Antiques: Halloween costumes are getting wilder

'Tis the season before the (other holiday) season. Horror movies are out in all the theaters and pumpkin patches have sprung up everywhere. While nothing is quite as ghastly as the congressional budget meetings, there are plenty of things to be afraid of: overcooked fish, traffic circles, and itchy sweaters to name but a few.

And while kids seem to be wearing the same kind of costumes that we did, many adults are reaching for new highs — or perhaps lows — in their search for the perfect Halloween outfit. Let's take a look at some of what you might be seeing out there in the weeks to come.

This year, one of the hot trends is to dress up as food. The Food Network has identified 17 of the most popular looks, including a hamburger hat that looks like no hamburger I've ever seen, several avocado costumes that should immediately be made into guacamole, and a Cup of Noodles that has everything but the salt. Condiments are big too: mustard, ketchup, pickles and even hot dogs complete with bun. Then there are beer bottles, bacon and eggs, a comfy-looking wrap-around taco, and even the ubiquitous red Solo cup. Finally, there is pizza face, but let's not even go there.

Not far behind in terms of weirdness, the HuffPost put together a list of its own bizarre favorites, including some that make for queasy associations. Dressing up as a contraceptive pack or empty roll of toilet paper is probably not going to win you any best-of-show medals. On the other hand, a birthday suit costume will definitely bring second glances. If you've got the curves, sexy is in. Animals and entertainers are also having their brief moments of fame, including a Captain Crunch that actually looks something like, well, Captain Crunch. That one makes me hungry.

In fairness, kids — or at least their moms — aren't too far behind the wave. You'll still see cartoon characters as in years past, but probably not as many. Instead, an inflatable rocket ship costume is rather cute, as is a working traffic light. Animals of course are big, and a can of Squeezy Cheese will bring back memories of all those indigestible lunches you ate at school. And what kid doesn't want to dress up as a monster? So what if the pot is calling the kettle black?

Anyway, there are more costumes out there than ever before, and no limit to the imagination of those who create them.

If you're looking for a little more authenticity, however, thrift stores and antique galleries like ours are good places to start. You can find military uniforms, western wear, and Hawaiian shirts probably worn by someone like Don Ho, plus all kinds of hats, accessories and bling enough to give the Kardashians a run for their money. Faux furs will glam you up this year, but leave the fake six-shooters at home. These days, that's just a little too real.

Mike Rivkin and his wife, Linda, are longtime residents of Rancho Mirage. For many years, he was an award-winning catalogue publisher and has authored seven books, along with countless articles. Now, he's the owner of Antique Galleries of Palm Springs. His antiques column appears Sundays in The Desert Sun. Want to send Mike a question about antiques? Drop him a line at info@silverfishpress.com

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Antiques: Halloween costumes are getting wilder