Right now it's all about Halloween, but Incognito, the costume shop on Gobbi Street, has attire and party decorations for year-round celebratory events.

Owner Tracy Oswald moved the shop from its previous downtown location two years ago to its present site with double the floor space (3,000 square feet) and a much larger parking area.

A mother of four sons, grateful for her husband's continued belief in her and the support of the community, Oswald has been in retail all her life. "I always created my children's costumes from scratch, and when the opportunity to buy the store came up I jumped in with my eyes wide shut. It hasn't been easy, but I get to come here every day and do what I love."

She's into Cosplay, working with her customers helping them create specific characters with costumes and fashion accessories. "That's how the store is set up; I like working individually with people."

They have bagged costumes for those who want to come in and grab something, but 80 per cent of her clients show her a picture on their cell phones and tell her that's what they want to be an action figure, a fantasy type, Anime and Manga characters. "You can't buy that in a bag," she says.

"I spend a great deal of time researching to work with companies who do not sell to big box stores. That's the first thing I ask them. I only buy wholesale from companies that don't sell to big box stores. I can't compete with those prices."

The store is open year round, and for the holiday Oswald hires extra help to assist with what seems like an endless array of options.

Margaret Bushby, in the spirit of things, is outfitted as a pirate, compliments of the store's inventory. From top to bottom she has feathers attached to a black and white head scarf, a black corset over a white peasant blouse, a wide belt and sworded scarf, belly dancer girdle bells, fingerless lace, fish net gloves, black and white vertical striped pants, pirate boots and rings, necklaces and bracelets from her mother. She's there because she likes Halloween.

Behind the counter is a large display of wigs, every color of the rainbow including a rainbow wigshags, Afros, flappers, Antoinettes, chia dolls. There are hats of every shape and size arranged throughout the storetop hats, Napolean hats, Spartan, Mad Hatter hats, bowlers.

Tutus? You want tutus? "My biggest seller for spirit week at the high school and middle schools are tutus. We find out in advance the colors and bring items in that support the events. We offer booster discounts for class colors."

Read more from the original source:
Costumes: They're not just for Halloween in Ukiah