Costume Accessories Shop in Singapore: Wigs, Boas, Masks

Costumes 'N' Parties runs a costume rental and accessories showroom on the second floor of Havelock II, at 2 Havelock Road, Singapore 059763, a short walk from Clarke Quay. The company calls it Singapore's largest costume rental shop and says the showroom holds over 20,000 costumes. For anyone who already has an outfit, the more useful part is the accessories wall: flapper headbands, feather boas, long gloves, period wigs and Halloween masks you can buy outright, so a rented dress or your own black clothes become a finished look.

The business has a longer history than most party shops in Singapore. Its own about page says it has been a fixture in the entertainment and party scene in Singapore and Malaysia since 1997, starting in a 300 sq ft shop at City Square shopping centre, on the second floor of the Crown Princess Hotel in Kuala Lumpur.

It expanded to Singapore in 2010 with a first showroom at 73 Kampong Bahru, opposite Singapore General Hospital. When that space became too tight for the stock, it moved to the current showroom at Havelock II, which now spans units #02-16 to #02-18. The company also claims to have been the first to offer online costume rental across South East Asia, and its site still runs orders around the clock.

Great Gatsby themes are a staple of company dinners and dinner-and-dance nights in Singapore, and the 1920s section is where this shop is strongest. A plain black flapper headband costs S$7.90, the cheapest way to signal the decade. Step up to the 1920s flapper headband with a gem in black and gold at S$20.90, or the black velvet and rhinestone headband at S$29.90, if you want something that holds up in close-up photos.

A black feather boa costs S$19.90 and does most of the work on a simple black dress. Black long polyester gloves are also S$19.90, and red satin fingerless gloves with rhinestones, 30cm long, are S$23.90. Put the three together with a string of pearls from home and you have a convincing flapper outfit without renting a dress at all.

If you also rent a beaded dress, try the headband with the dress on in the showroom before you pay. Headbands sit differently over long hair, short bobs and wigs, and the staff can suggest the style that suits your hair.

Decade parties need hair. The black 70s Farrah Fawcett wig costs S$43.90 and gives the feathered layers that are almost impossible to create with your own hair in one evening. The 80s Material Girl wig is S$39.90, for a Madonna look with lace gloves and layered necklaces.

Synthetic wigs at this level last for several parties if you store them in a hairnet or on a stand. Wear a wig cap underneath, keep heat tools away from the fibres, and brush gently from the ends upwards so the curls do not frizz.

For Halloween, the mask range runs from elegant to grim. The Authentic Maximus Venetian eye mask costs S$25.90 and suits a masquerade theme. The black cat eye mask is S$15.90, easy to wear all night because it only covers the eyes.

Horror fans will find full-head pieces. The Art the Clown mask, based on the Terrifier films, costs S$69.90, and the alien glow-in-the-dark mask is S$28.90, which looks best at a party with low lighting. A pirate sword prop is listed at S$8.00 in the rental section, a cheap extra for a pirate costume.

If you rent a costume rather than buy accessories, read the rental policy first. Rentals are calculated on a three-day period from the day the items go out, and you pay whether or not you wear them. Each late day is charged at the rental rate, and a refundable deposit can be used for unpaid rental, replacement or extra laundry.

Do not alter rented pieces. The policy charges S$25 per item for alterations, and iron-on or adhesive tape is not allowed. Heavily soiled costumes carry a minimum S$25 laundry fee, and lost or damaged items are charged at full replacement cost. Bought items can only be returned if they are wrong, defective or missing pieces, and you must contact the shop within 48 hours.

Ordering online is the alternative if you cannot reach the showroom during the week. The shop delivers within one to two days in Singapore and two to five days in Malaysia, and rented items have to be shipped back dry, so let a costume that got caught in the rain air out properly before you pack it. Anything not claimed on its collection day is forfeited for showroom customers, so turn up on the day you booked.

Halloween is the busiest season, so go early in the week and in the afternoon if you can, and take photos of any costume you like so you can compare options before deciding.

The showroom opens Monday to Friday from 11am to 8pm and Saturday from 11am to 6pm, and it is closed on Sundays and public holidays. That means a Halloween costume needed for a Sunday party should be collected on the Saturday at the latest, before the showroom closes.

Havelock II sits close to the Singapore River. After shopping, walk down to Robertson Quay and follow the riverside path towards Clarke Quay, past restaurants and bars that fill up in the evenings. Fort Canning Park, the hill park behind Clarke Quay with its old fort gate and spice garden, is a quieter green detour before dinner.

Chinatown is also within easy reach. Thian Hock Keng Temple on Telok Ayer Street, one of Singapore's oldest Hokkien temples, is a good stop for anyone who has never seen its carved roof and stone lions.

Costumes 'N' Parties is at Havelock II, units #02-16/17/18, 2 Havelock Road, Singapore 059763. Clarke Quay and Chinatown are the nearest MRT stations. All prices here come from the shop's website at costumes-n-parties.com. Ask Karpo in the Karpo APP for a riverside dinner nearby after your fitting.