If you have already started to plan this year's Halloween costume, you might have taken some time to look in a costume store or two or check out the selections online. A major part of the costume industry includes Halloween masks. A popular part of Halloween celebrations, Halloween masks are not the answer to everyone's costume needs. Here is a look at the good and bad of this Halloween accessory.

The good

One of the best aspects of Halloween masks is that they disguise who you are quite thoroughly. Whether you choose a Halloween mask that covers your entire face and head, or just a portion, the final effect of either is that it alters the shape of you face. This can make it even more difficult to recognize you than it would be with merely face paint.

Another positive of Halloween masks is that they are very simple to use. If you paint your face, you will need a good deal of time, patience, and some artistic talent to get the right effect. With a Halloween mask, you simply slip it on and you are ready to go.

Masks can also be an inexpensive costume idea. By wearing a solid colored outfit and slipping on a mask, you can instantly become the character that the mask represents – other accessories are optional. You can even combine Halloween masks with your everyday clothing to become a zombie doctor, a cat who is a chef, or other unique idea.

The bad

Halloween masks can be dangerous if they are worn improperly. Special care should be taken to make sure that the mask does not block your vision or your breathing. This is particularly true with children's costumes, since an improperly fitting mask could cause them to injure themselves while out trick or treating. You will want to try the mask on to make sure that it fits properly before wearing it on Halloween night. Remove masks when driving to ensure that you are able to see properly.

Halloween masks can also be hot, so if your Halloween evening will be spent in a warmer climate or a crowded party room you may become uncomfortable rather quickly. If you feel that you are overheating, remove your mask. Also make sure that you drink plenty of water during your Halloween celebrations.

While Halloween masks can be an inexpensive alternative to a full costume, they can also become quite pricey. The more detailed a mask is, the higher the price tag will often be. So if you are on a budget, you may have to settle for a less detailed Halloween mask, or an alternative like face painting, to achieve a similar effect.

Halloween masks can be an excellent addition to your Halloween costume, but they are not the perfect solution for everyone. Only you can decide if this Halloween accessory is right for you. If you purchase a mask and decide later on that it is not as comfortable or as safe as you would like, you can also use it as a creepy way to decorate your home.

What would Halloween be without all the costume parties? "Dress up as your favorite ghost or ghoul" says the invitation card. Then we have to answer the age-old question: "What should I go as?" Irrespective of whether we are horror movie fans, there is no denying that we all enjoy the idea of scaring other people. Halloween allows us to go about scaring people without being reprimanded in return. From children to senior citizens, we all love to dress up as our favorite ghouls. On the night of October 31 every year, our peaceful streets become infested by characters that seem to have walked right out of horror movies. It is like A Nightmare on Elm Street in real life.

Dressing up for Halloween is usually quite difficult. But it can also be one of the easiest things ever. Stitch up the sides of a big wide bed sheet, cut out two holes for the eyes, and a ghost costume shall be all ready for you. Of course, that could be simplifying things more than a little, unless one really wants to be a ghost. For the more complicated outfits, one can simply walk over to a costume rental store and choose the ideal costume.

There are so many outfits that you could choose from. You could go as a witch with a broom or as a zombie. You could buy one of those skeleton costumes where the bones are painted in luminous colors. The point is to look frightening. The question is how far would you go? These days, it is quite a bit easy to locate the perfect costume. Costume stores have costumes for people of all ages. So even if you want to stay away from looks out of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, you would still have many looks to choose from. Superhero movies usually provide a great deal of inspiration when it comes to halloween costumes.

However, just the clothes will not complete your look. You need halloween masks as well. Luckily, these days one can buy really realistic-looking halloween masks. So if you are looking forward to making a grand entrance dressed as a zombie, don't worry about finding the perfect make-up. There are bound to be terrific zombie masks to satisfy your need for blood and gore. Moreover, with the development of silicon masks that bear a closer resemblance to human flesh, halloween costumes have become very realistic. Halloween costume parties just became a lot more fun.

Each year a new batch of halloween costumes becomes popular. There are perennial favorites this time of year, like witches, ghosts and monsters. But popular culture is always reflected in people's Halloween costume choices.

For the fifth year in a row, people around the country will be showing supporting the troops by dressing up as soldiers. A soldier costume, whether pieced together from an army surplus store or purchased ready-made at a costume shop, is a popular choice. Men and boys alike can use this easy costume idea.

The phrase “everything old is new again” certainly applies to the next Halloween costume trend: the 80's. Fashion and hairstyles from the 1980s now have retro appeal and make terrific costumes. Teens and young adults especially enjoy dressing up in retro 80's goth costumes, or 80's punk costumes. Acid-wash jeans, glam makeup and lots of “big hair” make the perfect 80's wear for women who want to relive their teen days.

Politicians are always popular costume choices, and even more so this year as we are 13 months away from the next election. Men can choose from one of several George W. Bush masks. Political front runners Barack Obama and John Edwards are also likely costume choices. Women who want to get in on this costume trend can dress like Hilary Clinton or Condoleeza Rice.

The Simpsons made the leap from T.V. to the big screen this year, so costumes of the characters will be a big hit this season. Dressing like Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie would be great for a family of 5. Dressing like any one of the other characters, like Mr. Burns, Patty, Selma, Moe or Barney will be popular as well.

For the kids, there were plenty of feature films to draw costume inspiration from. Harry Potter and Spiderman, both popular costume choices in previous years, made their return to the big screen. Harry Potter's trademark glasses, robes and a wand are going to be popular this year, as well as costumes that depict his many friends and foes at Hogwart's school.

Spiderman has always been a popular costume, but this year the costume of his enemy Venom may be just as popular. This “black” version of Spiderman will probably sell out quickly. The other Spiderman 3 foes, Sandman and the New Goblin, will be popular picks as well.

