Whether you only think of altering your appearance on Halloween or also like to dress up for holidays, special events, parties, or other reasons, this post is for you. We've even included a couple of places that carry party goods and elegant seasonal home decoration.

This is an outdated Post view our new resource page for costumes at this link.

Just before Halloween, and the traditional holiday seasons, seems like the best time for us to make a list and check it twice to help you locate places to buy or rent costumes for most any occasion. Costume season gears up at Halloween and continues for Santa time, New Years, Saint Patrick's Day, Mardi Gras, and beyond!

The newest addition to our list is Reflections on Newbury Street. Around the holidays, this shop adds a big dose of seasonal spirit to its stock of year round favorites. While you won't find full costumes, you will find fun and seriously well made seasonal accessories to add the right note to your outfit or home. 

Please let us know if we've missed one of your favorite sources of costumes and accessories. And, tell us about your all-time favorite Halloween Costume in the comments below.

New Millennium Costumes at 155 Tremont Street (map) is right across from the Boston Common. 

Owner Terry Anderson has more than 20 years experience managing a company that supplied Boston fun seekers with costumes. Realizing he missed the downtown vibe, he decided to opened his own shop.

Google has been in to create an interior view of the shop and told him that it should be up soon. We'll post an update when it appears. Update: Here's a link to the Google inside view.

The Garment District in Cambridge has a floor devoted to Boston Costume, probably the best known spot to outfit yourself for any costume party.

It's open seven days a week. And, "Open 'til Midnight ALL October!"

They sell and rent costumes and have lots of vintage & secondhand clothing, if you want to create your own.

They also sell items to finish the look, like:

• washout hair color in tones of atomic turquoise and cotton candy pink
• prosthetics like scars, bullet holes, horns, pointed ear tips, and witch noses with the materials to attach them
• masks from simple gold or black eye masks, to elaborate Venetian designs or feathery carnival styles
• heads to transform you into a bear, lion, or gorilla
• an endless selection of wigs includes: mullets, afros, clown colors, pigtails, geishas, ragdolls, cornrows, dreadlocks, flappers, and glam styles
• accessories include: hats, boas, go-go boots, and wings

Their "Boston Costume" division rents full rigs for the likes of Batman, Green Hornet, and Marie Antoinette. Or, you can be a minute man, cowgirl, knight, or belly dancer.

Dorothy's Boutique

Soon, you'll find people lined up (above) waiting to enter Dorothy's Boutique on Mass Ave. near Symphony Hall. They call themselves "Boston's Halloween Headquarters" and display masks, scary arm stumps, strange shoes, and accessories in the window. The website makes it clear that these are costumes for adults. Risque is their specialty.

If you want a quick look before you get in line, you can click over to the Google view of the store's fully stocked interior.

For luxe halloween fashions, visit the Halloween Shop at Blackstone's of Beacon Hill. This is a sister store to Reflections on Newbury Street. They have a fabulous selection of fun and tasteful decorations, masks, and accessories for the holiday. 

Allston Costume on Harvard Ave. is one that we have not visited, but that others have recommended. We'll try to stop in, get some photos for you, and update this listing.

Party Favors in Brookline in Coolidge Corner has lots of holiday party goodies!

If you're more of an internet shopper, you can find costumes for the entire family from this one page: Visit the Costume Store At Amazon.

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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: © 2011-2014 Ed & Penny Cherubino plus a screenshot from The Garment District