US20030182705A1

US20030182705A1 - Reflective halloween costume

Info

Publication number: US20030182705A1
Application number: US10/112,609
Authority: US
Inventors: Rod Spongberg
Original assignee: Chosun International Inc
Current assignee: Chosun International Inc
Priority date: 2002-03-29
Filing date: 2002-03-29
Publication date: 2003-10-02

Abstract

A Halloween costume which comprises a first garment base member portion generally defining the shape of at least a portion of a Halloween character to define the appearance of the Halloween costume is disclosed. The first garment base member portion is configured and dimensioned to be worn by a person. An insulative material is disposed over at least a portion of the first garment base member portion. A second garment base member portion is secured to the first garment base member portion. The second garment base member portion and the first garment base member portion together define the complete shape of the Halloween costume. The second garment base member portion comprises a venting material which functions as a ventilator for the Halloween costume. At least one decorative member is stitched to the first and/or the second garment base members. The decorative member comprises a retro-reflecting material.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, filed on or about Mar. 22, 2002, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference thereto.[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to costumes to be employed outdoors under widely varied climate and weather conditions, and, in particular, costumes of the type worn by children at night on Halloween and has as its objective promoting visibility in an attractive manner while preserving cost efficiency.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable.

BACKGROUND

While children have relatively high energy levels, they are prone to distraction, unnecessary wasting of energy, and an obliviousness to their surroundings borne of a lack of experience. The same explains the relatively high accident rate associated with childhood. In addition, children are often resistant to acting in accordance with advice from adults, sometimes as a result of general resistance to being controlled by adults or on account of the desired to fit in with peers. On certain occasions, all of these factors combine to create particularly dangerous conditions.

The shortened days of late fall are near their shortest by the time All Hallows Eve or “Halloween” comes around. It is during this time that almost the entire population of children in the United States is put at risk on a single evening by reason of the ritual of “trick or treating” during the eve of All Hallows.

On this evening, children, sometimes uncomfortable because they are dressed in costumes often to light or too warm for the weather that day, wander from door-to-door, and house-to-house, dancing across driveways and through streets at a time when there is a relatively large amount of traffic on account of the festivities and due to people driving back to their homes after working all day, and driving off to the grocery store to buy something for their evening meals. Such discomfort, due to a child being chilly or overly hot, tends to reduce the child's alertness and thus increase the likelihood of an accident.

As noted above, reduced alertness increases the likelihood of an accident occurring due, for example, to a child not being seen as he moves about in the streets in the dusk or darkness. In short, the combination of poor visibility, discomfort, high traffic during poor visibility conditions, and numerous children on the streets because of Halloween all combine to make a particularly dangerous situation for children on Halloween night.

Thus, the high concentration of children on the road, during such a busy part of the day, presents a higher likelihood that children will be struck by unwary drivers. Indeed, not only is traffic quite high during the early evening, but this time of day is after many people have put in a hard full day of work and are more prone than they might be at other times to speeding, not paying attention, or simply fatigued and not at their best in reacting to dangerous situations. Anything which would promote the likelihood of a child being seen, before it is too late to avoid an accident, would be of real value.

One way of avoiding accidents is simply to use clothing which is visible, such as clothing which is bright in color. For example, policemen often wear vests in fluorescent orange, or the like. People are encouraged not to wear black clothing at night, when they are walking the dog, taking a stroll or the like.

With Halloween, other considerations are involved, namely costumes. Evolving from homemade gets ups that reach back into our earliest history, commercially. Available Halloween costumes have been commonplace during the past half-century. The use of lights in children's Halloween costumes, has been, although substantial costs may be involved.

