The best thing to do with an old Halloween costume is to wash it, check every piece is there, and either sell it on while it is still in good condition or keep it for the next dressing-up occasion. Children's costumes are often worn once or twice before they are outgrown, so many of them have plenty of wear left, and another family will be glad of one that costs less than new.
Here is how to decide which costumes are worth selling, how to get them ready, and what to do with the rest.
Is it worth selling an old Halloween costume?
Usually, if it is clean, complete and still looks like what it is meant to be. Ask yourself three things:
- Is it complete? A witch costume without its hat, or a dinosaur without its tail, is harder to sell. Look for every piece before you list.
- Has it survived the night? Check for split seams, snapped elastic, Velcro that no longer grips, and fake blood or face paint that has not come out.
- Would you buy it? If you would be disappointed to receive it, so would a buyer.
How to get a costume ready to sell
Wash it first, following the care label. Printed details and glued trims often prefer a gentle or hand wash, and spot-clean only means exactly that.
Keep the original labels. The size label and care label are what a buyer checks first, and the size on the label is the one that counts. Under Rewear UK's Terms, a wrong size on the label is one of the reasons a buyer can report a piece as not as described, within 14 days of delivery. Never cut out a label to make a costume look newer.
Mend the small things, such as a loose button or a trim that has come away, and mention anything you could not fix. Then keep all the pieces together so nothing goes missing before posting.
What you can list on Rewear UK
Rewear UK is a marketplace for clothing, shoes, bags and accessories, plus new, unused beauty. That means the costume itself can be listed, along with costume hats, capes, tights and dressing-up shoes.
Leave out anything that is not clothing: plastic swords, wands, trick-or-treat buckets, light-up props and so on. The Terms do not allow items that are not clothing, footwear or an accessory, and they do not allow weapons. Leave out used face paint and make-up too.
For character costumes, describe them honestly. The Terms do not allow anything described with a brand it was not made by, so name the label that is actually in the costume, and describe the character in your own words.
How to photograph a costume
- Lay it flat on a plain background, with every piece in the shot.
- Add a close-up of the size label.
- Show any wear honestly, in its own photo.
A flat photo shows a costume perfectly well, so there is no need to photograph your child in it. If you do, they must be fully dressed: Rewear UK's photo checks refuse listing photos of children who are not.
How to list it so the right buyer finds it
On Rewear UK, list children's costumes under Kids > Fancy dress. There is an optional Style to choose: Halloween, World Book Day, Nativity, Superheroes, Princesses, Animals & dinosaurs or Historical. In the title, say what it is and the age range, for example "Black cat costume with ears and tail, age 5-6". Kids' sizes on Rewear UK are age ranges, from 0-3 months to 11-12 years. Fancy dress has no measurement boxes, but a length in centimetres in the description helps a parent check the fit, because costume sizes vary a lot between makers.
Choose the condition carefully. "New with tags" means unworn with the tags still attached, "Very good" means worn a few times with no flaws, and "Good" means worn with minor signs of wear.
How much to sell a used Halloween costume for
There is no fixed price, but a few things make the decision easier:
- Look at what similar costumes are listed for on the Kids' fancy dress pages, in the same condition and size.
- Price below new. A buyer choosing second-hand expects to pay noticeably less than the shop price.
- Price the whole set, not the parts: a complete costume is what buyers want.
- Remember the buyer pays buyer protection of 30p + 3% on top, so the price you set is the price you are paid.
If you are clearing several costumes, a bundle helps. On Rewear UK, a buyer who takes two or more pieces from you in one order pays delivery once, and you can set a bundle discount in Edit profile that is taken off automatically. Siblings' costumes, or a costume with a matching outfit, often go together.
You can also accept, decline or ignore offers, so it is fine to start a little higher and see what comes in.
When is the best time to sell a costume?
Soon after Halloween, while the costume is clean and you know where every piece is. A costume listed now is ready for the next party or school dress-up day.
A costume that is not obviously spooky, such as an animal, a superhero or a storybook character, can also suit World Book Day in March or a Christmas nativity, so choose the style and title with that in mind.
What to do with costumes that will not sell
- Keep a dressing-up box. Worn costumes are ideal for play at home.
- Pass them on. Some schools and community groups run costume swaps, especially before World Book Day.
- Donate the good ones. Check with your local charity shop first, as not all of them take fancy dress.
- Recycle what is worn out, at a textile bank that accepts clothing.