Last year, my friend Polly and me were shopping for a Halloween costume when we came across this huge costume store. Inside were the most amazing costumes, and the owner had a catalog with more intense styles. We spent nearly two hours in the costume shop trying to pick out just one costume, and ended up with two, each.

With all the fun that Halloween is, it’s a surprise that more people don’t get involved by dressing up. A lot of people use excuses not to buy a costume for Halloween, but there are loads of reasons to buy one.

Halloween is the most fun part of the year. All other holidays are for family, but Halloween is about fun and letting go, being free. All year we dress a certain way for work, family meetings, dates etc. Halloween is a chance to be anything and dress anyway we want. So it’s no surprise that Halloween is so much fun.

Aren’t costumes really for kids? Pshaw, everything fun, on Halloween, happens at night; parties, haunted houses, midnight Rocky Horror Picture Shows. . The most fun costumes are the scariest or the ones you recognize; like Flash. Not many kids today can tell you who Flash was and what costume he wore. Candy is through being dispensed at 8pm and the kids are all in bed. Then it’s time for the real fun. If costumes were just for kids, then why are so many adult activities after 10 on Halloween night?

Costumes are expensive. Not anymore. You can buy a really elaborate costume for around $50. For less you can make your own costumes. You can even make “green” costumes by using natural ingredients, like instead of traditional adhesives try honey. Reuse old clothing and sheets as costumes. Have an old wedding dress? Zombie brides are great fun to dress up as.

Costumes are boring. Wow, you haven’t been shopping for a while. We found Little Red Riding Hood costumes with thigh high stockings and platform shoes. Or how about Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz with platform glittered shoes and petticoats? You name the costume and you can find it, even in sexy styles for Disney like Cinderella and Tinkerbell.

Costumes can only be worn once. This is patently untrue. There are tons of places that you can wear costumes to, including, if you purchase the right costume, the local Renaissance Fair. You can throw your own costume party to celebrate any occasion. And don’t forget that an especially sexy costume can improve your love life!

So last year, when Polly and I bought our costumes for Halloween, we ended up finding about three more reasons to wear them throughout the year. Including one interesting jaunt on a parade float. Like many other people, we made excuses for not buying them, but talked each other into the sale, and have been happy little Wendy and Belle ever since.

Maybe you can think of a hundred reasons to not wear a costume, but if you spend a little time you’ll realize the best reason to wear them is: they’re fun.