Carnival at the last minute

“Diverse heads” can be read on one box, “Bald” on another on the opposite shelf, the boxes “Black short” and “Black long” are right next to it. Parts of a shock of dark hair protrude from one of the boxes and blond curls hang from a hook. Gruesome? Not in combination with jester caps, feather boas, cowboy hats, pilot hats and a large ladybug that just came out of the locker room.

Erika Voit has been working at the Windner costume rental shop on Linz’s main square for 19 years. She’s seen almost everything there – trends that come and go, but also all-time favourites. The bee is one of those. “It’s very popular, funnily enough. It’s easy to get dressed and it’s also very suitable for carnival parades because you can wear something underneath,” says the woman from Ennsdorf, while she helps a pirate bride to complete the outfit with a matching belt and a saber.

The 1980s are particularly trendy this year, says Erika Voit. The seventies anyway – but they’ve been at the top of the list of favorites for years. “Super Mario” costumes are always a hit, she says. They are popular with young and old. In comparison, costumes for current films or series are more like shooting stars. Captain Jack Sparrow has had better days, as has Alice in Wonderland. Currently in demand is disguise in the “Wednesday” style, based on the Netflix series of the same name. “It’s a hit with the boys right now,” says the woman from Ennsdorf. But she doesn’t have much time to chat. A naval officer needs help choosing a cap that fits, and a Roman woman wants to pay.