Costume Rentals: Tips That Can Help You Avoid Mistakes

If you're looking for costume rentals in your area, you may think you need to put no more preparation into the transaction than simply showing up, picking out what you like, and going on your way. In some cases, things indeed may be no more complicated than that. If you're planning to find a good outfit for a major event, however, like Halloween or Mardi Gras, you need to remember that you won't be the only one. The competition for a good outfit, in itself, will add some snags into the mix. There are other concerns as well. Here are some tips you can use to make sure everything goes as smoothly as you hoped.

Reserve Early

This is one of the best things you can do to make sure you get the costume rentals you really want. If you're simply planning for a themed birthday party or a private masquerade ball, it may not be necessary to reserve the outfit you really want that far in advance. If you're planning for an event that many thousands of people will be celebrating, however, you have to take that into consideration. If you show up at the shop the day before the event, don't be surprised when most of the good outfits have already been snatched up. Go early and inquire about the reservation policy.

Cost

How much you want to spend on costume rentals will also depend on the kind of event you're planning for. If it's a kid's birthday party, you probably don't want or need to spend a whole lot of money. Many adults, however, make the mistake of getting something cheap when the occasion really calls for something a little more put together. Most shops will have a good selection of both expensive and inexpensive outfits. If you're going to a classy event -- or even one where you have to be sure your costume doesn't fall apart by the end of the night -- you might want to consider spending a little more.

Length of Time

One of the surest ways to see costume rentals go through the roof in terms of cost is to keep your outfit longer than what you had originally arranged. Shops need their outfits back in the store to service all of their customers. It isn't fair to the shop to keep a costume longer than that, and they have every right to charge you extra for the additional days. You may find this extra charge to be considerably more than what it would have cost to simply rent the outfit for a longer time to begin with. Make sure you know exactly how long you'll need to keep it before you decide on a rental time.