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The DNAinfo archives brought to you by WNYC.
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Gangnam Style Could Top Hottest Halloween Costumes This Year

NEW YORK CITY — This Halloween, New York City's streets may be swarming with baby blue tuxedos, thanks to the runaway YouTube hit 'Gangnam Style.'

The signature suit, featured in the dance hit performed by South Korean pop Star Psy, is the on trend costume of choice for customers at Midtown stores Abracadabra and Halloween Adventure, store owners said.

"A guy came in here yesterday and was trying to sell me a licensed costume of that Asian guy with a tux. The one who dances," said Tony Bianchi, owner of Halloween Adventure, in trying to recall the name of the Korean pop sensation, Psy.

Kodi Hadrick, manager of Abracadabra, also said she has had people coming into the store looking for pieces to complete their 'Gangnam Style' look.

“Now I’m thinking maybe I should get a blue tux, black sunglasses and a bow tie for those looking for it,” said Hadrick.

Alongside the pastel tuxedos, old-school Batman villains and the usual masks of controversial politicians will top the list of most popular costumes for 2012, store owners said.

The most recent Batman villain, Bane, will join the older Batman villains in dominating Halloween costume choices come Oct. 31.

“Batman is going to be huge this year, in every style,” said Hadrick, of Abracadabra, an independently owned costume store located at 19 W. 21st St. “Even the old characters like Penguin and The Riddler [are popular already].”

At Halloween Adventure, located at 104 Fourth Ave., Bane masks were sold out within a week of their arrival at the store, said Bianchi.

At New Era Factory Outlet, a men’s formal wear distributor located at 63 Orchard St., the purple suit worn by the Joker remains popular, said owner Robert Zaiger.

The royal blue suit worn by the bearded spokesman in this year’s NFL Fantasy Football commercials has also been requested by some customers, Zaiger added.

More familiar favorites such as zombies and vampires continue to be hot items this season, and Halloween Adventure has been preparing for the rush by snagging an exclusive contract for zombie contact lenses this year, according to Bianchi.

The zombie contacts, with 80 percent visibility, appear filmy white, like the cloudy irises that are a signature of the walking dead.

And Bianchi said masks of politicans — particularly unpopular ones like former presidents Richard Nixon and George W. Bush — should fly off this shelves yet again this Halloween.

At the Village Party Store, located at 13 E. Eighth St., popular accessories include afro wigs, gold and silver chains and vampire-style appendages such as pointed teeth and red contact lenses, said a spokesman for the store. Classic cops, robbers, witches and flappers are also still trending at the store this year.

For children, superheroes and Angry Birds are still popular. Characters from Monster High — a line of fashion dolls depicting well-known monsters such as Frankenstein and Dracula — are popular among young girls this Halloween, said Hadrick.

Despite a plethora of ready-made options, many shoppers said they preferred homemade costumes over the packaged ones and browsed stores simply for inspiration or accessories to finalize their look.

“I think it’s when a costume is homemade that people really appreciate it,” said Nicola Spadina as he browsed the Halloween Adventure store. "I'm really just looking for some inspiration."

“I usually try to make my own costume,” said Kristen Torres, a young shopper at Abracadabra.

“I usually just get the accessories at costume shops," Torres added. "I’m not sure what I’m going to be yet this year. Last year, I was a necromancer.”