4 great costume shops to hit up this week

Ruby’s Party

This party supplier is run by the shop's namesake Ruby and her friendly and fluffy dog Cotton. A small door at ground level leads upstairs to an extensive selection of outfits, from cute and cuddly animal costumes like Hello Kitty and a giant green octopus to scary and gruesome rubber masks and creatures.

For ready-to-wear favorites, take a look at the huge photo map of what's available – once you spot a style you like, make a note of its number and ask Ruby for your size. You can also search through the wall racks that are overflowing with hanging costumes. She's got all the props you could possibly need to accompany them - edible fake blood and face paint, accessories like bowties, jewellery, wigs, masks and everything else you could hope for. Also on offer are costumes for your beloved pets, like a 'pup-a-razzi' outfit, stegosaurus, and DJ master (all approx 399RMB).

The reason we love Ruby's party is the extras. Aside from the standard packaged costumes for purchase, they have lots of separates for DIY outfits and costumes, like simple black or gawdy sequined dresses, fancy gowns, Harley Davidson shirts, qipaos and other Chinese staples, and many more pieces for you to put together and do your own thing. Ruby's team also makes a lot of their own accessories, from feathered hair pieces and jewellery to handmade decorations.

Ruby also accepts gently used costumes for recycling, so you can bring by last year's outfits and get some credit for them. What's more, if you follow their Wechat account (RubysParty) you can get 15 percent off costumes and costume accessories.

Most unusual costume Giant mascot-sized ostrich (200RMB/day rental).

Costumes for rent? Yes. Costume rentals are half the purchase prices/day; big character costumes are 200RMB/day.

Party decorations? Yes – as well as banners, tinsel, snow spray, paper plates and balloons, they also specialise in custom-designed pinatas (from 100RMB) and helium balloons. They've also got tons of house-made cutesy decor, from paper ghosts to eyeball lanterns.

Ruby's Party is at Zhidi Tower, 201 Chengjiaqiaozhi Lu, near Hongmei Lu, F09 (fourth floor).

Holiday House

Once well known on Panyu Lu, Holiday House relocated two years ago to a 300sqm space on Xuhong Zhong Lu buried in an odd location: the third floor of a nondescript building. Thankfully, there are many posters throughout the building to reassure you that you’re not heading in the wrong direction. The store was originally established in Shanghai 19 years ago and is still going strong today. Its owner, Mary, began business on a whim when her friends found it difficult to find costumes for a party they wanted to attend.

Here in the present, Holiday House stocks everything needed to throw a traditional Halloween or costume party, as well as a pretty thorough array of costumes for both sexes, adults and kids. They've got all the favorites like superheroes and scary classics, with kids' costumes starting at 55RMB and adult ones at 75RMB. Also available are those Dreamgirl costumes if you're looking for something risqué.

As well as outfits, they also have an extensive display of hats (25-40RMB), masquerade-style masks (5-25RMB) and wigs. Whether searching for a werewolf face, Viking helmet or mermaid hair, you should be able to find whatever you desire. There are rows aplenty for other decorative accessories: shelves heave with fake brains and blood, face paints, eyelashes, fake tattoos, feather wings and boas, hair colour spray and stockings.

They also provide all the staple items that are needed for a any party, including plates, cups, napkins, table cloths, invitation cards, pinatas, streamers, gift bags, trick-or-treat buckets and sacks, window stickers, spider webs and so on.

Most unusual costume Strange grassy viking suit, 290RMB.

Costumes for rent? No.

Party decorations? Yes – in terms of traditional party goods, you name it they have it. Everything from pumpkin baskets (10RMB) to spooky witch garden ornaments (20-80RMB).

Holiday House is at Fourth Floor, 21 Xuhong Zhong Lu, near Kaixuan Lu.

JaJaJa Party Shop

Following the closure of Party Monster and Party Pop Party Shop, JaJaJa is the best option for costumes east of the Huangpu. It’s a small store – only 40sqm big – but it packs a lot into the tiny space. Upon entering kids will find a range of costumes that vary from Egyptian pharroh and policeman for boys, to a Heidi-esque alpine outfit and cavewoman getup for girls. Costumes are bolstered by a wide selection of accessories. Hair spray (20RMB) can be bought in pink, blue, white and other colours. For a simpler hair solution wigs can be purchased too (start from 20RMB-60RMB). Long fake nails and moustaches complete the range of bodily decorations on offer.

Arguably, JaJaJa is strongest when it comes to party accessories. Whether you’re looking for a Sponge Bob Square Pants piñata to clobber or paper plates and plastic cutlery, you’ll find what you need in this shop. There’re even several huge helium canisters in-store for inflating massive balloons (8RMB/ 12 inch balloon) on special occasions.

Most unusual costume Harry Potter outfit (150RMB).
Costumes for rent? No.
Party decorations? Yes – they stock bunting, balloons, ribbons and gift bags.

JaJaJa Party Shop is at 158 Biyun Lu, near Baihua Lu, Pudong.

Nantai Costume Company

Despite its unassuming exterior and jumble sale appearance, this small store supplies a number of local Peking opera troops and is the place to shop if you are in search of a truly unique costume. The store has been based on Guangdong Lu for more than 80 years and the current owners claim that in the 1930s and ’40s Mei Lanfang (梅兰芳), one of the Four Great Dan of Peking Opera’s golden era, ordered costumes here.

Behind the counter, shelves are stacked with silk qipaos and traditional Chinese robes in a range of sizes, with children’s options starting from 130RMB; prices can soar to 100,000RMB for the most expensive outfits we’re told. While the full operatic costume is above most budgets (from 300RMB), search the overflowing shelves for everything from elaborate wooden masks (60RMB) to Chinese style slippers (100RMB) to complement a homemade outfit. Skip the glass cabinets full of ornate silver and turquoise headpieces – while beautiful, the 1,200RMB price tags aren’t exactly good value for money for a Halloween one-off.

Outfits are tailored to order and it’s best to make your purchase well in advance. Machine-made costumes can be finished in a month, but there is no guarantee since it depends on the owners’ schedule. Should parents really wish to push the boat out, they can order a handmade costume from a 55-year-old Shanghai master tailor. Just be prepared to wait six months for the finished product to be ready.

Most unusual costume Peking opera full stage costume (300RMB).

Costumes for rent? Yes, selected larger items only (price on request).

Party decorations? No.

Nantai Costume Company is at 656 Guangdong Lu, near Guangxi Bei Lu.