Harry Potter Fever!

Are you ready? Can you feel it?

With the Harry Potter Movie coming out next month (July 11, 2007) and the final installment of the Harry Potter books by J.K. Rowling being released on July 21, 2007, the fever is high and the anticipation is thick. So much is in the news about Harry Potter, the boy wizard. Never before has a simultaneous movie and book release caused so much pop culture hub bub. Kudos to J.K. Rowling, one of the most creative authors in the universe and one of the luckiest women in the world. Like Harry Potter, she has her own rags to riches story herself, which is amazing. Her creativity and writing talent has transformed her from a struggling single mom to one of the richest women in England. Not bad for a muggle, eh?

You can get in on all the wizarding action by dressing up in costume. AnniesCostumes.com has Harry Potter costumes and Gryffindor robes so that you can also dress as Hermoine Granger, Ron Weasley or your favorite Hogwarts student!

Fans of comics, anime and science fiction gather for Supercon in Ft. Lauderdale, FL.

According to a Miami Herald article on Florida Supcon, “Villains, heroes and other staples of the animated universe were out in force Sunday, the final day of the third annual Florida Supercon convention at the Fort Lauderdale Marriott North.” Almost 3,000 were expected to attend the three-day event.

Sandra Botero of St. Petersburg, dressed as Wonder Woman, and George West, 640 AM Mantalk morning entertainment reporter, horse around at Florida Supercon on Sunday. A member of the League of Villains, Botero was contemplating a wardrobe change into one of her naughtier comic book personae, Catwoman.

Vendors sold classic comic books, ornate swords, costume contact lenses and more. Britani Farley, 20, and her boyfriend Shayank Lopez, 19, of Palm City, dressed as Zelda and Link from the video game The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. ''I love dressing up,'' said Farley. “It's like being a celebrity for a day.'' Fellow League of Villains member Ryan Kennemore, 29, of Cumming, Ga., was dressed as Robin in a yellow cape and black mask. Kennemore said she was in greater demand on Saturday, however, when she showed up dressed as Harley Quinn, the Joker's girlfriend.

''Anybody can be a hero,'' Kennemore said. "It takes work to be a villain.''
You can dress like either one you choose, with costumes and accessories from Annies Costumes.

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The Extreme Halloween Network is made up of 11 websites with costumes and costume related merchandise for Halloween as well as all year round. You will have access to all of these websites with just one program.

While AnniesCostumes.com is one of the most visited web sites in the world during the months of September and October; we also have web sites that cater to every other holiday as well as year round steady sales.

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Easier to Ship Costumes to Canada Now!

We are proud to announce that we've made it easier and less expensive to send costumes to Canada. You can now order from www.anniescostumes.com or any of the 13 sites in the Extreme Halloween Network and ship any order for the flat rate of $25.00 US. This is for our new Global Priority Service. We still offer the Global Express shipping for $50, if you need it faster. Visit www.anniescostumes.com/canadiancostumes.htm for more info on shipping costumes and costume accessories to Canada.

Celebrate The Fourth in Costume

Independence Day has a way of sneaking up on us, so be prepared and order your costumes, hats, beads and other red, white and blue items soon!











AnniesCostumes.com features Fourth of July costumes for children and adults. Some of the costumes available are Uncle Sam, Lady Liberty, Ms. Sam as well as other patriotic costumes: presidential masks, and American History Hero costumes.


You can also celebrate the Fourth with our masks, hats and costume accessories.




Since July 4th is a national holiday, UPS will not be delivering on Wednesday, July 4th, so take that into account with any last minute ordering and shipping.





For delivery by July 3rd:







Last day to order and choose ground shipping is Tuesday, June 26th by 3pm EST

Last day to order and choose 3rd day shipping is Thursday, June 28th by 3pm EST

Last day to order and choose 2nd day shipping is Friday, June 29th by 3pm EST

And the last day to order for delivery before the Fourth of July is Monday, July 2nd and choose next day air by 3pm EST.

For any questions, please contact our customer service department toll free at 1-877-413-8747 or direct 954-926-5656






We want YOU to have a Happy Fourth of July! Please have a happy, festive and safe holiday; and remember, IT'S ALWAYS MORE FUN IN COSTUME!

New Power Ranger Costumes Just In!