Transformers was a summer blockbuster, and you can bet that Transformer costumes will be a hit this year. Optimus Prime, Megatron and Jazz costumes will be on the top of many boys' lists.

For the girls, the Disney Princess and Disney Fairy costumes will be as popular as ever. Dressing like one of the enchanted Princesses of the Disney movies will always be a little girl's dream come true. The new Fairies line features costumes that are just as delightful for little girls.

The movie “Hairspray” has inspired a flashback to 60's dance wear. Girls, teens and even their moms will be dressing up like they are going to sockhop. Full skirts, crisp white shirts and bouffant hairstyles will be in style this Halloween.

No matter what type of costume you're looking for, there are plenty of popular choices for 2007 for every member of your family.

Masks have mesmerized people from all different cultures and countries from the time of the ancients until this modern day. Masks have been used for many different reasons, from religious rituals, theater to the delightful play of children. Although, many masks are still used today in all these different ways one of the most popular reasons for wearing a mask is in celebration of Samhain, Halloween and magnificent masquerade balls. Masks have such a whimsical allure that you will find many antique masks on display throughout many countries of the world.

For some people, when they begin to determine what they would like to dress up as for Halloween, may start with their costume and then go about choosing just the right mask to accentuate their Halloween costume, while others will first choose their halloween mask and then build their costume around it. Since everyone is different, neither of these choices is better than the other when it comes to choosing a halloween mask and accessories. In other words, choose your Halloween costume and mask in the manner that best fits your needs.

halloween masks add both excitement and mystery to your costume while being wonderful accessories. However, while choosing the perfect halloween mask you should know that some of the most realistic looking ones are the latex masks. When choosing a latex mask you can be just about anything from an alien, animal or insects. You may also choose from a wide assortment of halloween masks that include your favorite television shows, movies and cartoon characters.

Unless of course you would rather show up in a scary mask while trick or treating, door to door or simply enjoying time with friends and family while carving a Halloween pumpkin, there are so many to choose from. Such as Jason or Freddie masks as well as a large and wonderful assortment of goblins, ghouls, corpses and creepy clowns. Although, we should not forget the classics like Frankenstein, werewolves, zombies, ghosts as well as Presidents, goons, monsters and other masks of mayhem.

There are also witches, wizards, pirates and Mardi Gras masks. Old men and women masks are also popular as well as going to a haunted house wearing a Game Face sports ball mask. Although, you may also choose a halloween mask that is not so frightful such as queens, kings, princess, angels, fairies, unicorns and dragons.

Therefore, you see there are many different kinds of halloween masks such as these and so many more. Whether you choose to wear a theater mask or a bush mask, you will be able to enjoy October 31 while wearing your favorite holiday fashions as you masquerade about on All Hallows Eve.

You may be interested to know the most popular halloween masks for children last year were, Princess, Pirates, Witch, Spider-Man, Superman and Disney Princess as well as Power Rangers, Pumpkins, Cats and Vampires. The most popular masks for adults last year were the Witch, Pirate, Vampire, Cat, Clown as well as the Fairy, Gypsy, Superhero, Ghost and Ghoul. This means that there is a wide variety of choices on the market when considering a halloween mask and accessories. However, you should also keep in mind that if you wait to long that all the great halloween masks will be picked over quickly, so if you are in the mood for celebrating Halloween by wearing a mask, you should start early.

Halloween is a fun time of year, especially if you love making craft projects. Homemade Halloween craft projects can range from the very simple Halloween paper crafts, to an elaborate display. If the whole family is going to participate in making Halloween decorations, then you should plan way ahead of time and know exactly what items you’ll need to create all the spooky critters and creatures that will adorn your home.

It’s a good idea to buy either plastic drawer organizers, and/or storage boxes to keep all of the common tools and craft supplies you’ll be using--all in an easy-to-find place. Do your shopping early so that you’ll have plenty of time to find everything you’ll need. It’s also a good idea to keep specific items in separate compartments or boxes and label them clearly.

Here is a list of craft supplies and tools you may want to have on hand:

Tools

** Art brushes ** Craft knife ** Decorative edge craft scissors ** Dressmaker’s wheel ** Foam Paintbrushes ** Hot glue gun and glue sticks ** Kitchen knife ** Hole punch with a heart, star, or other designs ** Paintbrushes ** Palette knife or plastic knife ** Paper scissors ** Pinking shears ** Pencils and ballpoint pens ** Rubber mallot

Supplies

** Acetate film ** Acrylic craft paint ** Cardboard ** Clear acrylic sealer ** Colored construction paper ** Decorative grommets ** Double-sided tape ** Epoxy adhesive ** Flexible jewelry wire ** Foam-core board ** Liquid fabric stiffener ** Magnetic tape ** Masking tape (regular and black) ** Manilla paper ** Poster board (especially black) ** Rubber bands ** Scrap paper and old newspapers ** Sharp-tipped markers ** Snaps ** Spray adhesive ** Spray matte finish ** Tacking glue ** Tracing paper ** Transfer or carbon paper ** White paper glue

Decorations

** Artificial gemstones ** Attachable alphabetical letters ** Battery operated tea lights ** Beads ** Buttons ** Cheesecloth ** Christmas lights ** Craft sticks ** Flat stick-on foamies ** Foam plastic balls and 3D shapes ** Glitter ** Googly eyes ** Liquid beads ** Microbeads ** Mosaic tiles ** Pipe cleaners ** Plastic bugs and other critters ** Polyfill webbing ** Pompoms ** Preformed cardboard shapes ** Ribbon ** Sequins ** Taper, tea, votive candles