The following is a guest post from Meredith Mallon, General Merchandising Manager, Kids at zulily

Seems like just when we’ve figured out the back to school routine, it’s time to tackle Halloween.

Yes, Halloween is fun – trick-or-treating, decorating the house, eating lots of sweets we know we shouldn’t. But, it’s also a lot of work!

We’re guessing you’ve got a little one who’s eagerly plotting their trick-or-treat attire. But as a parent, planning and buying a costume can be a tricky business. To help ensure this year’s costume selection is a smashing success, we’ve got some tips:

1. Avoid taking your kids to the costume store, or better yet, avoid the costume store. Either decide beforehand with your little one what he or she wants to wear and then pick it up solo or shop online together to find the best outfit. You’ll avoid any melt downs or last-minute changes of mind in the store aisles.

2. But please, please, don’t pick out a costume without getting your child’s input. Kids are so passionate about what they’ll be for Halloween, so let them use this time to flex their creative muscle and choose a costume that fits them best. If they need some inspiration, flip through books or magazines with them.

3. Swap and save. If you want to save money this year or simply don’t have the time to take on a DIY project, organize a neighborhood or friend circle costume swap using costumes from years past. Thrift stores are also great places to get inspiration and pick up pieces to through together for a unique and home-made costume.

4. Don’t forget about the weather. If it’s going to rain or be cold, find ways to incorporate that in to your outfit or opt for costumes that work with the weather. Live in Seattle like I do? You may want an umbrella as a prop.

5. Compromise is key! If you’re faced with a situation where you don’t like, approve of or understand your child’s choice of costume, compromise. A little bit of his or her chosen costume goes a long way, even if you don’t want go all out with the idea.

Popular costume trends:  Still on the lookout for costume ideas? Get some inspiration from what our zulily moms love. Traditional is still in, and princess and superhero costumes are the big winners so far this year. What’s not to love about shimmering crowns and wind-swept capes? Doctors, witches and pirates are favorites also. And moms just couldn’t resist our cupcake costume for their tiny trick-or-treaters:

Meredith Mallon oversees kids merchandise at zulily. Meredith is always on the hunt for a diverse selection of easy, fun and playful clothing that lets kids be kids. After seeing a gap in online kids apparel, Meredith left her business career to start a new career in kids’ fashion. She launched her own online boutique prior to joining to zulily, and continues to love the opportunity to bring moms great finds at an affordable price for their kids.