Clothing with light displaying members is, of course, well known and will improve the likelihood that a child will not be injured on Halloween night. Perhaps the most common expedient in this area is the use of retro reflecting materials, such as tape incorporating retro reflective beads. Retroreflection can also be promoted through the use of molded plastic members with flat interfaces and faceted backs, which promote total internal reflection of incoming light in a direction diametrically opposed to the direction of the incident light. The result is to produce a strong reflection in a direction aimed at the source of incident light. For example, if the light falling on a retro reflective device originated from the headlights of an automobile, light will be reflected in a column generally aimed at the source automobile headlight, and this, will generally be broad enough to include a substantial amount of reflected light reflected toward the eyes of the driver.

Light-emitting systems incorporated in clothing are known. Been in See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,649,755 to Rapisarda, which discloses wearing apparel incorporating a flexible light-transmitting assembly comprising a clear flexible polymer tape with a plurality of tooth shaped protrusions which provide reflecting points of light. However, such tape is relatively cumbersome and unsightly from an aesthetic standpoint. While a tape can be made more aesthetically acceptable by using it in a symmetrical fashion, for example as a pair of stripes on the arms of a person's jacket, as illustrated in Rapisarda, the end result is far from pleasing and will have an adverse impact on a highly decorated article of clothing such as a Halloween costume. While it has been suggested that flashing electrical light sources including light-emitting diodes can be applied to children's Halloween costumes to significantly enhance safety on Halloween evening, at least one device proposed, a flashing box-like device illustrated in U.S. Pat No. 5,149,190 of McKenzie, also fails to present a cost effective, aesthetic solution.

Far from the situation many years ago, simple dime store masks which only cover the eyes, wild west robbers' masks comprising a simple handkerchief taken from the household stock, and perhaps homemade makeups like burnt cork, mom's makeup, cherry juice or the like are no longer within the range of acceptable getups for Halloween. Aesthetics are now very important.

The change has gradually occurred during the last fifty years. With increasing prosperity and the technology which fostered it, Halloween getups and related items began to evolve into increasingly elaborate forms. For example, there emerged widespread availability of colored pastel chalks for making up the face, accessories such as jack o lantern baskets, and masks meant to simulate various traditional figures associated with the Halloween holiday, such as witches, goblins, devils, and so forth. At approximately the same time, there also emerged the commercial Halloween costume, usually a relatively inexpensive low quality product made of relatively light weight synthetic materials printed with material intended to simulate the particular personality which the costume was meant to emulate, such as a skeleton, witch, or other fantastical creature.

In accordance with the present invention, it is contemplated that a Halloween costume of commercial design will incorporate reflective material. However, this solution adds yet another problem to the above approach inherent in the application of reflective strips, patches on the like to a Halloween costume. Presley, such products are not aesthetically attractive and are likely to discourage use of the costume by the child, or even its purchase in the first place. Moreover, the types of colors which best attract attention, such as fluorescent orange, fluorescent yellow, fluorescent pink and fluorescent green are particularly offensive from an esthetic standpoint, because these colors are not natural characteristics of most costume-subject creatures and things such as animals, ice cream sundaes, werewolves, mummies, skeletons and the like.

However, none of these products address the issue of providing comfort to the child, thus increasing his awareness and ability to protect himself and, accordingly, reducing the likelihood of an accident.

In accordance in the present invention, it is also contemplated that the inventive Halloween costume will be made of plush material. The inventive objective is to promote comfort and warmth. However, in accordance with the present invention, it is recognized that successful Halloween costumes must meet numerous criteria. They must be attractive, they must be comfortable to wear, and they should be inexpensive.

Most important, and in addition, in order to avoid marketing problems, it has been discovered in accordance with the present invention that costumes should be made in a manner which allows them to be functional over a wide range of climates, and for each of those climates over a wide range of weather conditions typical of those climates during the mid fall period. For example, if a Halloween costume is to be marketed nationwide, it must be comfortable in relatively hot fall weather for the state of Texas as well as relatively cold fall weather for the state of Maine. At the same time, it should also function well in other states for both relatively hot and relatively cold weather conditions. The difference in climate between, for example, New York and South Carolina is not insignificant. In addition, because weather is not predictable, a Halloween costume bought for wearing on Halloween must be wearable whether the weather turns out to be relatively hot or relatively cold. Unlike regular clothing, where the child has a wardrobe with numerous garments suitable for various weather conditions, a Halloween costume is generally a single item in a child's wardrobe and will be worn only once. The problem is compounded because the costume must be purchased a week or perhaps even a month before Halloween, when weather conditions can hardly be anticipated.

