Spooktacular costumes

Choosing a cool costume is one of the hardest parts of Halloween. But even if you've waited until the last minute, you don't have to settle for whatever's left in stores.

Thanks to ideas that have been gathered in the Halloween Costume Closet at Fabric Link's Web site (www.fabriclink.com/closet-2.html #Costumes), any family can easily and inexpensively create drop-dead costumes - from a Harry Potter look-alike to a slime creature. You may not even need a needle and thread since you can have 14 no-sew suggestions e-mailed to you.

Randy Gardell, a Hollywood costume designer, suggests scouring thrift shops for articles. "They're chock-full of unusual items that can be mixed, matched, and dyed to create a unique costume," he says.

For tips on taking great photographs of your kids in their costumes, see www.nyip.com/tips/topic_halloween99. html. And for a quick course in pumpkin carving, visit www. pumpkin-carving.com.

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