Image credit: Graphic courtesy of HalloweenCostumes.comA new 2026 consumer survey from HalloweenCostumes.com found that comfort and fit have overtaken quality as the top consideration when choosing a costume. Thirty percent of respondents ranked comfort first, compared with 20% in 2024.
There may be a reason costumes need to be more comfortable: people are wearing them more often.
Nearly half of respondents — 48% — said they wear costumes outside Halloween for cosplay, festivals, parties and other events. Costumes also ranked as the biggest Halloween spending category in the survey, just ahead of indoor home décor.
Halloween preparation itself continues to creep earlier on the calendar. Eighty-four percent of respondents said they begin preparing by early October or sooner, with 16% starting in July or August.
The way shoppers find ideas is changing, too. Search engines are now the starting point for 43% of respondents, while 37% said they use generative AI for costume ideas, decorating inspiration or event planning.
The costume market also appears to be getting broader. Sixty-three percent of respondents said there are enough inclusive options available, including plus-size, adaptive and maternity costumes.
Taken together, the numbers point toward a Halloween economy that increasingly extends beyond one night — with earlier planning, year-round costume use and shoppers looking for something they can actually stand to wear.
HalloweenCostumes.com is leaning into that longer season as well. The retailer is promoting September 8 as “Orange Tuesday,” a kickoff to Halloween shopping and decorating ahead of October.
For Halloween fans who already started decorating weeks ago, apparently the rest of the country is catching up.