In connection with accommodating variations in temperature, it is noted that increases in temperature cause far more serious problems than decreases in temperature. In particular, increases in temperature, particularly with a costume made of plush material will result in overheating. On the other hand, decreases in temperature can be accommodated by wearing extra clothing, such as a sweater, gloves or the like.

In addition, not only must the wearer be subject to changes in temperature, it is also necessary that the wearer deal with changes in humidity. Increases in humidity can be just as serious as increases in temperature in the higher temperature ranges. Failure to take into account the factors of temperature and humidity, and also other factors such as expected levels of physical activity, and other aspects of the wearing of a Halloween costume, can result in extreme discomfort and, potentially, illness.

In recent years, the increasing popularity of plush materials in stuffed animal toys has, not surprisingly, suggested the use of this material in Halloween costumes. While the substitution of plush, that is a fabric with a fur-like outer surface and a woven backer, in principal, for traditional Halloween costume materials may be made by simple substitution, the same gives rise to a number of problems, as discussed above.

In addition, the addition of reflective material to plush poses still other problems. For example, typically, reflective material comes in self-adhesive patches. Such patches are not suitable for adhesion to plush material and may adhere poorly, remove pile, and generally present an unsightly tethered appearance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the invention, a Halloween costume comprises a first garment base member portion generally defining the shape of at least a portion of a Halloween character to define the appearance of the Halloween character. The first garment base member portion is configured and dimensioned to be worn by a person. An insulative material is disposed over at least a portion of the first garment base member portion. A second garment base member portion is secured to the first garment base member portion. The second garment base member portion and the first garment base member portion together define the complete shape of the Halloween costume. The second garment base member portion comprises a venting material which functions as a ventilator for the Halloween costume. At least one decorative member is stitched to the first and/or the second garment base members. The decorative member comprises a retro-reflecting material.

The insulative material may be a fur-like material, such as plush fabric. In accordance with a preferred embodiment, the complete shape defines a cuff, and further comprises an elastic member for closing the cuff. Thus, the venting material defines a portion of the cuff and is compressed by the elastic member. The retroreflecting material comprises a flexible plastic member. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, the retroreflecting material retroreflects white light but appears, under diffuse lighting conditions to be a color other than white.

The above structure is particularly advantageous because plush is a relatively dense and insulative material and tends to hold in both heat and moisture. In addition, the desire, for aesthetic reasons, to make plush costumes of the type which completely cover the wearer, including a head portion, arm portions, leg portions, and of course, body portions, compounds the problems that can be caused by the inculpative properties of plush.

In addition to the above problems, the costume must accommodate not only losses of humidity, but also losses of heat in order to maintain comfort. These objectives are achieved in accordance with the present invention. In particular, in accordance with the invention, the above objectives are achieved through the use of venting. Venting is accomplished using a mesh, net-like material, or other ventilated fabric in the fabrication of the costume. Such venting materials are used in a range of colors, textures and other physical appearances designed to compliment the appearance of the Halloween costume. At the same time, in accordance with the invention, venting materials are placed, to the extent possible, in areas not visible from the front of the inventive costume. In addition, in accordance with the invention, venting is placed at the ends of the extremities, that is adjacent to wrists and ankles, around the neck, under the arms and in the back of the costume. Further, in accordance with the present invention, relatively large areas of venting material are situated on the inventive Halloween costume in such a manner that they appear as relatively small areas, thus maintaining large venting areas at the interface between potentially too humid or too hot air inside the costume and the ambient, thus promoting transfer of heat and humidity through venting. However, in certain instances, as alluded to above, the venting material has a smaller apparent area. This is achieved by ruffling or crumpling the venting material to reduce apparent costume area while still maintaining venting area. The same is achieved by putting venting material adjacent to the normally elastic cuffs of a costume adjacent to the wrist and extending up the arm toward the body. This same structure is also applied to elastic cuffs at the bottom of the pants portion of a costume adjacent the ankles of the wearer. It is noted that these cuffs contain an elastic member in order to give the costume some form and to prevent drafts.

