A trip to the grocery store wearing a cape and fangs isn’t possible unless it’s Halloween, or you’re a legit Transylvanian. That’s where horror movie shirts fill the gap which allows us to express our inner most creepy curiosities. As an avid horror fan and shopper of horror shirts, I wanted to take some time to break down what I consider a few of the best websites to grab your gruesome gear this Halloween season. I also included a few pointers I’ve picked up over the years to help get the most bang for your buck, and not end up invoking the fires of hell when your purchase ends up being a dud. First, let’s take a look at the list…

Fright Rags

What I, and many others, consider the kings of this category. Fright Rags has been around for quite some time, and their quality reflects that journey. They have a wide selection of amazingly detailed horror shirts with some diverse selections. You’ll find everything from obscure older horror movies, to even the brand new ones that nobody wants to see. Prices are fair, sales are often, and they have so much interaction with their fans that it would be a crime not to follow their footsteps on the socials.

Cavity Colors

Funny enough, the first thing I think of when I am reminded of this place, is color! All their shirts have such a pop of color to them which separates them from the rest of the crowd. I especially love their long sleeve shirts which feature equally colorful prints on the sleeves. Their designs are more comic book looking, and they offer a wider array of shirt colors than your standard black apparel.

Terror Threads

This is where I go if I want to dive into the deep cuts. Terror Threads features some great realistic designs that stand out from the others listed here due to the obscurity of the titles at hand. Lots of sequels are featured here as well, which can be tough to find at other horror shirt companies.

HorrorMerch.com

HorrorMerch.com has been a site I’ve visited for years mostly just to keep an eye on what they get in stock. I can’t say I’ve bought a lot here, but the shirts I have bought, I kept for longer than any other company. Here you will find shirts more true to advertising, which by that I mean graphics that look more like they were pulled directly from an ad for the movie. Rather than an artists interpretation of that movie.

Future Monsters

With a grungier look than everyone else, Future Monsters offers more of a throwback horror design that appeals to a vintage aesthetic. They have pieces that can fit into your every day wardrobe with a subtle, yet still tasteful horror theme. Items like button up shirts and tank tops have a bit more posh to them as opposed to the in your face blood soaked designs we’ve covered so far.

The Halloween Shirt Company

While not specifically horror movie related, this company does a fantastic job at capturing the essence of our favorite hallowed holiday. Several shirts feature a vintage themed Halloween design, with a modern sense of style that keep these tees fresh and desirable. Their color palette is also a standout, with its duller use of rusty orange and browns to keep those Fall feels alive throughout the season.

Seventh Ink

As the newest entry in my horror shirt diary, Seventh Ink came about from a place I am typically quite reluctant of trusting. An Instagram ad showcased some of these Halloween themed shirts, and I was immediately reminded of The Halloween Shirt Company. They do have a similar color palette, but the designs are all unique to the artist who runs the company. He does a fantastic job at building hype around these products as well, which lends itself to the excitement we all share when October is right around the corner.

Quality Control

Shirt prints can be broken down into two categories, screen printing and direct to garment (DTG) printing. Screen printing will give you the absolute best quality, with sharp graphics, intense color, and the ability to withstand heavy washing and drying over time. DTG prints can still be pretty good, but it all depends on what type of iron they are using to print the graphics. Some will be higher end machines that do a great job of translating color and contrast. While others are nothing more than your standard iron-on transfer you could do at home. If you notice a company is offering hundreds or thousands of different shirt designs, chances are they have mostly DTG prints. As quality control becomes a serious issue when you’re running into so much inventory.

Word of Mouth

When it comes to adverting these shirts, social media can be a toxic wasteland of garbage products. Be weary of ads that feature the same looking shirt with a Photoshopped graphic on it up against a plain wooden background image. If you want to dig deeper, check out the companies social media pages to see if real people are wearing these shirts, or if it all just reeks of bad editing. You can also search the company domain name on Google followed by “reviews” which will show if the domain itself is trustworthy, or if it’s been flagged as a scam. Reddit can offer some good insight as well, so don’t be afraid to search the name of the shirt company followed by the tag “Reddit” to see some results where people share their own experiences with said shirt company.

Share & Shout

When you find something you like, check out the companies social media and share a photo or a shout out. This not only will help that company grow, but it will also help other people who were in the same boat seeking similar shirts. Some companies will even offer up coupons as a thank you for spreading the good word. A final piece of advice I would offer is if you are in any way dissatisfied with your shirt, speak up! Let them know what’s wrong without ripping their heads off, and in most cases the company will do their best to accommodate you. If not, you can always return it and get your money back.