his prime, and the body count is out of control.

2. ‘Everyday is Halloween,’ Ministry

This song mashes a New Wave-meets-early Steampunk style perfect for the haunting season. It’s a great track to carve pumpkins to.

3. ‘I Put a Spell on You,’ Screamin’ Jay Hawkins

This track oozes spookabilly garage-ness. It’s post-Halloween in a neo-primitive kind of way.

4. ‘Werewolf Fever,’ The Young Werewolves

We can cherry-pick anything out of our catalog, but this was the first song we learned together during early auditions. The lyrics got changed a couple of times during the process. It’s from our debut CD, currently out of print.

5. ‘Jump in the Line,’ Harry Bellafonte

BEETLEJUICE, BEETLEJUICE, BEETLEJUICE!

Hear the Werewolves howl!

Their debut album may be out of print, but you can pick up their latest disc, “Sins of the Past,” over at www.theyoungwerewolves.com. While you’re there, check out their “Hello, Werewolf” onesie, featuring a very menacing take on Hello, Kitty that we’re betting will get you out of all future baby showers.

Follow Monica Weymouth on Twitter @MonicaatMetro.

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Mummify your chairs
“Using tea bags and warm water, stain several rolls of white gauze to make it look like they’ve been buried underground for years. Simply wrap the chairs with the gauze and secure it in place using poster strips.”
 


Create a centerpiece with freaky literature
“Stack scary old books such as “The Alfred Hitchcock Collection,” “Frankenstein” and “Dracula” on tables and benches in the home. Add a few candles on top of the stack to help add height and dimension.”
 
Abandoned mansion chic
“Stretch out thin layers of cotton and secure it in place using Command mini hooks. Then add plastic spiders, bats and other creepy crawlers as finishing touches.”


 Eerie mood lighting
“Cut Halloween shapes, such as cats and bats, out of black construction paper. Then adhere them to the inside of an inexpensive lampshade using poster strips. When the lamp is turned on, spooky shadows will illuminate the room.”

Craft fun pumpkins
Forget the typical jack-o’-lanterns: Impress your block with these fancy pumpkins. Get the step-by-steps on how to make the jack-o’-totem, chic silhouette pumpkin and more on HGTV.com/halloween.

The post Spooky chic: Turn your home into a haunted house appeared first on Metro.us.

1. Spider Squats
Holding a pumpkin, perform a squat. Place your feet shoulder width apart, abs pulled in. Squat down slowly as you sit back on your heels, keeping good posture with chest up, shoulders back and chin level. Lower as far as you can, keeping knees behind the toes and not going below 90 degrees. Try for three sets of 20.

2. Jack-o-Lantern Jumps
Start standing with feet about six inches apart. Bend knees and sit down to a 90 degree angle. Lift the pumpkin vertically overhead. With a power jump, leap up and take a giant hop forward. Keep the pumpkin straight overhead as you jump to the front, to the sides and to the back. Try for four sets of four.

3. Creepy Crunches
Lie on your back with hands holding a pumpkin over your chest, feet about two feet apart, flat on the floor, knees bent. To start the exercise, lift your legs vertically, toes pointing toward the ceiling. Next, holding the pumpkin, lift your shoulder blades off the ground and extend pumpkin vertically toward toes. Try for three sets of 20.

4. Lurking Lunges
Stand in split stance, right leg in front, left leg in back. Holding a pumpkin, extend your arms in front of you. Bend both knees and lower into a lunge, keeping front knee behind the toe and knees at no lower than 90 degree angles. Once lowered, rotate core 90 degrees to the right and then repeat to the left. Try for three sets of 20.

5. Tombstone Twist

Standing with your feet shoulder width apart and the pumpkin in your hands, extend your arms up and out and hold the pumpkin in front of you. Rotate your arms and upper body from side to side, pivoting your opposite foot for more range of motion. Try for three sets of 20.  

Want more ghoulish fun?