The inventive Halloween costume comprises a first garment base member portion generally defining the shape of at least a portion of a Halloween character to define the appearance of the Halloween character. The first garment base member portion being configured and dimensioned to be worn by a person. The insulative material is disposed over at least a portion of the first garment base member portion. The second garment base member portion is secured to the first garment base member portion. The second garment base member portion and the first garment base member portion together define the complete shape on the Halloween character. The second garment base member portion comprises a venting material which functions as a ventilator for the Halloween costume. At least one decorative member is secured to either the first or the second garment base members. The decorative member further outlines the appearance of the Halloween character.

The Halloween costume may be manufactured using the insulative material, such as a fur-like material.

The Halloween costume may be manufactured using such fur-like material as a plush fabric. The Halloween costume comprises a venting material such as netting. The netting material in the Halloween costume may be a textile mesh. The Halloween costume having a complete shape which defines a cuff and further comprising an elastic member for closing the cuff. The Halloween costume's venting material defines the portion of the cuff and is compressed by the elastic member.

The Halloween costume's complete shape includes a frontal portion and a back portion, and further comprises a zipper extending across the frontal portion or the back portion. The zipper has a length sufficient to enable an individual to put on the suit when the zipper is open.

The Halloween costume's complete shape defines a head portion. The head portion is configured, dimensioned and positioned to serve as a hat for an individual wearing the costume.

The Halloween costume's complete shape defines two arms and a body portion. Also, the costume's complete shape defines two legs.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from the accompanying drawings, in which: [0033]
FIG. 1 is a front view of a preferred embodiment of the invention; [0034]
FIG. 2 is a side view of a head portion of the invention in its useful position; [0035]
FIG. 3 is a back view of a preferred embodiment of the invention; [0036]
FIG. 4 illustrates an alternative fabric venting material arrangement; [0037]
FIG. 5 illustrates cups in compressed position; [0038]
FIG. 6 illustrates cups in stretched out position; and [0039]
FIG. 7 illustrates a fabric venting material.[0040]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE BEST MODE OF THE INVENTION

