2010 is right around the corner and no matter how you’re planning to ring in the New Year, I think we can all agree that we’re ready for a fresh start.

But before we leave 2009 behind, we’ve got some important business to take care of!  For the last couple months, we’ve been asking you to send up your best kids’ costumes whether store bought or handmade and WOW, did you deliver!  We’ve never gotten so many fantastic submissions and it’s all thanks to you!

We had such a hard time deciding on our favorite costume that we ended up picking two! Each will be getting a gift certificate for HalloweenStreet so that they can plan another fantastic costume next year.

Congratulations to our winners:

Wonder Woman

Peacock

Be sure to check out all of our costume contest entries on our Flickr gallery.

See you next year!

You’re gorgeous and glowing and all those other things that people say to pregnant ladies. But you go looking for Halloween costumes and everything’s made for your old pre-pregnancy body! No way is your belly going to fit into one of those generic Halloween costumes.

But fear not, we’ve got a solution.  We selected our favorite maternity costumes so that you’ll look perfect on Halloween.  Since we’re an online shop, we even save you the hassle of going out to the shops (where there’s barely any room to breathe and no selection at all!)

Don’t settle. Pick something that’s perfect for you.  Here’s some of our favorites.

Comedy is King – Funny Costumes

If you’re looking for a laugh or you just can’t resist a pun, your best bet is the clever and adorable Bun in the Oven costume.  Wanting a slightly less obvious joke? Go for the Baker maternity costume and wait for the lightbulb to go off over your friends’ heads.

As a bonus, you can couple up by getting Dad into a “Bun Maker” costume.  If you know what we mean. (And what we mean is that he needs to make some dinner. We’re hungry.)

Pregnancy Can Still Be Sexy – Costumes with Sass

Wanting to skip the laughs and make more of a statement? Show off your naughty side with a red satin dress and devil horns. The fit on this devil maternity costume is nice and flattering no matter how far along you are and you still get to show off those great legs. Plus the pitchfork is great for poking people who want to poke your belly. Honestly, what is with those people?

If you’d rather lean on the side of good, you can go for the angel costume or our absolute favorite costume of the bunch: this seriously beautiful fairy costume designed just for pregnant ladies.  We like how the wings balance out the baby bump. Our model is wearing heels but we think if you’re not going out that night, skip the shoes altogether! What self-respecting fairy would be wearing high heels?

Pirates are Always the Right Answer

I think we’re just going to go straight to the picture for this one.

I mean, just look at it! Hat, boots, sash…just get yourself a sword and you’re ready to swashbuckle your way through Halloween.The vest is cute, the fit is awesome. This pirate costume is comfortable and definitely not cliche.

You just need to learn to sing the official pirate song! All together now! Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate’s life for me!

September was Pediatric Cancer Awareness month. This month is Breast Cancer Awareness month.  We know that lots of people are looking for ways to help defeat this terrible disease.  We have a couple of easy ways to help.

Donate OLD costumes to Sloan-Kettering to support cancer research:

Let’s face it, Halloween costumes are like prom dresses — you can’t wear the same dress more than once and you don’t want to throw it out.How about donating it to a charity gift shop the thrift store at Sloan-Kettering?

You can donate last year’s Halloween costumes to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center Thrift Shop to fund research and treatment for cancer patients.

Donate NEW costumes to Sloan-Kettering’s Smallest Patients:

Every year, here at Halloweenstreet.com we send NEW Halloween costumes to the pediatric patients at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center so that even though these children are in the hospital for cancer treatments, they can have a happy, spooky and fun Halloween. We have so much fun doing this that we wanted to share it with you, too!

Use the promotional code SLD to donate a NEW costume to Sloan-Kettering Pediatric Ward. As a special thank you, we’ll send you a discount promotional code for 20% off your own Halloween costume. This promotional code will come to you via the e-mail confirmation from your donation.

We thank you in advance for your donation to children that so need to know that they are not alone in their fight for life!

Do you feel like you were born out of your time? Like you were meant for a different era?  Maybe you watch Mad Men on TV and think “I was meant for that lifestyle!

The great thing about Halloween is that it gives us all a chance to time travel without the messy fears about temporal paradox. Paradoxes. Paradices?  Temporal problems.  You can rock and roll like the 50s never ended, groovy with the hippies, get deep with the beatniks in the 60s, dance with your 70s Saturday Night Fever, and hang with the King of Pop and the Material Girl in the 80s.