Hit DavidBartonGym’s RIP’d class on Oct. 31 for a workout that, when done within two hours of a big meal (or after eating all that candy!) can help prevent your body from storing fat. Visit www.david
bartongym.com.

The post Fitness: Carve more than your pumpkin this Halloween appeared first on Metro.us.

Costume: ‘Pan Am’ stewardess
Signature feature: 1960s corals

“In the ’60s we had these lavenders and greens and blues and corals,” explains McKay of the era’s color palette. “When you look at these ‘Pan Am’ blue uniforms, the ’60s coral really plays off of it.” The lips are a nice place to start: Try something like MAC’s Soft Shell lipcreme topped with a little gloss applied only in the center of the lip to catch the light.

Finish the look: For star Christina Ricci’s eyes, you’ll want a modest-length false eyelash along with black liner and a gold shadow. “It’s a beautiful, corporate evening look,” says McKay.

Costume: Nicki Minaj
Signature feature: Hot-pink lips

“Everyone looks fantastic in pink, and she for-sure knows that,” says McKay. “What Nicki does is she likes to use a hot, light pink lipstick framed with a lip pencil, topped with pink lip glass.”

Finish the look: You’re not done with the color wheel yet. Pop a bright shade on the eye (such as an electric green or even a white) and go for a brighter pink blush than you’d usually wear.

Costume: Smurfette
Signature feature: Blue skin

Our girl Smurfette requires a lot of blue, so McKay recommends staying away from the cheap, oily makeups at the Halloween megastores and using a professional product that won’t break down halfway through your first Reese Cup (MAC carries a super-blue paint stick in cyan). Then, set it with an invisible powder applied with the biggest brush in your arsenal.

Finish the look: A truly successful Smurfette happens in the eyes. While it’s going to take a little practice to paint on those big ol’ whites, McKay points out that her signature lashes are fairly simple. Buy the longest false lashes on the market, separate into three chunks and apply to your eye’s outer corner.

The post Make it way up this Halloween appeared first on Metro.us.

1. Forensic entomologist
What they make: $47,740
What they do: How long has that corpse been hanging around? These guys provide an estimate based on the critters that have moved in.

2. Arachnologist
What they make: $61,660
What they do: These biologists study all spiders, all the time.

3. Pest control specialist
What they make: $30,340
What they do: One word for you: bedbugs.

4. Reptologist
What they make: $61,660
What they do: This one may be less likely to make your skin crawl. Reptologists are biologists who study reptiles, and commonly work at zoos or museums.

5. Roadkill removal specialist
What they make: $30,000
What they do: Exactly what it sounds like. Can we get these guys a raise?

The post 5 freepy, crawly careers appeared first on Metro.us.

1. There’s just something sexy about these gourmet dark chocolate fangs. $15, www.deandeluca.com

2. McSteven’s Belgian hot chocolate mix turns red when you add hot water. “Twilight” fans will totally drink it up. Vampire Brew, $7, www.mcstevens.com

3. These shortbread finger cookies are almost too gross to eat.  $20 for 10 individually wrapped cookies, www.williams-sonoma.com.

4. Forget a played-out candy apple; instead, send them off with a cupcake on a stick! Popsy Cakes’ cupcakes — coated with a layer of Italian chocolate and plopped on a pretzel — satisfy both sweet and salty cravings. 6 for $35, www.popsycakes.com

5. Whether you’re celebrating Halloween or Day of the Dead, Vosges’ new chocolate lollipops — made with ingredients like pink Himalayan salt, smoked almonds and chipotle chilies all cased in fun wrappers — will be a crowd favorite. $3 each, www.vosgeschocolate.com

6. No matter the occasion, Max Brenner’s delicious chocolates in artful packaging (this time featuring spooky imagery) make a perfect hostess gift. Box of 9 bon bons, $13, www.maxbrenner.com


7. For those whose palates are too sophisticated for say, Reese’s, let me eat macarons! To celebrate it’s first Halloween in the States, Laduree has created  limed-edition orange passion fruit macarons, which come in a spooky black box. 6 macarons for $20, 646-558-3157

8. Buy some ginger snap cookies, stuff them with Adirondack Creamery’s delicious all natural limited-edition pumpkin pie ice cream, freeze and serve to your soon-to-be very happy guests. $4-$6, www.adirondackcreamery.com
 

The post Halloween candy that’s scary good appeared first on Metro.us.