Turning to FIG. 1, a costume that can be constructed in accordance with the present invention is illustrated. While the inventive costume may take numerous forms, in the illustrated [0041] embodiment costume 10 represents an animal, in particular an elephant.
[0042] Costume 10 is comprised of different materials. In particular, the head 12 and ears 14 of the animal are made of plush material. Plastic eyes 16 are provided. Various features of the animal including tusks 18, snout 20, and frontal neck area 22 are also made of plush material. In accordance with the preferred embodiment it is contemplated that the head 24 of the elephant will function as a hat, as illustrated in FIG. 2. This allows the wearer 26 to see clearly, while preserving the appearance of the overall costume.
The costume includes [0043] frontal body portions 28 which are also made of plush material. Decorative patch 29, in the form of an elephant is applied to be frontal body portion 28 of the costume. Decorative patch 29 is adhered to frontal body portion 28 by being sewn thereto using cotton, nylon or other suitable sewing thread. Suitable material for decorative patch 29 is classic film incorporating a reflective bead coating. Such materials are well known in the art for providing a retro reflective function and the fabrication of the retroreflecting material, per se, is not a part of the present invention. However, while a wide variety of retro reflective materials are known, in accordance with the present invention flexible plastic material capable of easily receiving a sewing machine needle and tough enough to securely hold threads is used.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, the decorative patch is selected with a color which, at least in ambient room conditions under artificial lighting, is attractive. Suitable colors for a gray elephant costume, accordingly, may be beige, gray, slate blue, and so forth. [0044]
Likewise, [0045] frontal arm portions 30 are made of plush. They include plush decorations such as elephant claws 32. In accordance with the present invention, it is contemplated that claws 32 are made of plush, perhaps with different characteristics such as color, texture or the like. In addition, claws 32 may be stuffed to protrude from the surface of frontal arm portion 30.
Similarly, [0046] frontal leg portions 34 are also made of plush material and are decorated with foot claws 36 with are also made of contrasting plush material in accordance with the preferred embodiment. Referring to FIG. 3, the construction of the rear of the suit is similar including rear arm portions 38, rear leg portions 40 and rear body portion 42. The costume also in includes a plush tail 44 mounted on rear body portion 42. Additional decorations or features include claws 46 and 48 which are also made of plush material with, optionally, contrasting color or texture, and optionally may be stuffed to protrude from the surface of rear arm portion 38.
A reflective patch [0047] 43 is secured to rear body portion 42. Reflective patch 43, because it is on the back to the costume and not visible to the child wearing the costume, may be of relatively plain, non-decorative shape, and may be in a color selected for high visibility, such as fluorescent pink, fluorescent orange, fluorescent red, fluorescent green, fluorescent yellow, or the like. In accordance with the preferred embodiment, retro reflective patch and 43 is selected to retroreflect white light. This is generally achieved to the use of tiny retro reflective glass beads which are clear. Nevertheless, the background may be colored so that under ambient lighting the patch appears to have a color, while under the headlights of an automobile, the patch will appear bright white under a white light source.
The reason for the employment of clear beads and the selection of white retro reflective characteristics is the objective of reflecting as much light toward, for example, the driver of the automobile as possible. Removal of certain color components through the use of colored glass beads, which effectively act as color filters and attenuators, is counterproductive. [0048]
In accordance with the invention, venting is provided by venting material which is sewn to the plush portions of the costume already described above to complete the body form fitting and body covering suit nature of the costume. In particular, venting material is provided in [0049] neck regions 52 along the top length of the arms in region 54 and arm bottom regions 56. Venting is also provided on the sides 58 of costume10 as well as on the inseam 60 of the inventive costume. The structure of the suit is completed by a frontal zipper 62 (FIG. 1).
In accordance with the invention, any one of numerous materials may be used to provide venting of heat and moisture accumulated within [0050] costume 10 when it is worn. Likewise, all venting areas such as neck regions 52, top arms region 54, bottom arms regions 56, sides 58 and inseam 60 may all be made of the same material. Such material may comprise a loosely knitted fabric, or a fabric mesh with large voids or holes 64. Thus, after a child puts on the suit and closes zipper 62, holes 64 act to release moisture and heat.
In accordance with the invention, the provision of venting in certain areas of the costume is particularly important. For example, venting in [0051] underarm area 68 as well as inseam area 70 are of particular value.
Referring in particular, it is noted that the [0052] cups 72 and 74 are loosely fitting and thus promote venting. This construction is particularly cost effective.
An alternative approach is illustrated in FIG. 4 where [0053] fabric venting material 156 in costume 110 includes holes 164. Here the cup 174 is sewn is around an elastic member 176 shown in hidden lines in FIG. 4. The effect of elastic 176 is to squeeze the cuff around the wrist of the wearer, thus causing it to close, and have a more defined aesthetically attractive form. In accordance with this embodiment loss of venting is accommodated by a relatively large area of venting material 156.
In particular, as illustrated in FIG. 5, venting [0054] material 156 is crumpled into folds 178, thus giving it a smaller visual appearance, but preserving the overall area of venting material, thus promoting the loss of heat and humidity. Such overall effective area of venting material is effectively utilized during use of the costume, because, as the individual wearing the costume moves, such movement has the effect of compressing and opening up volumes within the costume, thus resulting in the ejection of hot or moist air during compression cycles and the input of cooler and less moist ambient air into the costume thru venting material 156 and holes 164. In addition, the inventive costume allows the cups 174 to be opened up and expanded from the compressed position illustrated in FIG. 5 to an open position illustrated in FIG. 6, thus allowing the hands of the user to pass through cuffs 174 after which the cuffs are allowed to elastically return from the stretched out configuration illustrated in FIG. 6 to the unstretched configuration illustrated in FIG. 5.
A close-up view of venting [0055] material 156 is illustrated in FIG. 7. Venting material 156 includes holes 164. Holes 164, are defined in venting material 156. In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention, holes 164 are formed during the knitting or weaving of venting material 156. The manner of forming holes in fabric is not a part of the invention and may be accomplished in a number of ways which are known in the art.
While an illustrative embodiment of the invention has been disclosed, it is, of course, understood that various modifications will be obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art. Such modifications are within the spirit and scope of the invention which is limited and defined only by the appended claims. [0056]