It’s like 20th century never ended.

Happy Days in the 50s

Jump back to the days of the twist and the mashed potatoes.  With stars like Buddy Holly, the Big Bop, Chuck Berry and of course the King himself, the 50s were a time of fun and innocence.  The war was over, muscle cars had been born and everyone saw a future of peace and prosperity.  Who wouldn’t want to get pinned to her sweetheart and dance the night away as the Prom Queen?

Peace and Love in the 60s

From hippies at Woodstock to beatniks in coffee houses to the Beatles, in the 60s everyone had a cause they were fighting for.  The Civil Rights movement broke new ground in racial equality but the Vietnam War tore families apart.  It was a decade that made America grow up.  Maybe things wouldn’t ever be the same but through it all, the country never lost its hope for a better future.  We put a man on the moon in the 60s.  There was nothing we couldn’t do.

All we are saying is give peace a chance.

Dancing Queens in the 70s

Strobe lights, disco balls, leisure suits and Studio 54.  The 70s exploded in color, fashion, music and, of course, dancing. In this delirious decade, we learned to get funky, get down and get wild.  In England, the punk scene was taking hold but in the USA, it was all about the disco.

ABBA told us that every girl could be a dancing queen and John Travolta gave everyone Saturday Night Fever.  So come on, do a little dance, make a little love. Get down tonight.

Pop and Rock in the 80s

When it came to the 80s, it was all about two names: Madonna and Michael.

With innovative songs, daring dance moves and an eye for fashion that had never been seen before or since the Material Girl and the self-proclaimed King of Pop Michael Jackson changed the way the entire world saw music.

The 80s were a great time to grow up too. Classic movies like the Goonies, Stand by Me and The Princess Bride shaped the minds of an entire generation.  Don’t believe me, say “Hello, my name is Inigo Montoya” to any 80s kid and wait for the rest of the line.

We don’t have a time machine so we can’t go back to those halcyon days of yesteryear but with our fun, funky historical eras costumes, you can relieve the magic at least for one day.

Halloween costumes are a chance to get wild, get flirty, get hot. There’s no other time of year when you have free reign to dress to the nines and strut your stuff. That’s why HalloweenStreet.com stocks a wide range of sexy costumes so that you’re certain to find the perfect look for you. Whether you’re going out to a party or staying in with your special someone in some of our costume lingerie, there’s a costume right for the occasion.

This week, we did things a little different. We asked our friends what they liked best when looking through our sexy costumes. These are real women, with real bodies and real opinions. They pulled no punches when it came to telling us what they liked and didn’t like.  After a spirited discussion, here’s what they picked out as their favorite sexy and wearable costumes:

Nature Wins Over Nuture

The big winner with our group of women was this beautiful Mother Nature costume. Sweet and soft, this one is great for any nature lover or just a lady who wants to get earthy.

Our test group called it both forgiving and attractive as well as noting that it looked comfortable enough to wear, not just pose in. It’s not over the top but it doesn’t feel plain either. It almost doesn’t feel like it needs any accessories at all.

We also like it because it’s a great example of how sexy doesn’t have to mean half-dressed. Sometimes it’s all about what you conceal as much as what you reveal.

Prepare to be Boarded

The more rambunctious of our group picked a different favorite as you can see.

We’re not saying these women are the type to board your vessel, loot your booty and make you walk the plank but can you think of any other reason they’d have all gone keel over stern (that’s a ship joke) for this super-hot sexy pirate wench costume?

In fact, they raided the entire pirate costumes section. We’re a little afraid that they’re putting together a crew. If a cruise ship gets attacked and boarded in the middle of the night, it’s not our fault.

Lock up your lads, these pirate lasses are on the hunt.

Paint the Roses Red

The Queen of Hearts was a hit all around, and who could blame them? Whether it’s the feathers on the skirt or the sweetheart neckline, all of our ladies loved this look.  They did spend several minutes calling for the removal of various people’s heads but we’re sure they’ll settle down eventually. Probably.

Whichever costume tickles your fancy, we hope you have a happy and safe Halloween. Remember that all orders need to be in by Monday, October 26th 2:00 Central in order to ensure delivery by Friday. Check out other cut off dates on our shipping information page.

