Paya Lebar Theatrical Costume Shop Open Daily From 10 am

Pan-In-The-Box sits in a ground-floor shop at unit #01-129 of Block 1015, Geylang East Avenue 3, close to Exit C of Paya Lebar MRT station, and it opens every day from 10 am to 8 pm. The shop describes itself as the first cosplay store in Singapore, dating from 2003, and today it mixes anime and character costumes with masquerade masks, horror props and stage makeup. Trying on is free, and pieces can be bought or rented.

The homepage tells the origin in one line: Pan-In-The-Box started in 2003 as the first cosplay store in Singapore. Its owners have taken the shop to the city's cosplay calendar, listing Cosplay Summit, Start-of-Year, Singapore Cosplay Club, COSFEST and End-of-Year among the events it has joined, and it points to an AsiaOne feature called Cosplay Craziness and a StarTrek News mention.

That convention background shapes the stock. Rather than the plastic-bagged costume sets of a party store, much of the floor is given to props and finishing pieces that cosplayers and drama groups use to sharpen a character, such as swords, shields, hats, badges and scar wax. The shop also supplies companies and schools for dinner and dance parties, Chinese New Year, Halloween and end-of-year events.

Masks are the shop's signature, and the homepage leads with a featured mask collection. Simple black or white Zorro-style masquerade masks are $5.00, black with gold or silver versions are $10.00, and the lace Side Lily Flower masks in black, red, pink or white are $18.00. Feathered butterfly masks in yellow, pink or white cost $15.00.

For a stage ball scene, the swan masquerade masks with feathers are the showpieces. The black, purple and red swans are $39.90, as are the black swans with gold or silver patterning, and the Venetian Lace Metal Masks are also $39.90. Horror fans will find a Friday the 13th Jason mask at $10.00, an alien mask at $12.00, a Squid Game mask at $10.00 and animal masks such as a lion at $9.00.

Small props are priced for a cast budget. A dagger costs $4.50, copper or silver medieval swords are $8.00 each and a copper talwar sword is $7.00. A soldier shield is $49.00, a bow and arrow set is $25.00, Freddy's claw glove is $15.00 and a set of two sheriff or police badges is $5.00. An Aladdin-style prop lamp is $5.90, which pairs with the costumes further along the rails.

Hats round out the uniform looks. Police hats are $15.00 and sailor captain hats are $16.00, a cowboy set of four pieces is $12.90 and a tiara is $12.90. For effects makeup, the shop sells scar wax at $10.00 and a set of three temporary scar tattoo stickers for stage makeup at $4.90, both handy for a zombie chorus.

The costume rails cover kids and adults. The adult Aladdin costume is $88.00 and the kids' version is $59.00. A Princess of Egypt for children costs $55.00 and a Cleopatra kids' costume $56.00, which makes a school pageant set easy to piece together. A Lovely Red Devil costume is $59.00, a scary white ghost costume is $42.00 and a purple kids' vampire is $52.00.

Two magician boy costumes, priced $49.00 and $54.00, cover a school-of-wizards scene, and a Police Boy outfit is $59.00. A Marine Boy costume is $63.00. Because trying on is free, it is worth bringing the performer rather than guessing the size from a measuring tape, especially for children who sit between two sizes.

The shop leans into Halloween each October, with lit pumpkins sold as photo-shoot and horror-theme decoration. A Pumpkin with Light 1 is $59.00 and two other lit pumpkin designs are $65.00 each, while a small Happy Halloween decoration is $4.50. An LED light toy machine gun at $39.00 is one of the louder props on the shelf.

Customer reviews on the homepage give a flavour of who shops here. One describes a group shopping for a horror short film that found unique items and helpful staff, and another, from an events veteran, praises bespoke service and quality accessories. The common thread is that the staff help you build a character from several small pieces rather than sell you one bag.

The unit is compact, so weekday mornings after the 10 am opening are the calmest time to try on several outfits. If you need something specific, ring the shop before you set out, since the contact page says emailed questions can take a few days to answer and suggests calling for anything urgent. The store also ships internationally for online orders.

Bring a list of the scene's characters and the number of performers. Mixing a few bought props with rented costumes can stretch a small production's budget, and the free fitting lets a director check movement on the spot, which matters for sword fights and dance numbers. A cape that looks right on a hanger can catch on a prop sword in the first rehearsal, and the shop floor is the cheapest place to find that out.

Leave Paya Lebar MRT by Exit C and the HDB blocks of Geylang East are a short walk. Geylang Serai Market, the long-standing hub of the Malay community in the east, is close by for nasi padang, kueh and textiles, and makes a good lunch stop either side of a fitting.

For a longer walk, head south through the shophouses of Joo Chiat, where the pastel Peranakan terraces of Koon Seng Road are a photo stop for anyone already in costume. Paya Lebar Quarter offers air-conditioned cafes and seating if the afternoon heat sets in.

Pan-In-The-Box, 1015 Geylang East Avenue 3 #01-129, Singapore 389730, near Paya Lebar MRT Exit C. Open daily from 10 am to 8 pm. Costumes can be bought or rented, and trying on is free. Masquerade masks start at $5.00 and swan feather masks are $39.90. The shop ships internationally for online orders.