Steampunk Haunted House
466 Grand St.
The Third Rail Projects are scare-ifying “Alice in Wonderland” at the Abron Arts Center. The house has a high-fashion, high-concept look mixing Victorian invention with dance, music and a creepy sense of foreboding. You’ll encounter the characters of Lewis Carroll’s masterpiece, but check Disney fantasy expectations at the door. www.steam punkhauntedhouse.com

Blackout Haunted House
54 W. 39th St.
Walking through this crazy house makes you face a battery of really terrifying situations. If you have any baggage (and we’re not talking credit card debt) be forewarned that actual bad, icky things lurk beyond the opening black plastic entry point, where screams and whistles freak out people in line before they even walk in. The best part is spreading the word after the fact: Nobody will believe you until they see it. www.blackoutnyc.com

Blood Manor
163 Varick St.
When a crew of people suspend themselves from hooks to entertain the visitors in line, you know the haunted house is going to be extreme. Blood Manor has more than 40 performers tricked out in all manner of creepware. If you happen to wet your pants — and owner Jim Faro promises it happens all the time — you get a free T-shirt (but, alas, no dry pants). www.blood manor.com  

Madame Tussaud’s After Dark: The Haunting
234 W. 42nd St.
If wax versions of celebrities don’t creep you out, this haunted house will up the ante. Wax statues come to life and special effects worthy of Times Square make this haunted walk even scarier than the  judgmental glare of a wax Simon Cowell. www. madametussauds.com

Nightmare: Fairy Tales
107 Suffolk St.
There are no Disney princesses in this winding forest of dark and evil fairy tales. Tricks of shadow and creepy monsters lurking in the dark are part of the experience along with plenty of blood and scary surprises. Using the kinds of stories where witches eat little children and ladies are locked in towers, it’s easy to see how the stories can go straight down the evil expressway into death and doomsville.

For the kids (and the cowards):

Haunted Pumpkin Garden at New York Botanical Garden
2900 Southern Blvd.
The creepiest thing you may encounter at this haunted walk is a scarecrow, but the ornately carved pumpkins and educational programs (owl pellets! Bugs!) mean that the little ones will surely find their own version of the great pumpkin. (Or just some great pumpkins.)

American Museum of Natural History Halloween
Central Park West at 79th St.
Kids will be relieved to know that the dinosaur skeletons don’t come to life just because it’s Halloween. There will be characters like Curious George and the Cat in the Hat wandering the museum as kids in costume can trick-or-treat and listen to music from children’s entertainers.

The post Halloween: Places to get your scare on appeared first on Metro.us.

Bobbing for Apples Time Martini

Ingredients:
2 oz. Absolut vodka
2 oz. apple juice
½ oz. simple syrup
5 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 large green apple, peeled  and made into spheres with a melon baller
4 sprigs fresh thyme (for garnish, optional)

How to prepare: Place vodka, syrup, apple juice and thyme into cocktail shaker with ice cubes. Shake it. Strain into cocktail glass; add three apple balls and garnish with thyme sprigs if you’d like.
—Created by Sara Legenhausen

Ghost Buster

Ingredients:
1¼ oz. Karma tequila
1 oz. fresh pear nectar
½ oz. homemade sweet and sour
¼ oz. H. Walker pear Schnapps
1 lime wedge (squeezed)
1 dash Amoretti pumpkin spice edible perfume

