I love attending parties, whether they are formal or themed events. It’s one of the times when I can take a break completely from our sometimes exhausting world.

But, like every other person, I sometimes find myself troubled about what to wear, especially at themed parties. The pressure to stand out and fit in can be real.

That’s why I decided to tackle this head-on by checking out costume shops in Palmerston North. After visiting and rating them, I discovered quite a few gems that I now rely on for every occasion.

If you’re also on the hunt for good costumes—whether for yourself, your kids, or even your pets—here are the top costume shops in Pamerston North that are worth checking out.

1. Groovylicious Costumes

Address: 93 Taonui Street, Palmerston North Central
Phone: +64 210 888 0349
Business hours: via appointments only
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What I love about Groovylicious Costumes is that it has every dress-up you can think of, from theme-centric outfits to casual attire. It’s a costume rental shop that houses a great deal of costumes and accessories. 

Aside from their wide selection of costumes and accessories, they also have a fair number of props for various themed costumes. I once rented a head of a ghoul here with its eyes wide open to make my all-black priest-like costume scarier. 

What I love most about this store, though, is the helpful owners. They always do their best to assist customers, especially those who have no idea yet about what they want to wear. I experienced this firsthand when they pieced together items to make a lovely costume for me.

However, you can only visit them by appointment. It’s inconvenient if you need to rent a costume right away.

Thank you for your service Emma

“Awesome experience had so much fun and heaps of laughs with the very lovely and helpful Emma who went above and beyond to dress us for our Disney themed evening of which we won best costumes Mary Poppins and Captain Hook.  Highly recommend Groovylicious we will be back. Thank you” 

-Kelvin Howell, Google Review 

The best in town!

“The absolute best!  Do you want to talk about customer satisfaction?  The sharp eyes of Emma & Shaun, coupled with their immense talent and thoughtful attentions in meeting and surpassing the wants and needs of clients are certainly unparalleled in the whole Manawatu.  Rent with confidence and wear with pride, because there’s a little of their heart & soul in every assembled costume!  Palmy is immensely fortunate to have them!” 

-Nicholas Myth, Google Review 

2. Look Sharp Palmerston North

Address: 152 Rangitikei Street, Palmerston North Central
Phone: +64 6 280 1023
Business hours: Mon-Sun: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
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Website

Look Sharp Palmerston North is the shop to go to if you’re looking for ready-to-wear full costumes. They have lots of dress-ups for any occasion, such as Halloween, Christmas, and even kids’ parties.

Beyond their ready-to-wear selection, I love that they can also make custom outfits. They can make any type of costume and accessories from scratch, whether a superhero or an old-era outfit, at a very affordable price.

Another thing I like about this store is their printing service. I’ve had several shirts printed with my favourite band’s album covers, and the quality is impressive. The prints on my shirts are still complete and visible after a couple of years.

The only thing I dislike about this store is the 20 NZD minimum online transaction value. It means you can’t check out the items in your cart if they don’t cost at least 20 NZD.

My fave shop in town

“My all time fave party supply shop!!! I also use  look sharp for my stock at markets/stalls. This had everything I needed. I love the fact that you can use the website for all their products if you can’t get to the stores…. But shopping in the store is definitely way more fun!” 

-Awhina Hollis, Google Review 

Place with a great atmosphere 

“The atmosphere is so good that when I am having a bad day I go to look sharp and silently cry in the containers aisle. It is the equivalent of impulsivly dying your hair but you leave with no regrets. Items are also reasonably priced so I can impulse buy to feel better without going over my weekly budget.” 

-Steph Newcombe, Google Review

3. Sugar Plum Fairy Shop

Address: Rangitikei Street &, Grey Street, Palmerston North Central
Phone: +64 6 777 5002
Business hours:

• Tue-Fri: 10:30 AM – 4:00 PM
• Sat: 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM

Instagram
Website 

Sugar Plum Fairy Shop is another costume shop in the town’s central area that specialises in children’s outfits. I bought costumes for my seven-year-old niece here twice for her birthday, as they have many butterfly-inspired, eye-pleasing getups (she loves butterflies).

Another thing that made me put this shop on my top list is its full refund policy. Unlike most stores, they give a full refund if you return an unopened costume within 14 days of buying it. This is beneficial if an unexpected situation cancels the event your kid is going to.

I’m also a huge fan of their “Shop Now, Pay Later” option. They accept Afterpay, allowing their customers to pay for their costumes in up to four installments.

