Southlake shop helps you dress up, get down

Tucked inside the 280 Sports complex, Over the Top Costume Shoppe is a hidden gem for people looking to dress up in costume for events, parties and school plays.

"They love our store, in fact, they bring their friends — I have people pat my hand and say, 'We're going to keep this our secret,' and I'm like, 'Try not to, so I can be here next year,'" said owner Nacheska Gentry-Combs, laughing.

The store offers more than 20,000 costumes and accessories, including wigs, gloves, hats, makeup, tiaras and toys. Some of the most popular costumes for adults are from the 1970s and 1980s.

Superhero costumes, such as Spiderman, Batman and Superman, are a hit. Villains like Darth Vader from Stars Wars are popular, too.

"I do costumes for all reasons and all seasons," she said.

For Christmas, customers can choose from a variety of costumes, including Santa, snowman or reindeer with a nose that lights up. Gentry-Combs makes about one-third of the costumes, including insects, animals, Victorian and Renaissance costumes.

The costume store she runs because it is fun, she said, but she also loves to dance.

Gentry-Combs has been teaching dance since the age of 18. In 1995, she opened a dancewear store in Haltom City and realized there was a market for costumes.

"People would walk in the store and they were like, 'Cool, do you make costumes?' And so I started making some and I started buying some," she said. "That's how it evolved."

After a dance student recommended her for an impersonator gig, she spent about three years impersonating Marilyn Monroe for private parties and corporate bookings in New York, Florida, Oklahoma and Texas.

In 2000, she opened a costume shop and dance studio on Kimball Avenue. She moved the business to its current location in 2010. At night, she teaches hula and dancing at Over the Top Studio, which shares space with Over the Top Costume Shoppe. During the day, she runs the costume store with her son, Chance, and daughter, Anastasia Borger.

While business has been slow, she says it is worth coming to work every day because she enjoys teaching people to dance and finding them costumes.

"It's a labor of love," she said.

Customers have hugged and thanked her for staying in business.

"The parents are crazy busy and they get this note that their child has to be a lion tomorrow," she said. "What do they do? Help! They pick up and call me — that's what they do."

Popular rental costumes

• Adults ($38+): Historical, superheroes, 1970–'80s
• Children ($25+): Animals, historical and superheroes

Dance studio

• Hula and belly dancing performances ($125+)
• Hula and belly dancing classes ($35+)

Over the Top Costume Shoppe & Studio, 280 Commerce St., Ste. 245, Southlake, 817-416-0063 (Shoppe), 817-798-7185 (Studio), www.overthetopcostume.com