Garnish:
Bosc pear, hand-carved (see photo)
Cinnamon powder 
White sugar

How to prepare: In the mixing glass, pour Karma Tequila and pear nectar (make sure you are using pear nectar and not pear juice — otherwise your drink will be runny and flavorless instead of smooth and slick). Next, add the homemade sweet and sour (mix 16 ounces of fresh squeezed lemon juice with 16 ounces of simple syrup). Finish by adding the pear Schnapps, Amoretti and a squeeze of a lime wedge (plus the lime) in the mixing glass. Fill the shaker with ice, pour the mix from the mixing glass into the shaker and shake your Ghost Buster. Pour into a cocktail glass rimmed with cinnamon sugar, and then garnish with a carved pear.

—Created by Karma Tequila

The Witch’s Eye

Ingredients:
3-4 fresh grapes
1½ oz. Pisco
Sparkling sake
1 frozen whole grape (garnish)

How to prepare: Muddle the grapes; add in Pisco, and strain contents into flute glass. Top with sparkling sake and add a frozen whole grape as a garnish.
— Created by Zengo

Spider’s Kiss

Ingredients:
1 oz. Absolut vodka
1 oz. Midori liquor
½ oz. lemon syrup
Chocolate syrup
Grenadine
Chocolate covered orange for garnish (optional)

How to prepare: Use chocolate syrup to draw a Web in the martini glass and chill. Mix all ingredients together and strain into glass. Drizzle Grenadine down the side of the glass for blood effect.

—Sabina and Lorraine Belkin

Smashing Pumpkin

Ingredients:
1½ oz. Svedka Vanilla
¾ oz. whole milk
¼ oz. simple sugar syrup
1 tsp. pumpkin pie syrup
¼ tbsp. fig jam

How to prepare: Shake and strain into a martini glass and garnish with ground nutmeg on top.  
— Created by 1OAK

The post Get shaken & stirred this Halloween appeared first on Metro.us.

We interviewed two top experts in Halloween garb: Todd Kenig, CEO of Ricky’s NYC, and Pamela Pekerman, accessories and style expert who works with
ShopRunner.com. Here are their tips on the hottest costumes of 2011.

Shop your closet: “Source your closet or your parents’ closet,” Pekerman says. “Pick up a few accent pieces.” You can get away with buying only a few new items to go with your costume if you base it around clothes you own. “When you play with accessories, you can make it look your own,” she says.

A wig makes all the difference: “You can get a wig and probably change it up every year to make you look different ways,” Pekerman says. “Use some product on it. Treat it the way you’d treat your hair.”

When buying a costume, shop early and often: “It’s always the trashy ones that go first. You can quote me on that, because it’s true,” says Pekerman. So don’t be the slouch and end up as the only sexy bunny at the party who doesn’t have ears and a tail. Pekerman says that ShopRunner.com can ship quickly and offer free shipping for costumes at CostumeExpress.com.

Costume trends

1. Zombies
“We’re pushing zombies because zombies seem to be the big thing between ‘The Walking Dead’ and Brad Pitt making a zombie movie,” says Kenig. “It seems to be a hot item right now.” Kenig adds that sexy zombies will be big for the ladies as well.

2. Kate and Will
“It was a huge year for the royals,” says Pekerman. “I guarantee there’s going to be a lot of girls in wedding dresses walking around, a lot of guys looking like Prince William.”

3. Headline grabbers
“There’s the [Anthony] Weiner mask that we made,” says Kenig. “When Weiner was in the news, we decided to make a spoof on him, so that’s gotten a lot of press. And then there’s the Arnold [Schwarzenegger] we did which seems to be doing well, and also the Charlie Sheen.”

4. Reality stars galore
The Kardashians, Real Housewives and yes, Snooki, will be back again. “I think it’s still going to be a big year for Snooki,” says Pekerman. “With the season just ending it’s really popular and an easy costume to make. All you need to do is the bump-it [and] a fake tan.”

The post Halloween: Dressed to kill (for candy) appeared first on Metro.us.