PACIFIC BEACH — Finding the perfect Halloween costume can be daunting, haunting or exhilarating. It just depends on one’s perspective. Carissa Casares, an employee at Buffalo Exchange — a popular resale clothing chain — said there are typically two types when it comes to dressing up. There are those who look forward to the process of selecting a costume and those who want to attend parties and, therefore, who must scavenge for a last-minute option. She has some advice for both, as well as those who fall in between. “Our prepackaged costumes always sell really well,” Casares said. Classic choices like Snow White and other princesses are popular for women or girls. French maid costumes, while more risqué, are also popular selections for women. Men this year have purchased prepackaged skeleton costumes in such great quantities that Buffalo Exchange has sold out of them. “The biggest pop-culture reference I’ve heard of is ‘Alice in Wonderland,’” Casares said. Trying to recreate Johnny Depp’s look as the Mad Hatter from Tim Burton’s “Alice in Wonderland” can be time consuming, yet rewarding. Buffalo Exchange has had many shoppers interested in prepackaged Alice costumes or men attempting to recreate the colorful hatter. Casares anticipated hearing more buzz about people wanting to dress up as characters from AMC’s hit television show “Mad Men.” As the new season debuted July 25, the store saw a rise in people shopping for vintage clothing to wear to “Mad Men” parties. Casares advises those in desperate need of a costume to tap into their more creative side. She suggests for women to purchase a vintage dress from a resale shop. Then, she said, shred it. Next, women should purchase fake blood and wipe it all over their dress and skin. “You’d be like a tortured prom queen,” Casares said. She added that the cost could easily be around $10 for the simple get-up, because not all costumes have to be expensive. Many of the prepackaged items cost around $40. “Halloween is Buffalo Exchange’s Christmas,” Casares said. The store purchases clothing and costumes from its customers year-round. It gathers up all of the Halloween costumes it has been storing throughout the year and puts them out the last week of September. If newer, used costumes arrive before Halloween, they will be added to the selection. The prepackaged items, however, are not replenished until next year. Buffalo Exchange saw an early influx of those eager to dress up. However, the staff anticipates the crowds to remain steady through Halloween Day. Buffalo Exchange is located at 1007 Garnet Ave. For more information, call (858) 273-6227.