Horror
The masks and monsters. Adult sizing — not carried on the kids pages.
Adult sizing. These characters come from films and books made for adults. They are deliberately kept off the kids pages, even where children’s sizes are manufactured.
About horror shirts
Horror apparel has its own look, and it borrows heavily from band merchandise: black garments, distressed prints, poster art, and a tolerance for imagery that other categories would avoid. The slasher villains of the late 1970s and 1980s are the core of it, largely because their masks are single, strong shapes that print as well as any logo.
Demand is sharply seasonal. Searches and sales climb through September and peak in the weeks before Halloween, and popular sizes sell through faster then than at any other time of year. The same shirts are worn year-round by genuine fans, which is why the category holds up once October is over.
What to look for
- Order before mid-October if the shirt is for Halloween. Common sizes run out first.
- Some designs are graphic. Check the full image before buying for a workplace or school.
- Glow-in-the-dark prints use a different ink that is usually thicker and stiffer; expect a heavier feel on the chest.
- Classic Universal monster designs are the gentle end of the category and suit a much wider audience than the slasher films.