Claims

1. A Halloween costume, comprising:

(a) a first garment base member portion generally defining the shape of at least a portion of a Halloween character to define the appearance of said Halloween character, said first garment base member portion being configured and dimensioned to be worn by a person;

(b) an insulative material disposed over at least a portion of said first garment base member portion;

(c) a second garment base member portion secured to said first garment base member portion, said second garment base member portion and said first garment base member portion together defining the complete shape of said Halloween costume, said second garment base member portion comprising a venting material which functions as a ventilator for said Halloween costume; and

(d) at least one decorative member stitched to said first and/or said second garment base members, said decorative member comprising a retro-reflecting material.

2. A Halloween costume, as in claim 1, wherein said insulative material is a fur-like material.

3. A Halloween costume, as in claim 2, wherein said fur-like material is a plush fabric.

4. A Halloween costume as in claim 3, wherein said complete shape defines a cuff, and further comprising an elastic member for closing said cuff and wherein said venting material defines a portion of said cuff and is compressed by said elastic member.

5. A Halloween costume, as in claim 4, wherein said retroreflecting material comprises a flexible plastic member.

6. A Halloween costume, as in claim 5, wherein said retroreflecting material retroreflects white light but appears, under diffuse lighting conditions to be a color other than white.

7. A Halloween costume, as in claim 5, wherein said venting material defines holes.

8. A Halloween costume, as in claim 7, wherein said complete shape includes a frontal portion and a back portion, and further comprising a zipper extending across said frontal portion or said back portion, said zipper having a length sufficient to enable an individual to put on said suit when said zipper is open.

9. A Halloween costume, as in claim 7, wherein said complete shape defines a head portion, said had portion being configured, dimensioned and positioned to serve as a hat for an individual wearing said Halloween costume.

10. A Halloween costume, as in claim 9, wherein said decorative member is of a color which aesthetically blends in with the front of said costume and is stitched to the front of said costume and further comprising a second decorative member, said second decorative member being brightly colored and attached to the rear of said costume.

11. A Halloween costume, as in claim 7, wherein said decorative member is of a color which aesthetically blends in with the front of said costume and is stitched to the front of said costume and further comprising a second decorative member, said second decorative member being brightly colored and attached to the rear of said costume.

12. A Halloween costume, as in claim 1, wherein said retroreflecting material comprises a flexible plastic member.

13. A Halloween costume, as in claim 1, wherein said retroreflecting material retroreflects white light but appears, under diffuse lighting conditions to be a color other than white.

14. A Halloween costume, as in claim 1, wherein said venting material defines holes.

15. A Halloween costume, as in claim 14, wherein said complete shape includes a frontal portion and a back portion, and further comprising a zipper extending across said frontal portion or said back portion, said zipper having a length sufficient to enable an individual to put on said suit when said zipper is open.

