TutuToday

APART from the cake, the best thing about a birthday party is dressing up.

For children, a pretty party outfit can be just as exciting as a superhero or fairy costume.

Party-specific clothing used to be the domain of major chain retailers and fancy-dress stores but upmarket designers are also catering to the demand and fighting to capture the lucrative parent dollar.

Fiona Scanlan has left behind the high-end Scanlan & Theodore brand for cute kidswear, while Collette Dinnigan has childrenswear label Collette Dinnigan Enfant.

Elizabeth O'Connor-Cowley, designer for children's fashion label eeni meeni miini moh, believes kids love to dress up -- and it's not about parents.

She designs pieces such as dresses, skirts and wing tops for girls and cape-and-mask sets for boys that can be incorporated into a child's everyday wardrobe rather than being party-only.

``They are made to be worn more than once. They're not one-off items and the price [$59 to $99] dictates that,'' she said.

For character-based costumes, the major retailers provide a multitude of options at purse-friendly prices.

Kmart's range is targeted at children aged three to five and starts at $15 for general costumes and $25 for licensed characters such as Superman, Batman and Sleeping Beauty.

Kmart's general manager of merchandise John Gualtieri said fairy and ladybug costumes were popular outfits for girls, while boys gravitated towards pirates.

Mr Gualtieri said the largest growth had been in low price dress-up accessories.

``Sales indicate parents have been taking advantage of cost-effective accessories like our licensed masks for $2,'' he said.

Target's range of costumes are priced from $25 to $69.

Preschool toys buyer Brendan McNie said Target stocked 10 different character costumes, including Tinkerbell and Optimus Prime, with two additional characters hitting stores in May this year.

Mr McNie observed a growing trend of children wanting to dress as movie characters rather than traditional costumes.

Jane Opie, manager of fancy dress shop Fancy Shmancy in Bondi Junction, said: ``Kids really know what they want. They come in with a picture and want their costume to look exactly like it. They can be very upset if it's not perfect.''

Aragon from The Lord Of The Rings and Harry Potter were two of the more popular characters.

In order to get it right, Ms Opie and her team style each outfit individually. A child's outfit is hired over a three-day period, costing from $30 to $75.

Harry Potter

Harry Potter fever isn't dying down any time soon and, with the amount of Harry Potterthemed parties around, your little wizard will want to stand out. For something different, try this Quidditch outfit from Kmart

Ben 10

Newest superhero Ben 10 has taken the genre by storm.

Costumeshop.com has a complete Ben 10 outfit, including the all-important watch, which is sure to transform any aspiring hero into an evil-fighting force to be reckoned with

Spiderman

Superhero outfits have come a long way from the days of a mask and coloured cloak. The Spotlight creative geniuses have made this freakishly realistic Spiderman costume complete with muscles so your little man is ready to save the day

Chef

Even kids parties haven't escaped the MasterChef phenomenon, with a rise in baking and cooking activities as part of many entertainers' repertoires. Get the kids in the kitchen and cooking with this chef ensemble from Toys R Us

Army battlers

Guerrilla warfare has never been so fun. At Laser Skirmish courses all over Sydney, party guests are kitted out with full camouflage army attire as well as equipment which will transform your little angel into a fighting machine

Ballerina

Ballerina costumes are all about excess and glamour and a must for most little girls, like this soft pink Oobi tutu. Accessorise with glitter, gloves, jiffies and strings of pearls. This is her time to shine

Bella Ball gown

The intricate design and construction of this gown will make your little girl the belle of the birthday party. Kmart's little elves magically create these high-end dresses fit for a queen, or your little princess

Butterfly

This butterfly-inspired dress by Oobi is a very wearable alternative to dress-up costumes for a more casual affair. The bright bursts of colour and intricate embroidered designs make the dress fun and festive

Caped Crusader

This cape-and-mask-combo from eeni meeni miini moh is perfect for helping you transform into a superhero. If you want to blend in with the crowd simply keep it in your backpack and when the bad guys swoop, whip it out and you're the star

Fairy Princess

These unique tutus and dresses will instantly transform your girl into the perfect little princess.

She will look like she's stepped straight out of a fairytale but this Kmart outfit is functional enough for the longest party