Tomorrow commemorates the 70th anniversary of the film version of the Wizard of Oz. For almost three quarters of a century, Judy Garland’s sweet voice has been taking audiences on a magical ride over the rainbow and it’s a story that’s inspired millions to remember that there’s no place like home.

Some of the most memorable characters in history were introduced to the world through the movie. “The Wizard of Oz” was itself an adaptation of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by Frank L Baum. Baum’s Oz novels also inspired the rock musical “The Wiz” in the 70′s, the deliciously terrifying “Return to Oz” in the 80s, Gregory Maguire’s “Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West (which inspired the Tony-Award-winning musical “Wicked”) in the 90s and 2000s and many many others.

We wanted to share our top 5 favorite Wizard of Oz characters with you this week. We hope you’ll chime in down in the comments to let us know what your favorite is:

TIN MAN: If we only had the heart

You’ve got to love a man with muscles whose in touch with his emotional side. It’s hard not to empathize with the Tin Man who just wants to be able to feel. We’d say that the Tin Man is about the ultimate struggle to become human but that would be way too deep for a site about Halloween costumes. Instead we’ll just ask you to pass the oil can.

DOROTHY: There’s no place like home

Dorothy is the center of the Oz story and the sweet heroine whose kindness changes the face of Oz forever. But let’s face it, it was really all about those shoes. What little girl didn’t stand in her mom’s high heels and click them together three times. Say it with me. “There’s no place like home.”

LION: We’ve lost our nerve

Was there ever a cuter king of the forest than the shy, Cowardly Lion? His roar was so fearsome he even scared himself and we couldn’t help loving him for it. Courage is about standing up for yourself and your friends when you’re scared out of your wits and he manages to do it with ease when push comes to shove.

SCARECROW: If we only had the brains

In the books, the Scarecrow goes on to take over for the vanished Wizard and learns to rule wisely and well but we’ll admit our hearts were won by that weak-legged dance, that boneless grace, that carefree attitude and of course the fact that in the Wicked musical…well, we won’t spoil the surprise.

GLINDA and THE WICKED WITCH: Are you a good witch or a bad witch?

We’ve got to give the number one spot to the elder stateswomen of the Oz movies.

Sure Dorothy and her friends traveled the road but it’s Glinda and The Wicked Witch of the West (called Elphaba in Maguire’s “Wicked”) that really get the show on the road. Quite literally. It’s Glinda who sends Dorothy on her journey and Elphaba who drives the suspense all the way until her chilling death. [Fun fact: In the original book, Glinda was the witch of the South, and not the same witch who met Dorothy in Munchkin Country.]

Without the witches, good and bad, all you have is a girl stuck in a land with a bunch of small people who like to sing strange songs about lollipops. And that’s not very memorable at all.

With only five weeks left before Halloween, it’s time to get serious about what you’re going to wear on the big day. You can’t just throw on any old thing last minute. that would leave you open for shame and scorn and, you know what? You’d totally deserve it.  No, for Halloween to be a success you need to think about your costume. Consider the angles. Pick the perfect persona.

But that’s not such an easy task. In order to make sure you get the right costume for you, we’ve put together a simple guide.  Ask yourself these questions and soon enough you’ll have a costume that no one will mock you for.

Location, Location, Location

The very first thing that you should consider when you’re narrowing down costumes is where you’re planning on wearing it. Are you going to be shaking your thang at a college party? [In which case, here's the link to sexy costumes. You're welcome.] Will you be partying at work where standards are a little more conservative? (Scary or unique costumes would be better here. If it has the word sexy in it, don’t wear it to work.) Is it a family party where you’ll be chasing after kids? (Avoid high heels!) Or are you just throwing on your costume for trick or treating? (Pick something super comfortable.)

If you’re going to be outside, you’ll want to think about the weather too. Short skirts and bare midriffs might work in Southern California but trick or treating in the same thing in Michigan will lead to frostbite in tender places. Dress for the location or you’re sure to end up sorry.

Partying with your Posse

All for one, one for all

Who will be at your party? Are you going with a group of your friends? With a date? If so, are you going to coordinate with group costumes or couples costumes? How about a little “I’ve got You, Babe” with some Sonny and Cher costumes? Or get the guys together for some old fashioned Musketeer action.

