Go Gaga this Halloween by combing the racks at local thrift shops for party dresses and other secondhand apparel that can be fashioned into an outrageous ensemble fit for the pop music queen herself.

Or grab a cast-off bustier and an electric-blue wig and become a Katy Perry clone.

Thrift stores can be your go-to costume closet when it comes to pulling together one-of-a-kind Halloween looks. From prom gowns and business suits to leopard-print pants and clunky boots, there’s an abundance of bargain-priced clothing and accessories that can be mixed together or combined with new items to create a glam or ghoulish get-up.

The National Retail Federation reports that more people plan to dress up for the holiday than ever before — 40.1 percent compared with 33.4 percent last year, the highest percentage since the group started tracking Halloween trends in 2003. The group suggests that consumers are looking to Halloween as an opportunity to escape the stresses of a poor economy and other pressures.

Lady Gaga, Perry and the "Twilight" crowd are among this year’s most popular Halloween costumes, according to retailers. "People tend to like celebrities and comic book characters like Iron Man, the Hulk and Power Rangers," said Emerson Dabalos, a sales associate and Halloween costume coordinator at Savers in Kalihi.

"Women tend to go for the DIY (do-it-yourself) stuff. They like to grab different items and put their costumes together. Men like the big monsters like werewolves and gorillas."

Classic villains like the Joker from "Batman" and Jigsaw from the grisly "Saw" movies never go out of style, he said. In fact, one of the first items to sell out this year was the hockey mask worn by Jason Voorhees in the long-running "Friday the 13th" slasher-film franchise.

Pop culture is another great source of costumes. For example, MTV’s scream-inducing "Jersey Shore" has spawned a Halloween trend. Just buy a Snooki wig, give yourself an industrial-strength coating of bronzer and you’re good to go. And a Savers consumer survey named the characters of HBO’s "True Blood" as the best group costume, followed by the "Lost" castaways, "The Office" workers and "Alice in Wonderland" weirdos.

Costume consultants like Dabalos and Erin Shipka are available at Savers to help folks come up with ideas and find items that will work for a particular costume.

"At Savers, we have anything from preppy to gothic, so there is something for everybody," Shipka said.

Savers, which also has a store in Waipahu, offers new and gently used costumes, clothing and accessories for the whole family. Inspiration can be found in a funky pair of shoes, fishnet stockings, a wig or dress. From there, find other pieces to complete the costume.

The Savers survey said about a third of costume shoppers at its stores spend under $25, with another third spending between $25 and $50.

A princess or corpse bride are easy choices, Shipka said. "Just get a dress and bloody it up."

Playing on Johnny Depp’s recent filming in Hawaii, a pirate costume can be assembled with an appropriate hat, a basic white shirt and some brown pants. "The clothes can be shredded or girls sometimes create a sexy pirate," she said.

Gypsies are another Halloween standby. Collect a shawl, some oversize earrings, a flowing dress or skirt and cheap beaded necklaces. For a dog or cat, add ears, a tail, a collar and makeup to sweat pants or leggings, and a top. "If people skimp on the costume, they can go crazy with makeup or shoes," Shipka said.

Visit www.savers.com for makeup tutorial videos, including "sparkly movie vampire makeup.