Believe it or not, this is the 15th anniversary of the Power Ranger television show. Yes, these colorful costumed heroes have been a TV fixture for 15 years now. Power Rangers and Power Ranger Costumes are familiar to many. They especially appeal to toddlers in the 2 to 4 year old range. The TV show is always a battle between good and evil with the Power Rangers ever the heroes battling evil villains. In the Operation Overdrive series, the five brave teens embark on a world wide treasure hunt in search of the five lost jewels from the Crown of the Gods. You can make your dress up heroes very happy with the newest version of the Power Ranger Operation Overdrive costumes available at www.anniescostumes.com/chpower.htm

We carry Operation Overdrive costumes in toddler, small, medium and large sizes for kids in red, blue, black and pink colors. At the time of this post we have the regular costumes in stock (pictured above). The deluxe versions of the costumes will be in stock very soon.

Harrison Ford Is Indy Again!

Mr. Jones! Mr. Jones!

Here is our first look at Harrison Ford in his Indiana Jones costume on the set of the much anticipated Indiana Jones 4 movie. Very handsome, Mr. Jones! According to the Slash Film website, this photo was snapped by Spielberg himself. Last Monday, June 18th was the first day of shooting on the set; for a first look at what's new and what's the same, check out the short first day of shooting video posted on the Official Indiana Jones website by Director Steven Spielberg. The Internet Movie Database (http://www.imdb.com/) has the movie release date as May 22, 2008. Also starring in the Fourth Installment of the Indiana Jones movie series is Shia LaBouf. Who seems to have struck it big as the newest Hollywood movie golden boy, quite lucky and quite deserving as well. Not many young actors get 3 hit movies in one summer. (Disturbia, Surf's Up, & Transformers)

Get your own Indiana Jones fedora at www.AnniesCostumes.com/hat2.htm

Dark Knight Joker Photo Update

Thanks to trevor and kidpogo95's comments, they let me know that I had posted the wrong picture of the Joker. Sorry!!!!The picture I posted was evidently a photoshopped photo of a different actor and was not Heath Ledger at all. So, here is the REAL picture of Heath Ledger as the Joker! I see there are all kinds of fake Joker pics all over the internet, so I guess it stands true that you can't believe everything you see on the internet!



So here you go, one scary Joker pic coming up:

More on the Fab New Bat Suit!

The next in the series of Batman movies is called "The Dark Knight" and is set to be released July 18, 2008. Visionary filmmaker Christopher Nolan's sequel to the highly successful "Batman Begins," sees Batman (Christian Bale) as he raises the stakes in his war on crime. With the help of Lieutenant Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman) and District Attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart), Batman sets out to dismantle the remaining criminal organizations that plague the city streets. The partnership proves to be effective, but they soon find themselves prey to a reign of chaos unleashed by a rising criminal mastermind known to the terrified citizens of Gotham as 'The Joker'(Heath Ledger).

Hmmm . . .Heath Ledger as The Joker. I have to admit, that has me a bit worried, but I am a Heath Ledger fan, so I am optimistic that he can do the character justice and make it interesting. I wonder what they will make The Joker costume like, though.

Ok, evidently a quick search on the internet just ended my wait and my worry! Check this out:

Yes, that is Heath Ledger as the Joker! Bravo! This pic came from a message board called HolyCow.com and I say, Holy Cow is right - very cool looking, very cool indeed. The next Batman film is reported to be a little darker and this image goes right along with that theme.

Now, I have to explain the reason for my initial trepidation is because the new Joker in the cartoon series looks like this:

and I just couldn't picture Heath Ledger as that! But now that I see what he will look like, I am quite pleased! Counting the days til July 18, 2008 . . . Plus, that's my husband's birthday!
Yeah Birthday Movie!!! : )

Ok, now onto this new Batman costume.

EW.com has some first insight at the new Batsuit that Christian Bale will don in this next installment of the caped crusader flicks. Costume designer Lindy Hemming shared the lowdown on the new and improved costume with Jeff Jenson of EW. Here are some excerpts from his online article:

ABOUT THE COSTUME:

HEAD GAMES Ever wonder why movie Batmans rarely turn their horned heads? It's because the cowls of past suits were firmly attached to the neck and shoulders of the costume — necessary to maintain that iconic silhouette and to prevent the actor from moving around inside the mask. The new headpiece — modeled after a motorcycle helmet — is separate from the neck, so star Christian Bale can now swivel his noggin side to side, or nod up and down. ''It was the hardest part of the suit to make,'' says Hemming.

CAPE FEAR Don't bother asking. ''It's top secret,'' says Hemming. Meaning...? ''Let's just say things happen to the cloak.''

BLADES OF GLORY The razors on Batman's forearms are actually part of the suit. (His gloves tuck into the sleeves of the suit.) They're retractable, and yep, they're weapons. ''They shoot at people!'' says Hemming with a Jokersesque laugh.

