Halloween Costume

Yes, it's the day before Halloween. But to the Rutledge Costume Co. on Park Avenue, the few weeks before this ghastly, ghoulish celebration have all the selling power of the Christmas season.Serious-looking business people in gray suits, students, housewives and others with a desire for make-believe have been coming into the shop in full force recently to rent killer bumble bee costumes, Lone Ranger gear and medieval-warfare outfits -- most of which have been handmade by the store's 35-year-old co-owner, Anita Rutledge.

Here are your choices for a Halloween costume this year: fantasy or reality, movie or television, Sherwood Forest or Capitol Hill.Which means lots of Robin Hoods and Maid Marians may run into some Clarence Thomases and Anita Hills at the same parties, as Halloween celebrants take their costume cues from the hottest shows to play on movie and television screens this year.Several Baltimore-area costume stores have received queries about masks, wigs, outfits or accessories to duplicate the look of Mr. Thomas, the newest Supreme Court justice, and Ms. Hill, the woman who nearly cost him that seat by accusing him of sexual harassment.

My husband has this theory that because we let our son play with G.I. Joe as a little boy, we ended up with a Marine. And because we let our daughter play with Barbie as a little girl, we ended up with a Paris Hilton — strawberry blond tresses flying out the door, cellphone and gold lamé bag in hand, off to another good time. As the twig is bent, so grows the tree. So the current international kerfuffle over France's sexy 6-year-old lingerie models has some resonance for us veteran mothers.

Skeletons, butterflies, frogs and even baby chickens bounced around the festive food court at the Mall in Columbia on Tuesday, as officials urged residents to celebrate Halloween despite Sandy's after-effects, and parents enthusiastically tried to comply. "It may be a little soggy and a little muddy," said Raquel Guillory, spokeswoman for Gov. Martin O'Malley. "But as long as there are no downed wires or trees in the way, we do hope the kids get out and do a little trick-or-treating.

We're looking for "high-concept" Halloween costumes - ones that are more abstract than literal. Dressing like a "Freudian slip" or as "static cling," for instance, takes a bit more imagination than going as an M&M. Think more in terms of ideas or states of mind than the usual ghosts, goblins and politicians. The most clever costumes will be considered for inclusion in an article in The Sun's Modern Life section. E-mail jpg photos - with your name, phone number and a brief explanation of your costume - to sun.features@baltsun.

Who is that masked woman? As if the height and ridiculous body didn't give it away, why it's Stacy Keibler, hosting a masquerade party at the Bellagio in Las Vegas this weekend. Wonder if she'll wear that for trick or treating? jill.rosen@baltsun.com @BaltInsider on Twitter

Tricks and treats go hand in hand in pet vernacular. But why not outfit your four-legged friend for a different kind of trick-or-treating this season? Several local merchants cater to dog owners who like to get their pooches looking posh at Halloween. Clipper's Canine Cafe Located in the Old Weave Building at Historic Savage Mill, this shop carries fancy collars and costumes for your pet. A special Halloween pet parade, photo ops and treats are planned for the holiday. 8600 Foundry St., Savage 301-490-9068 or clipperscaninecafe.com Yuppy Puppy Pet Boutique All things blingy for your dog. 8120 Main St., Ellicott City 410-750-9663 or theyuppypuppypetboutique.com Petco Popular costumes include a devil, baseball or football players (think Ravens)

ON A CRISP fall night last week, more than 500 people marched down Westminster's Main Street in the 57th annual Halloween Parade. Fairies, spiders, brides, butterflies, Indian princesses, Westminster resident Greg Williams walking as a "chick magnet" and many other characters took the traditional stroll for hundreds of onlookers. More than 20 members of the GFWC Junior Woman's Club of Westminster perched on a rollback truck (donated by Leckron's Towing employee Bobby Westerfield) and wrestled with decisions such as which costume was the most original, the most comical and the most elaborate.

The principals of two Columbia elementary schools tried to take the controversy out of Halloween by urging parents to avoid costuming their children as ghosts, goblins or violent characters but instead have found themselves involved in a debate over individual rights of dress.Dasher Green Elementary Principal Philip L. Arbaugh suggested in a newsletter early this month that parents avoid "costumes that portray witches, goblins, Satan, etc."At Thunder Hill Elementary School, Principal C. Anthony Yount made a similar newsletter suggestion, urging parents to choose costumes that avoid violence, the supernatural or the occult in favor of more creative and amusing costumes.