This time next week, the 41st annual Snowdown celebration will be well underway: Durango will be teeming with people dressed for “Comic-Con”– spandex-clad caped crusaders and villains and anime characters are just a few of the getups we can expect to see.
What this also means, though, is that time is running out for those of you who haven’t gotten your costumes ready for the activities that will start Wednesday and run through Sunday.
Still not sure what persona you’ll adopt for the week? Fear not, for the good people at Animas Trading Co., Sideshow Emporium and La Plata County Humane Society Thrift Store have the goods – and expertise – to help outfit you in full Comic-Con regalia.
Cathy Wakeman, owner of Animas Trading Co., said the store has over the years become a go-to place for Snowdown costume acquisition.
“We’re usually the big Snowdown place to come,” she said. “It’s almost like another Christmas for us.”
This year, the store, which is at its new location at 742 Main Ave., is carrying morph suits (full-body suits that cover you from head to toe); spandex metallic leggings in a variety of colors; light-up superhero ball caps and umbrellas; wigs; eye masks; capes; wings; neon makeup; elf-shaped ears; and Wonder Woman outfits, including shorts and one-piece bodysuits complete with capes.
If superheroes aren’t your thing, there are also Alice in Wonderland, Micky Mouse and Minnie Mouse, Toy Story and Harry Potter supplies.
And for those who do not want to commit to a full-on costume, there are Marvel socks and T-shirts bearing superhero logos.
For first-timers trying to put together a costume: “Basics are good: leggings and masks,” said Willa Vaughan at Animas. “We also have warm sweaters and beanies, so if they don’t want to go all-out, they can just get a beanie that has Wonder Woman or Superman and a T-shirt, and glow glasses and light-up wands for the parade.”
Vaughan’s advice?
“Definitely dress up. You definitely don’t want to be caught not dressed up. And don’t save everything for the last minute,” she said.
As for the costumes the staff at Animas is planning, the jury’s still out.
“We’re not sure yet,” Wakeman said. “We have so many choices, we haven’t figured it out. We thought about as a group for the store doing Alice in Wonderland.”
“This place is good for creative costume parts. I recommend this place if you consider yourself a creative person into costuming,” said Heather Narwid, owner of Sideshow Emporium at 208 County Road 250.
What you won’t find at Sideshow are Batman or Superman costumes. What you will find is a sea of vintage clothes and accessories you can use to create your own character.
“You’ll find parts if you want to make yourself a superhero,” Narwid said. “If you’re going to invent your own superhero, like Super Clean or Super High, I think puns are a good place to start. Look at all the superheros, and then look at what they all have in common: Underpants on the outside, a wide belt, leggings, a cape, an emblazoned logo or a letter. Maybe eyewear, headwear.”
Narwid said not to underestimate the power of a good group costume.
“I would suggest kind of a fun group costume might be Wes Anderson movie characters because that’s my style and what I have here anyway,” she said. “All the characters recall kind of vintage looks, or maybe uniforms.”
And a lot of vintage clothing can be pretty easily turned into sci-fi outfits: Think of 1960s metallics, Narwid said.
“I think some of our ’70s jumpsuits work for a superhero,” she said. “Add a wide belt. You could also be characters from history as cosplay.”
For those looking for a costume without a lot of commitment, Narwid said it’s as simple as finding the right accessories.
“A super-easy thing would be Amelia Earhart: A white scarf, goggles and cloth pilot’s helmet that work,” she said. “Eyewear and a hat can take you there.”
If it’s the thrill of the hunt you’re looking for (or a really good deal), La Plata County Humane Society Thrift Store may be just the place to find your costume.
Andrea Ellis, manager of the store, said creativity counts when it comes to building a costume from thrifted goods.
“It’s definitely been a tougher year to find (superhero) stuff, just because people are such hardcore fans they hold on to that,” she said. “But we’ve definitely had some fun little accessories, like capes. People have even taken some our kids’ superhero costumes and are DIY-ing it or squeezing into them.”
She said the space the store has set aside for costumes can include just about anything.
“Anything random we find that comes in, if it’s anything superhero-related, we’re putting it over there,” she said. “We always have fun stuff on the floor, like we would have some jewelry pieces, little things to add some bling to it.”
Ellis’ advice for those heading out to thrift their costume is a philosophy for thrifting in general.
“My biggest thing would be just search the whole store and look around for things and think outside the box,” she said. “That’s what you can always do here for any of that, because you might be surprised if you come up with some completely unique idea. You might think of something you never thought of before.”
katie@durangoherald.com
For more information
Animas Trading Co., 742 Main Ave., 385-4526. Open 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday.
Sideshow Emporium, 208 County Road 250, (970) 739-4646. Open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday.
La Plata County Humane Society Thrift Store, 1111 S. Camino del Rio, 385-4322. Open 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday.
You can also pick up costume supplies at Beads and Beyond, 840 Main Ave., 247-1204. Winter hours: 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and noon-5 p.m. Sunday.
For more information about Snowdown, visit
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