RAW MATERIAL The new suit is made of 200 individual pieces of rubber, fiberglass, and nylon and metallic mesh. Bruce Wayne's work duds now have a stylish texture, suggesting they're made with sophisticated new technology. ''I thought it would make it more interesting to look at and wonder about,'' says Hemming, adding that the stretchy rubber lines also help bind the costume to Bale's body.

I agree with Adam Rogers, who posted info on the new Batman Costume on his blog: Underwired. The black suit is slick and looks really great. The new changes and upgrades are clever and much more realistic than past versions of the costume. A genius vigilante like Bruce Wayne just wouldn't run around Gotham in tights, its not safe and its not practical either. Now, a suit of armor with all the latest tricks and gadgets, that's Batman!

So, as for being able to dress in a replica of this new costume, hopefully we will be able to get the costumes in stock in time for the movie release next year. I know that the manufacturer with the license, Rubies Costume Co. will make an innovative replica of this new awesome suit. I just hope they can do it in time for the release. Either way, the new Batman costume will definitely be available for Halloween 2008. I am sure they will design a new deluxe replica close to the costume worn in the movie - that will be exciting, and I will keep you posted. In the mean time, if you need your own Batman costume fix, visit AnniesCostumes.com for your Batman costumes and costume accessories.

See you next time . . . Same Bat Time, Same Bat Channel! : )

Just Announced: Most Popular Halloween Costumes for 2007!

ExtremeHalloween.com's
Top 10 Halloween Costumes for Kids

Lady Bug - Adorable Infant Size 12 - 24 months

Dronkey - Shrek the 3rd (baby of Donkey & Dragon)

Dorothy - Classic Girl's Costume from the Wizard of Oz

Hip Punk Pirate - She's hip, she's punk & she's a pirate!

Disney's Cinderella - don't forget the glass slippers

Fairy Witch - cast a spell on all the boys

Spiderman Black Suit - friendly neighborhood Spiderman?

Captain Jack Sparrow - charismatic & charming even when he's up to no good!

Anakin Skywalker - use the force, get candy

Optimus Prime - More Than Meets the Eye

Just Announced: Most Popular Halloween Costumes for 2007!

ExtremeHalloween.com's
Top 10 Halloween Costumes For Adults

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• Elizabeth Swan Costume (Pirates of The Caribbean - At World's End)

• Vixen Pirate Wench (Our #1 Selling Woman's Costume is Back!)

• Queen Gorgo White Dress (The 300)

• Sexy Marie Playboy Costume (Playboy Costumes Modeled by "The Girls Next Door")

• Bettie Page Costume (The 1940's Pin Up Queen is here for Halloween!)

• Darth Vader Deluxe Costume (Hottest Selling Star Wars Character of All Time)

• Captain Jack Sparrow (A Pirate's Life for You)

• Caveman Mask & White Leisure Suit (It's so easy to wear this costume, a caveman can do it!)

• The 300 Spartans (Umm, can you say sexy?)

• The Comical Cow (Hysterically funny especially if there is a whole herd)

Fantastic Four Box Office & Costume News

Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer won the box office race this weekend; coming in at #1 with a huge Domestic Sales Total of $63,948,392 as of Jun. 18, 2007. This total, according to the Box Office Mojo website: http://www.boxofficemojo.com/ beats the opening weekend of the first Fantastic Four movie.

According to the IMDB website (http://www.imdb.com/) this is only the debut of the Silver Surfer, he gets his own movie in 2009. And joins the many comic book characters and super hero movies that are planned in the near future. Check out this list of planned upcoming Marvel projects.

I, for one am really excited about all of these upcoming releases. I love all the super hero movies - the action, the sci- fi and rescuing damsels in distress all appeal to me in movie terms. Plus, it makes me happy since these blockbuster movies also usually lead into blockbuster costume sales. So, check out our Fantastic Four costumes for kids and adults and also check out our entire list of super hero & comic book character costumes too!

As far as the costumes onthe set, Jessica Alba reports to the Malaysia Sun website that her skin tight costume for the Invisible Woman was quite uncomfortable. Oh, the price we women pay to look good- and that is exactly what she does!

Bale’s New Batsuit Unveiled

With every new Batman film there is a new costume, and the upcoming Batman movie, The Dark Knight, scheduled for release in 2008 is no different. According to a recent article on the new batman costume, the suit is made of 200 pieces of rubber, fiberglass, nylon, and metallic mesh. His gloves tuck into the sleeves of the suit, and the blades on his arms are retractable and can even shoot at people.

