Snooki, Gaga and Buzz hot for Halloween this year

Retailers said not much has changed in the kids category, although some are seeing a rise in retro, ‘80s costumes and even goth costumes for kids.

“One difference for boys,” said Ginnaty of Savers, “is that while heroes like Wolverine and Spiderman are still strong for boys, we’re also selling the personal heroes: the combat soldier, the firefighter and the policeman.”

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For the family that Halloweens together: A ghostly group. A voodoo trio. A pirate brigade. This year, many families are dressing together as a unit.

Chasing Fireflies, a Seattle-based company, has been selling more options for families, brothers and sisters, husbands and wives, and mothers and daughters.

“We have vampires as a brother and sister duo, a Greek goddess and gladiator, looks that are expanded to add in Mom and Dad,” said Lori Liddle, co-founder of the company.

Chasing Fireflies has also added plus-size costumes and expanded their sizes for growing kids.

“We’ve sold out of every (children’s size) 14 in the house,” Liddle said. “I think the market has been pushing kids to be way too old too quickly and parents are pushing them to retain their childhood. It’s nice to let them be young and celebrate the childhood part of their life.”

Newsmakers: Angry stewards & oil spillers. In an homage to Steven Slater, the I’m-Not-Gonna-Take-This-Anymore Jet Blue flight attendant, several retailers are selling their own versions of the disgruntled airline employee or the angry steward.

“It’s a blue steward shirt with a light blue tie and it comes with a Band-Aid for your forehead,” said Kenig of Ricky’s NYC.

The BuyCostumes.com version includes a plastic beer stein.

Iparty has a series of celebrities-gone-bad looks that include a Tiger Woods visor with a golf club stuck through it. BuyCostumes.com features imitations of Betty White, Flo the insurance lady from Progressive.com and a “Bad Planning BP Jumpsuit,” a green costume that looks like it’s stained with black oil.

“That will be the controversial costume of the year,” predicts Haight.

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