Are My Eyes Deceiving Me, or Was That the Cowardly Lion?

The Wizard of Oz is considered by many to be the most popular movie ever made. There are many reasons why it’s so well loved: the story, the characters, the setting, and of course, let’s not forget the many colorful and mesmerizing costumes and fashions worn in the movie.

And, as we all know – unless you have never been outside during the second half of October – the popularity of the film’s costumes extends far beyond movie theaters and television sets. Year after year at Halloween, they have consistently ranked among the most popular with young and old alike.

It’s not surprising to see a Dorothy or two (or three or four!) coming to your home trick or treating. Even in the fading light of evening, you can spot her a block away wearing the trademark farm dress and ruby red slippers, and carrying her woven basket (which, of course, is simply ideal for storing all that candy). But it’s not just children who are eager to be “Dorothy” at Halloween; it’s also a popular costume for adults who don the famous attire while attending parties throughout the week.

And, as popular as the Dorothy costume is, reproductions of those worn by both witches from The Wizard of Oz – the good one and the bad one – are also favorites as are, you guessed it, the Cowardly Lion, the Tin Man and the Scarecrow. And watch out! It’s not uncommon to also run into a winged monkey from time to time.

We asked , the only official licensee of , why there is such a tremendous appeal for costumes based on the film. The response, not surprisingly, was that it’s because of the fondness and connection we have for the characters we’ve all basically grown up with.

Also, the wide range of options ( touts more than 80 and accessories) means that there is a something for everyone. And, because of the diversity of characters in the film it is also the hands-down favorite for families where the parents and kids want to dress using the same theme. also pointed out that because The Wizard of Oz costumes are so popular, they are easy to find both on- and offline at retailers such as Toys-r-Us, Party City, Target Stores, Wal-Mart, Buycostumes.com, Partycity.com, Costumesupercenter.com, Costumegalore.com and Amazon.com, plus thousands of independent costume shops across the country. Which means you don’t need to spend hours searching specialty stores. Now, that’s a real treat!

Happy Halloween!