With a diverse set of suits worn in the Batman films, everyone has their favorite. While this new suit is definitely distinct from the one worn in Batman Begins, it has not taken the dramatic leap in transformation that previous bat suits have. See Batman costumes and accessories at Annies Costumes.

Fantasitc Four Movie Release Today

The Fantastic Four movie sequel Rise of the Silver Surfer hit theaters today. You can visit the official website: http://www.fantasticfourmovie.com/ and check out the awesome special effects of the web design. It is the latest in a long series of super hero movies to be made in live action format. So, of course, AnniesCostumes.com carries licensed costumes for the movie that are authentic replicas of the movies worn in the movies by Jessica Alba, Ioan Gruffudd, Chris Evans, Michael Chiklis, and Julian McMahon. Currently in stock are Adult Size Mr. Fantastic Costume, Adult Size Dr. Doom costume, Child Size Mr. Fantastic Costume, Child Size The Thing Costume, and Child Size Dr. Doom Costume.

Star Wars Anniversary Costumes Tribute

Celebrate Star Wars 30th Anniversary with Star Wars Costumes

Annies Costumes is in the news this week with our tribute to George Lucas' masterpieces in Sci-Fi movie history. See our full story here.

Star Wars costumes have evolved along side the series of movies over the past 30 years. The pioneering Star Wars costumes were plastic with flimsy plastic masks. As the Star Wars films continued and they built up a larger fan base, the next lines of Star Wars costumes closer to what we see today but they were plain and the tunics or jumpsuits were made with inexpensive polyester fabrics without finished seams. Shortly after, Star Wars costumes were reinvented with screen printed details on the tunics and jumpsuits.

Now, as the George Lucas classic celebrates its 30th Anniversary, hot Star Wars costumes entice Star Wars fanatics everywhere. The fabrics are better quality, more like clothing textiles with finished seams and molded features instead of screen printing. The more prominent Star Wars costumes include latex or vinyl belts, gloves, boot covers, latex or sturdy PVC plastic marks and even light sabers.

"Along with the development of better costumes have come new additions for each movie release in the form of new characters, new sizes and new accessories," said Shari McConahay, Vice President of Annie's Costumes. "We now carry Star Wars costumes for children, adults, babies and even pets. And the masks and accessories help fans get that polished, authentic look of each of the movies."

Star Wars Costumes for Adults

Star Wars Costumes for Children

Star Wars Costume Accessories

Star Wars Masks Star Wars Pet Costumes

Visit Us On Myspace!

Introducing our fabulous new MySpace Page: www.myspace.com/anniescostumes

Please drop by and visit our page with flashy videos and fun costume & Halloween related topics. The site is changing daily as it is updated by Our Super Sophie.

Sophie is usually known as "Sophie Super Seller" since she is one of our senior customer service reps and she is great at helping customers with their orders. Since summer is a slow time for the phone, she has been working on Annies Costumes' MySpace page in between the phone calls. So, now that she has totally pimped out our MySpace Page, I have re-named her just plain: Super Sophie!

So, come and check it out, add us to your MySpace Friends list and keep checking back often for new items and special costume deals!

Catherine Zuber Wins Tony for Best Costumes

Congrats to Ms. Catherine Zuber who took home the Tony Award for her beautiful costume designs on The Coast of Utopia. The Coast of Utopia, a play currently running at The Lincoln Center Theater in NY, was written by Tom Stoppard and nominated for 10 Tony Awards. The popular play was awarded 7 Tony awards on Sunday night, including the Tony Award for costume design.
The Coast of Utopia is actually a trilogy which features 44 actors playing 70 roles, covering three decades of Russian life and history. In the mid-19th century as revolution swept across Europe, a group of Russian intellectuals, journalists, critics, philosophers, poets, and their friends tried to topple the Tsar. Stoppard’s epic follows these men and women over 30 years, as their intertwined lives, passions and dreams drive them in pursuit of perfection. (more)And in related entertainment news, articles and blogs is all the buzz about the Soprano's Series Finale and how Tony Soprano "whacked" the Tony Awards. The two shows competed for viewers in the same time slot Sunday night and while final ratings won't be available until Tuesday, it looks like the Tony Awards fell to the lowest ratings until at least 1992. I seriously doubt an HBO show has ever beat a network in ratings - wow that says a lot for the Soprano's Series and its effect on pop culture. Well, it can be said that the two shows each had an ending that affected many people the same way - some were very happy with the ending and some were very upset.