If there’s one downside, it’s their limited store hours. They’re only open for five and a half hours max, which can make it tricky to pop in when you have a busy schedule.

Very highly recommended 

“This is like Narnia, Disney, Fairies and everything bearing any resemblance to Glitter was thrown in a box, shaken up and ‘Sugar Plum Fairy’ was the result. This place is the perfect world of dance, fantasy, glitter, gifts and tutus! I cannot express how amazingly beautiful and talented the people are to have created such a haven, for all ages. Events, parties, dress-up, dance costumes, trinkets, this is the place for everything and so much more! 😁😁” 

-Talitha Mao-Adams, Google Review 

Excellent service

“Just had a wedding here in Palmerston North. SPF did our decorations for our event and they were better then I could ever imagine! They knew exactly what I wanted and how they did it. Very beautiful. Couldn’t have asked for anything better! Thank you:D” 

-Emily Ripley, Google Review 

4. Hello Banana

Address: 90 The Square, Palmerston North Central
Phone: +64 6 354 6188
Business hours:

• Mon-Sat: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
• Sun: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

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Hello Banana is a variety retail store with rare, hard-to-find costumes, particularly astronaut and witch dress-ups. I’m very grateful to this shop because I’ve been hoping to have a detailed, majestic astronaut costume since I was a teenager.

Apart from their rare costumes, they also have a wide selection of masks you can add to your getup. They have a mask that matches their witch costume, along with an impressive variety of Grim Reaper masks.

The store itself is always tidy whenever I visit, which makes me feel comfortable walking around. Items are neatly arranged on shelves, and I’m not exaggerating when I say they have the cleanest physical store among the other shops on this list.

The only negative thing I noticed during one of my visits was the uncooperative staff. There was this one crew that was clearly reluctant to help a lady find the item she was looking for. But overall, most of their staff are friendly and approachable, and I can guarantee that.

The best local variety shop

“Hello Banana is Palmy’s best local variety shop and there is no way in hell that a rival business can take this building away from Hello Banana. They’re the best. And we my husband and I love buying from them. Keep up the good business and keep the customers coming. And don’t let any rival shops steal what you have built years to keep the business open to the Palmy local community people.” 

-Kathleen Corson, Google Review 

Thanks for making me happy

“My orange lipstick is from this shop. It is NICKAK Brand. It is perfect for my lips regardless of Made in country. I know it is made in a healthy manner. Thanks for bringing English femine, lipstick in your shop. I also bought hair decoration products. Thank you for making me genuinely happy.:).” 

-Angel Race, Google Review 

5. Spotlight Palmerston North

Address: 199 Main Street, Takaro
Phone: +64 6 882 0800
Business hours:

• Mon-Sat: 9:00 AM – 5:30 PM
• Sun: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Instagram
Website 

Spotlight Palmerston North is the ideal shop to go to if you need a youthful costume. They sell a vast range of outfits with bright colours that are perfect for lively events, like Christmas or kids’ parties. 

If Hello Banana has a wide range of masks, Spotlight Palmerston North has a great selection of all kinds of accessories. Other than masks, they also have tons of jewelleries, capes, and glasses. I bought cloaks at this shop twice for my company’s costume party.

One thing that sets this shop apart from others on this list is its collection of pet costumes. In fact, I found out about this place because of my friend who buys outfits for his dogs and cat here.

However, some customers I spoke with said some of the costumes they bought had poorly cut parts. They said at least one or two parts of the costume are not straight or totally bent, affecting the outfit’s appearance. 

Fortunately, I haven’t gotten a poorly cut costume from them yet.

Lots of quality products

“Every woman’s store. You can purchase  from bedding to home furnishings like blinds, frames, Christmas  trees & decor, Bakewell, curtaining, planter pots, cookware, beach towels etc. They also have VIP card which has a 35% discount for the loyalty  card members. Great gifts from necklaces, puzzles, colouring etc. Love the fabrics. They also have several  items on clearence.  Customer  service  needs training. No smile or greeting but on the phone without  acknowledging our presence.” 

-YAMMY A, Google Review 

Still amazing after all these years

“Love this place! The only two critiques I have is that there were no party invites which is odd as they have every other conceivable item you could hope for. They had big brand party invites like Paw Patrol etc but nothing more generic. Very tidy, organized.They do have an AMAZING balloon service too! The staff continue to be amazing! Update! – they ate still amazing. But now I wonder why there’s not any free stuff for me?! Lol” 

-flufykitn 76, Google Review