If you've ever looked for a costume that didn't look like it came from a Party City overpriced plastic bag with a cheesy model on the front, then say hello to Halloween Bootique!
The SECOND I walked into the store I questioned where it had been my whole life!! The fabrics, leathers, accessories, shoes, shirts, coats, corsets, weapons, LITERALLY EVERYTHING WAS QUALITY!! I had only ever been to places like Party City where everything was overly priced for flimsy costumes in plastic bags that have cheesy photos of models wearing the costumes. They do have those costumes too but holy cow their stock of actual cosplay worthy pieces were way more abundant!
I went in looking for a cosplay costume for my DND character that is a female tiefling assassin rogue. I had a vision of what I was looking for and after weeks of searching online, I just couldn't find exactly what I envisioned. So I marched in with pictures for reference and was greeted by a sales associate named Pheobe. When I mentioned my idea for an assassin rogue DND cosplay and showed her my vision, she dove headfirst into the challenge with me! I have never met an employee so helpful and invested in helping me the way Pheobe did! If anything, it felt like we were building the costume together and she showed the same amount of enthusiasm and excitement to build it as I did! Together, we combed through racks of costumes and shelves of accessories! Honestly, if It wasn't for her advice, recommendations, and expert knowledge I promise I would have gotten way too overwhelmed with the amount of choices and would have hung my head in defeat as I shuffled my sorry butt out of the store.
Not only did she go to literally every section in the store to find pieces that would fit together for my outfit, she also helped me in the fitting room with lacing up corsets after corsest, tweaking and adjusting sizes, styles, color schemes, etc. until everything was just right. And let me tell you, her enthusiasm was infectious. I couldn't help but get swept up in her excitement as she brought my vision to life before my eyes! I came in looking for black costume pieces with silver accents (buttons, zippers, rings, clamps, etc.) and she helped me find an even better black ensemble with brass accents! I also came in with a vision of a full corset and she showed me how much better an underbust corset would look and function for a female with my large chest dimensions! I mean she even showed me a mesh t shirt that I didn't think would look good with my costume but insisted I tired on anyways and it was perfect!!!!! I can't express just how little faith I had in it before she convinced me to at least try it! I'm so glad she convinced me because I loved it and it went perfectly! Sometimes having another persons opinion is really helpful and hers was spot on!!!
And it wasn't just Pheobe who made my experience unforgettable. Her boss, whose name I unfortunately didn't get, was equally amazing, offering insights and suggestions that really helped Pheobe and I find the best pieces throughout the store!
In the end, I walked out of that store feeling like the badass Assasin Rogue I always aspired to be, armed with a costume that surpassed even my wildest dreams. And while I may have only spent an hour there, I would have stayed triple the time if I didn't have to pick my dog up from doggy day care! Pheobe's customer service, personality, kindness, enthusiasm, and expertise has guaranteed Halloween Bootique a customer for life. Fitting that my sister was the one to refer me there! Now I'm going to literally refer everyone and anyone there no matter what xD Need a wig? HOLLYWOOD BOOTQUE. Need Halloween costumes? HOLLYWOOD BOOTQUE. Need Halloween yard decorations? HOLLYWOOD BOOTQUE. Need a hype queen? PHEOBE AT HOLLYWOOD BOOTQUE.
TLDR; if you're in need of a costume for Halloween, Cosplay, Renaissance Fairs, Comic-cons, etc. do yourself a favor and go to Halloween Bootique. With Pheobe and employees like her, you'll not only find the perfect costume, you'll find a team invested in manifesting your vision just as much as you are and just as motivated to make you look like the badass character you've always fantasized you could be!
P.S. I was so excited to write this review once I got home that I don't have any pictures of me in it yet! But I will post pictures of myself in the complete costume at the -Con I'm attending after May 4th! read more