16. A Halloween costume, as in claim 15, wherein said complete shape defines a head portion, said had portion being configured, dimensioned and positioned to serve as a hat for an individual wearing said Halloween costume.

17. A Halloween costume, as in claim 1, wherein said decorative member is of a color which aesthetically blends in with the front of said costume and is stitched to the front of said costume and further comprising a second decorative member, said second decorative member being brightly colored and attached to the rear of said costume.

18. A Halloween costume, as in claim 17, wherein said complete shape defines two legs.

19. A Halloween costume as in claim 1, wherein said complete shape defines a cuff, and further comprising an elastic member for closing said cuff and wherein said venting material defines a portion of said cuff and is compressed by said elastic member.

20. A Halloween costume, comprising:

(b) an insulative material disposed over at least a portion of said first garment base member portion; and

(c) at least one decorative member stitched to said first and/or said second garment base members, said decorative member comprising a retro-reflecting material.

21. A Halloween costume as in claim 20, wherein said complete shape defines a cuff, and further comprising an elastic member for closing said cuff and wherein said venting material defines a portion of said cuff and is compressed by said elastic member.

22. A Halloween costume, as in claim 20, wherein said insulative material is a plush fabric.

23. A Halloween costume as in claim 22, wherein said complete shape defines a cuff, and further comprising an elastic member for closing said cuff and wherein said venting material defines a portion of said cuff and is compressed by said elastic member.

24. A Halloween costume, as in claim 23, wherein said retroreflecting material comprises a flexible plastic member.

25. A Halloween costume, as in claim 24, wherein said retroreflecting material retroreflects white light but appears, under diffuse lighting conditions to be a color other than white.

26. A Halloween costume, as in claim 24, wherein said venting material defines holes.

27. A Halloween costume, as in claim 26, wherein said complete shape includes a frontal portion and a back portion, and further comprising a zipper extending across said frontal portion or said back portion, said zipper having a length sufficient to enable an individual to put on said suit when said zipper is open.

28. A Halloween costume, as in claim 26, wherein said complete shape defines a head portion, said had portion being configured, dimensioned and positioned to serve as a hat for an individual wearing said Halloween costume.

29. A Halloween costume, as in claim 28, wherein said decorative member is of a color which aesthetically blends in with the front of said costume and is stitched to the front of said costume and further comprising a second decorative member, said second decorative member being brightly colored and attached to the rear of said costume.

30. A Halloween costume, as in claim 26, wherein said decorative member is of a color which aesthetically blends in with the front of said costume and is stitched to the front of said costume and further comprising a second decorative member, said second decorative member being brightly colored and attached to the rear of said costume.

31. A Halloween costume, as in claim 20, wherein said retroreflecting material comprises a flexible plastic member.

32. A Halloween costume, as in claim 20, wherein said retroreflecting material retroreflects white light but appears, under diffuse lighting conditions to be a color other than white.

33. A Halloween costume, as in claim 32, further comprising;

(d) a second garment base member portion secured to said first garment base member portion, said second garment base member portion and said first garment base member portion together defining the complete shape of said Halloween costume, said second garment base member portion comprising a venting material which functions as a ventilator for said Halloween costume;

34. A Halloween costume, as in claim 33, wherein said venting material defines holes

35. A Halloween costume, as in claim 34, wherein said complete shape includes a frontal portion and a back portion, and further comprising a zipper extending across said frontal portion or said back portion, said zipper having a length sufficient to enable an individual to put on said suit when said zipper is open.

36. A Halloween costume, as in claim 35, wherein said complete shape defines a head portion, said had portion being configured, dimensioned and positioned to serve as a hat for an individual wearing said Halloween costume.

37. A Halloween costume, as in claim 20, wherein said decorative member is of a color which aesthetically blends in with the front of said costume and is stitched to the front of said costume and further comprising a second decorative member, said second decorative member being brightly colored and attached to the rear of said costume.