If you don’t want to get too matchy, think about a theme instead. Pick a decade or a genre. Get a bunch of girlfriends to vamp it up with film noir or punk out in 80s fashion.  You and your sweetie could be too cute for words or beyond naughty.

If you’re striking out solo, there’s a different set of questions. Do you want to play up part of your personality? Or are you going to take this chance to walk on the wild side and live up what’s not you this year? Or is this going to be the time you show off your secret talent for sword fighting with a ninja costume.

Standing Out or Fitting In

Now that you know if you’re part of a group or a super solo act, it’s time to make a decision about popularity. Ask yourself “Do I want to have fun or make a statement?” We covered some of the top trends in Halloween costumes this year but that doesn’t mean you want to with the flow.

What characters are popular right now that will be recognized and liked by people who see you? Do I want to be creative or fit in with the crowd?  It’s great to be original but your homage to late 13th century epic poetry might not be a hit at the office. Go big, go memorable or go recognizable in large crowds.  If you’re just hanging out with your friends, you can get a little more obscure.

Finishing Touches

The clothes make get you started but it’s the accessories that bring a costume to the next level. You’re going to have to make some choices now.

• Do you want to wear a mask or have your face showing?
• What hairstyle would a costume require (or do you want a hat)?
• Do you need gloves? Shoes? Jewelry?
• Will that vampire costume need fake teeth or just some glitter body paint for an authentic look?

It’s all those little details that are going to make your Halloween costume more than just another silly outfit so pay attention and get it right.

Remember that Halloween is on a Saturday this year. You may end up needing more than one costume!

Why settle for an ordinary Halloween party when you can have the best Halloween ever? Pick an event or three off the list below, get a couple amazing Halloween costumes from us and get ready for the best Halloween you’ve ever had.

At the Theme Parks:

Take a magic carpet ride!

If you’ve got kids, then the other items on our list might not be for you but this one is. Family friendly Halloween fare can be found throughout the Halloween season at any number of theme parks around the country.

For a fun time for all ages, we recommend Disney Parks Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party and Mickey’s Treat or Treat Party at Disney World and Disneyland resorts. These are separate events from a regular day at the park and they sell out fast. Halloween itself is already gone but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a good time before Halloween itself and still go trick or treating on the day!

Older kids and teens might prefer the scary good time of Knott’s Scary Farm Haunt, or any of the Six Flags parks Fright Fests which typically go all out for terrorizing the paying guests. Probably not the best choice for kids under 10.

In the Big City:

New York’s Village Halloween Parade is one of the most justifiably famous events each Halloween. An estimated 60,000 costumed marchers take to the streets of the Big Apple making it the nations largest public Halloween celebration.

More than 2 million people have taken part in the parade and another million have watched it on television. It was even named one of the 100 Things to do Before You Die. We say no time like the present.

At College:

Pictured: Not your daughter

Look, do we have to spell this one out for you?

Here are the top 10 party schools in the country. Pick one, get a super sexy costume, find a party, get crazy.

(Note for parents of college age kids: Don’t worry, your sons and daughters will be at home studying. We promise.)

1. Penn State University, State College, Pa.
2. University of Florida, Gainesville, Fla.
3. University of Mississippi, Oxford, Miss.
4. University of Georgia, Athens, Ga.
5. Ohio University, Athens, Ohio
6. West Virginia University, Morgantown, W.Va.
7. University of Texas, Austin, Texas
8. University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wis.
9. Florida State University, Tallahassee, Fla.
10. University of California-Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, Calif.

At the “Carnaval”:

Looking for a walk on the racier side? We suggest heading to the 21nd annual West Hollywood Halloween Carnaval. This free event welcomes more than half a million brilliantly costumed and seriously sexy people. If you’ve ever wondered how four strategically placed feathers can be a whole costume, then WeHo has the answer.

Drive on down to Santa Monica Boulevard on Halloween night but be warned, parking is very limited and you might end up hiking quite a ways to the party. Festivities officially start at 6 pm.

In Prison:

Hello, Officer

The scariest, most authentically Halloween fright experience is found in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at the infamous Eastern State Penitentiary, a very real maximum security prison that once housed the likes of Al Capone, now turned into the most terrifying haunted house event in the country.

Recommended by 5 out of 5 hot women in Police Costumes. Terror Behind the Walls is guaranteed to scare you away from a life of crime. We’re getting shivers just thinking about it.

