Utah Stories

Costume Cool

The cool thing about Halloween night is walking into a convenience store around midnight and seeing Abraham Lincoln and a raccoon standing in line to buy potato chips.

|

Pibs Exchange Halloween

Pibs Exchange Halloween
All models are employees of Pib’s Exchange. From left to right: Bunny: Kat Weeks, Sailor: Stacy Snelgrove, Alice: Allison Shephard, Cupcake: Alex Andersen, Living dead Queen: Nagalh Garza, Voodoo Queen: Cara Dellorusso

The cool thing about Halloween night is walking into a convenience store around midnight and seeing Abraham Lincoln and a raccoon standing in line to buy potato chips. Yep, it’s that time of the year, and helping people make the creative most of it is the job of Heather Gwyther, Halloween manager of Pib’s Exchange in Sugar House.

“We’re getting really pumped up” she said. “We want to make this the best day of the year for people.” Gwyther noted that the hot items this season are animal costumes with big, bushy tails, such as foxes and skunks. “They definitely will get you noticed.”

The traditional costumes such as devils, angels, pirates and witches are always popular. But the zombie genre is where to find the action. Pib’s has blood-stained shirts and cosmetics to jazz up the look.

“Green zombie blood and face fungus, these are must haves,” Gwyther said. Some people go to great lengths creating their costumes, and Gwyther said the store can specialorder items provided they receive two weeks advance notice. The staff is eager to help with costume planning, including aiding those who come in at the last minute. “If you need a quick fix, go for something black and a mask”, Gwyther said.

As for her favorite costume, Gwyther said it was a Frankenstein that stood a head taller than the person wearing it. This year, she is dressing her family as rag dolls. “It’s my daughter’s first year trick-or-treating and we’re going to have a blast!”

Popular Costumes for 2011

Zombie

Play dumb all night, or if you are dumb, no need to act! Girls dig the tough quiet type.

Pirate Halloween CostumePirate

ARRR Mateys! This costume works if you don’t try to play Johnny Depp but instead do classic pirates like Black Beard. Yes there were pirates before Johnny.

Fox

Perfect for girls with a foxy figure. Don’t forget the tail and remember to growl and maybe later purr.

Angel Halloween CostumeAngel

To pull off going as an angel or a cherub requires just the right face. But of course fallen angels have a certain naughty allure.

Skunk

Peppe Le Pew had it right: You charm the opposite sex with sweet talk and poetry and all the pieces will fall into place.

 



Join our newsletter.
Stay informed.

Related Articles


  • The “Monster” of Bear Lake

    Have you ever heard of Utah’s hidden lake monsters? Beyond the tourist buzz of Bear Lake, whispers of a mysterious creature have persisted for generations. Dive into the untold stories, rare sightings, and eerie folklore surrounding Utah’s most elusive aquatic legend. Are the rumors real, or just a product of overactive imaginations?

    To access this post, you must purchase Full Access Membership.


  • Frisco, Utah: The Untold Story of the West’s Most Notorious Ghost Town

    Once a wild silver mining town, Frisco, Utah, was infamous for its nightly violence and lawless streets. Known as the “toughest mining town in the West,” its fortunes changed after a catastrophic mine collapse. Today, the deserted remains of Frisco, with its decaying kilns and empty streets, tell the story of a town that lived fast and died young. The mysteries of its vanished lawman and the outlaws who once ruled the streets still linger in its desolate landscape.

    To access this post, you must purchase Full Access Membership.


  • Utah Book Bans Ignite Cultural Clash: Educator John Arthur on Local Control

    A battle over book bans is sweeping Utah’s schools, pitting state laws against local communities’ rights to shape education. Utah Teacher of the Year John Arthur steps into the fray, challenging restrictions that he believes rob students of vital perspectives and the freedom to explore. Are blanket bans the answer, or are we sacrificing young minds in a cultural clash?


  • Why Utah’s Homelessness Crisis Needs a Radical Solution: The Peer-Led Village That’s Succeeding Where Government Programs Fail

    Utah’s homelessness crisis is getting worse, despite billions in taxpayer dollars spent on traditional solutions. But a bold, peer-led project in Salt Lake City is defying the odds, delivering life-changing results with a human-first approach. The Other Side Village is run by people who have been there—survivors of homelessness, addiction, and incarceration—and they’re proving that a radical, no-bureaucracy model can achieve what the government hasn’t. Could this be the breakthrough we’ve been waiting for?