Retailers 'Won't Make a Penny' On New Harry Potter Book

According to a Reuters news article, many retailers will struggle to turn a profit from the release of the final Harry Potter book, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" in July, because of the deep discounts needed to be competitive. Online retailer Amazon.com and Wal-Mart Stores Inc. have slashed nearly 50 percent off the book's $34.99 list price, forcing many independent booksellers to follow suit to stay competitive. Barnes & Noble Inc. and Borders Group Inc., the world's largest booksellers, are selling it at 40 percent off. Scholastic Corp., the U.S. publisher of the "Potter" series, is planning to release a record-breaking 12 million copies of "Deathly Hallows," so retailers expect no problems getting inventory.

Click here for Harry Potter costumes and accessories at Annies Costumes, including robes, brooms, wizard hats, owls and more.

Time to Think About Halloween Costumes

Hello to All My Blog Readers,

I need your help and would greatly appreciate your input in our annual list of the Top Halloween Costumes. You can see last year's list here: www.extremehalloween.com/tophalloween.htm as well as links to previous years' lists. We always break them down in to different costume categories. This summer's blockbuster movies are a giant influence on which costumes will be the most popular this year, so most of this summers' movie characters will make the list. (Of course, providing that the costume manufacturers have licensed and produced them.) So, please post comments and let us know what you all think and what you would like to wear this year!

Thanks for your input,
Shari : )

Hepburn's Movie Costume Auctioned for $192,000

Audrey Hepburn's Dress from Breakfast at Tiffany's Sold at Auction

The English.eastday.com web site reports Hepburn's film costume auctioned for $192,000. A pink cocktail dress worn by Audrey Hepburn in the 1961 film "Breakfast at Tiffany's" was auctioned for 192,000 U.S. dollars in New York on Wednesday, more than six times its estimated value. The sleeveless dress, worn for the scene in which Holly Golightly discovers her brother has died, went to a private European buyer, Christie's auction house said in a statement.
The more famous little black dress Hepburn wore in the film sold for more than $800,000 dollars in London last year.

Among other lots in Wednesday's memorabilia auction was Marilyn Monroe's script for "Something's Got To Give," with the actress' handwritten notes, which sold for 19,200 dollars.

A costume worn by Barbra Streisand in the 1968 film "Funny Girl" went for 33,600 dollars.

Celebrating 30 Years of Star Wars

Its hard to believe that it has been 30 years since I saw Star Wars at the drive in. My little brother had just been born, but my parents, die hard sci fi fans, would not miss the premiere. I was only 4, but I remember it vividly. Star Wars - now renamed Star Wars Episode IV - A new Hope was first released on May 25, 1977.

That was just the beginning of the Star Wars memories. My brother and I were always playing games as Luke and Leia. And growing up in this industry, we always had a supply of costumes and props to play with! I don't know how many countless hours I spent trying to make "Princess Leia" braids in my hair. The costumes available now are much better and more elaborate than they were back in the day.

Thirty years ago no one had a clue of the saga to come and the staying power of this story and these characters. “We’re really planning the next 30 years of Star Wars,” said Tom Warner, senior director of marketing for Lucasfilm Ltd. “Star Wars is one of the most popular and enduring entertainment franchises in the world, and there’s no better time than the 30th anniversary to look ahead to the future of that galaxy far, far away.”

Star Wars Costumes for Adults

Star Wars Costumes for Children

Star Wars Costume Accessories

Star Wars Masks

Star Wars Pet Costumes

Among Star Wars fans, it is very common to hear their recalls of the first time they saw Star Wars. The Blogger News Network reporter calls that the day that adults and children alike fell in love with a galaxy far, far away. Over the years, Star Wars fans have been delighted by the phenomenon and have celebrated its wonderful characters in many forms. From Halloween Costumes to are favorite lines, how many times have you said “Luke, I am your father”?

To commemorate the anniversary, the U.S. Postal Service has released a set of 15 Star Wars stamps. The stamps are issued as a single sheet resembling a movie poster, and feature both main characters and space ships like the Millennium Falcon — arguably a character in its own right.

The LAist web site features a Star Wars 30th Anniversary Celebration: Wrap-Up with pictures of fans dressed in some of the best and most creative Star Wars costumes I have seen.

5 Week Countdown for Harry Potter Fans

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is set to premier on July 11 in the US - only 5 weeks away!

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is the fifth fantasy adventure film in the popular Harry Potter films series, based on the novel by J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

With only 5 weeks away, get your Harry Potter gear now! Whether you want the Harry Potter Quidditch Robe, Harry Potter Gryffindor Robe, Harry Potter School Robe, or the Harry Potter Dementor - we have it all.

Check out:

• Harry Potter costumes for adults
• Harry Potter costumes for children
• Harry Potter hats and accessories