How to find the right Halloween costume

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Even though the economy isn't at its strongest, or perhaps because of it, people are looking for a little escape and plan to spend $5.77 billion* on costumes, candy, decorations and greeting cards this Halloween season. Folks will be spending the most on costumes, and if you're one of the many who have yet choose yours, here are a few hot ideas.Political Party People: Given that it's an election year, and Halloween falls a mere five days before the big day, there will be people a plenty channeling the candidates. If you're going as Barack Obama, John McCain, or Joe Biden, try a paper mask from $.99 (yes, ninety-nine cents) or upgrade to a vinyl one in the $10 to $15 range. Throw on that formal suit usually reserved for weddings and you've got a full costume that's a conversation starter. If you're a woman, or a gutsy man, going as Sarah Palin, you can also grab a $.99 paper mask - simply make sure your hair is just right and don't forget the signature glasses. All of the above available at buycostumes.com. Bold Boys: Little girls may love to play dress up, but for boys it can be more of a challenge. This year, however, it's all about the big screen and your boy should be rearing to costume up. From Star Wars to Harry Potter, Batman, Iron Man, or Transformers, costumesupercenter.com has them all, some on clearance and most others in the $20 range. Glittery Girls: In search of the most magical, fanciful costumes out there I spoke to Lisa Donahey from the Disney Store. Donahey said, "The Hannah Montana pop star costume is the top tween costume ... with multiple pieces that lets girls and tweens live out their dreams of becoming a pop star." $19.99 at disneystore.com. Essential Accessories: Light-up wands, rings and crowns are a very popular buy and, if you're pinching pennies, also a great way to turn that special-occasion dress into a Halloween princess, fairy, or ballerina costume. Halloweenexpress.com has them from $2.99. Now that you have a better idea of what to wear this Halloween, you're almost guaranteed to have a ghoulishly good time whatever you do. The surveys were conducted for NRF by BIGresearch. The poll of 8,167 consumers was conducted from September 2-9, 2008. The consumer poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 1.0 percent.(Helen Malani is the Chief Shopping Expert for Shopzilla.com, a Scripps Networks Interactive company, and the largest comparison shopping search engine on the Web. E-mail Helen at askhelen(at)shopzilla.com.)