It can be tough to pick the perfect costume for a teenager or a tween. This is the time when Halloween costumes become more about looking good than being authentic. Sure that ghost costume is scary but it’s it cute?  In order to make the very best costume descision this year, you’ve got to make sure you look great.  With that in mind, we picked seven stellar costumes for tweens.

Girls:

Pink Cat Costume: This classically cute costume is the perfect balance between innocent kitten and naughty black cat. It’s not bad luck to cross a cat this adorable. We like to pair it with fishnets and ballet flats so you can be silent and sneaky as the real thing.

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Devil Bride Costume: Go ahead and claim that the Devil made you do it, but you’ll know that the truth is that bad girls have more fun. Take a walk on the dark side this Halloween. It’s okay, it’s only one night after all.

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Black Skull Fairy: This is what it would look like if fairies played roller derby. Not all fairies are sweetness and light. This is a fairy costume for the emo-punk rebel in you. Dress it up and make it rockabilly or go for a goth look.  Either way, no one’s going to be mistaking you for Tinkerbell in this cute yet rebellious number.

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Ladybug Costume: Ever heard the phrase cute as a bug? No trips to the Ugly Bug Ball in this sweet number. We like this one because it’s fun and flirty but Mom will still let you out of the house. How very ladylike, ladybug.

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Pink Pirate: Pirates are never going out of style again. We don’t know why, maybe it’s because they’re the punks of the old days but something about pirates remains cool. They’re even making another Pirates of the Caribbean movie. (It’s called “On Stranger Tides” and yeah, Johnny Depp will be back.) We picked this pirate costume because it’s not your typical pirate lass. It’s got modern attitude. Skip the eye patch but don’t forget your pirate earrings.

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Guys

Teen Zombie:  Back in the dark ages, zombies were slow, dumb and only wanted your brains. Now zombies are fast, smart and …well, okay, they’re still after your brains. But in an awesome way. It’s only a matter of time before the zombapocalypse. Make the right choice.

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Death Rider: Leather jacket, check. Ripped jeans, check. Bad attitude, check. Spirit of vengeance instilled by an angry god? Check plus. Yeah, you’re ready. Grab your bike and ride.

If Comic-Con in San Diego is nerd prom, then Dragon*Con in Atlanta is the after party.  The world’s largest Sci-Fi and Fantasy convention storms Georgia’s capital city every Labor Day weekend and throws one heck of a bash for fans and fanboys of every geek stripe.  Perhaps because the attendees at this show are among the most passionate, the costumes at Dragon*Con are unmatched and no holds barred.  In fact there are no fewer than nine different costume contests being held this year.

Here’s the run down:

Cosplay Contest - For Anime fans, this one’s the gold standard. More improbable hair colors than you can shake a stick at.

Dragon-After-Dark – You want sexy costumes? This one’s so sexy they check your IDs at the door.

Dawn Look-Alike Contest – Or as I like to call it, how many attractive redheads can you fit in the same room at a time?

Friday Night Costuming Contest

Hallway Costume Contest - The most casual of the contests and the only one decided by popular vote.

Masquerade Costume Contest - Contests work year round for their chance to shine on the Masquerade stage and it’s well worth the effort.

Miss Klingon Empire Beauty Pageant, and it’s Force-tastic counterpart the Mr. Star Wars 2009 contest are chances for the fiercest Star Trek female fan and most dedicated male Star Wars fan to strut their stuff.

Star Wars Costume Contest 2009 ­- Jedi, Sith, Stormtrooper or Rebel, there’s no end to the brilliant twists on the beloved sci-fi tale of long, long ago.

But don’t think that Dragon*Con is the one event this September that gets fantasy fans excited.  September 19th is Talk Like A Pirate Day and there’s no better chance to practice swashbuckling, sword fighting and scurvy-avoiding (eat fresh fruits and veggies, kids!)  Pirates and privateers of all ages might want to check out the awesome Pirate Faire in Ojai, California.

And just in case you think we’ve forgotten, Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party kicks off tonight at Disney Theme Parks. Tickets to the party are separate from regular day passes but Disney encourages you to come in costume for a spooky time. This event Halloween Street approves as fun for the whole family and it’s a great time to test out your Disney costume before the big day.

Remember, there’s only 8 weeks left until Halloween.  Start celebrating early and make this the best Fall ever and make sure you have the best Halloween costume ever!