Hollywood, DIY And Social Media Popular Inspirations For Costume Choice, According To Savers® Annual Halloween Survey

BELLEVUE, Wash., Oct. 2, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Americans love Halloween and a unique costume is a must-have for a Hallowinning celebration. But dressing up for Halloween this year involves more than just looking good; there are a number of personal considerations including customization and value that come into play when creating the perfect costume. So, it's no surprise that of those surveyed nearly 90 percent of shoppers admired unique costumes put together with second-hand items, and 74 percent said they'd shop thrift if second-hand stores have a Halloween section, according to new research by the Savers^® family of thrift stores (Savers^®, Value Village™ and Unique^®).

Trends to Watch in 2019:

• Disney, Marvel & HBO-Inspired Costumes: Ninety-two percent of Americans believe movies and TV shows will be the top inspirations for Halloween costumes this year, with Avengers, The Lion King, Game of Thrones, Captain Marvel and Toy Story topping the charts.
• Gen Zs Want to Stand Out, In Person & Online: Seventy percent of Gen Zs want to stand out with their costume choice and the majority (76 percent) plan to post their Halloween experiences on social media.
• DIY and Customization Reigns: A "cool" costume needs to be creative, original and homemade, according to survey respondents, and 61 percent claim they'd like to wear a costume that no one else will have. More than ever before, Americans are enjoying the experience of DIY-ing their costumes, using a mix of previously owned and brand-new items. Sixty-four percent plan on customizing their costume with personal touches to "make it their own," with merely a quarter planning on buying a new, as-is packaged costume.
• You, or Your Alter Ego? The jury is out. Sixty-eight percent of Americans use their creative freedom to showcase bits of their personality, while 59 percent match their costume to their alter ego.

Keeping costs down is also important for Halloween shoppers this year. A whopping 80 percent of those surveyed spend $50 or less on a costume, while 52 percent spend less than $25, so choosing secondhand is ideal for those who still want a creative, original costume, at a price point that works for them.

"As the one-stop Halloween destination, Savers^® offers a variety of brand new and pre-owned Halloween merchandise," said Kristine Hung, Head of Marketing & Merchandising at Savers. "Shopping second-hand during Halloween is a smart, sustainable choice, considering today's consumer cares about unique style, the planet and their wallet."

At Savers^®, enthusiastic Halloween shoppers can find a lot more than just something to wear:

• More Than Just Second Hand: Want to let out your alter ego, or pull together an imaginative look this Halloween? Every year, Savers^® offers an exclusive line of brand-new Halloween costumes called "Alterego^®," wigs, makeup and accessories – perfect to combine with the reused clothing and accessories that already fill the aisles.
• Costume Consultants: Need some help getting creative? In-store costume consultants and look books at Savers^® can help you create a unique look with DIY Halloween costumes, tips and tricks.
• It's All About the Décor: Going all out for Halloween means more than just dressing up. Savers^® loads its shelves with new and pre-loved Halloween décor to help decorate homes inside and out – whether that means creating a haunted house for trick-or-treaters or sticking to simple décor for a party.
• Halloween Hub: Savers.com provides a store locator tool, costume inspiration and instructions for Halloween DIY costumes and home décor.
• Social Media: More than 75 percent of Gen Zs plan to post their Halloween experiences on social media and the same percentage of Millennials plan on posting their kids' Halloween experiences. Join in on the fun by engaging with Savers^® on social platforms via the #Hallowinning hashtag on Facebook.com/Savers, @SaversVVillage on Twitter and @Savers_thrift on Instagram.

For full results from the Savers^® Halloween Survey or to request high-resolution Halloween costume images, please contact [email protected].

*Methodology Note: The Savers^® Halloween Shopping Survey was conducted by Edelman Intelligence during the summer of 2019 and polled 2,000 nationally representative consumers aged 18 and older in the United States and Canada.

ABOUT SAVERS^®

At Savers^®, we believe good style is more than how you put together your closet and home – it's being able to do good while looking good – for yourself, your neighborhood and your planet. As a for-profit, purpose-driven retailer, the Savers^® family of thrift stores provide a wide selection of must-have secondhand clothing, accessories and household goods at an affordable price and keeps more than 700 million pounds of reusable goods from reaching landfills each year. Learn more at www.savers.com and join the #RethinkReuse or #Hallowinning conversation.

SOURCE Savers

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