Do you make your own Halloween Costumes? You might be amazed by just how simple some of them can be to make. You can save a ton of money doing it yourself. Those ready to wear costumes you find at the store tend to be cheaply made, yet not cheaply priced. So, even if you don't save a ton, you should still save some, and at the same time end up with better quality. I used to always make costumes for my kids when they were little. For the cost of just one ready to wear item, I could get enough stuff to make Halloween costumes for all four of my kids.
If only I had the patience and time to focus on making costumes for my kids, I'm sure I could do it and at a fraction of what about to fork out for two costumes. Its kind of hard to make them, though, when you're strapped for time. My kids have 6 trick or treating events to attend and the first one starts this weekend!
Wow, that's definitely going to keep you busy, Sweet. There are lots of quick, easy costumes to make too. I saw one today. They took a white long-sleeved shirt and white sweat pants, and drew lines on it with black tape. They used a paper plate and black marker to make a face. Instant stick figure costume, haha. Not that your kids want to be stick figures but just an example... it was simple and rather clever, I thought.
How about a Lego costume? Find a cardboard box that will fit over the body of the person who needs a costume. Cut holes for arms and head (box should close in back). Paint the box whatever color you like or with whatever paint you might have on hand. Spray paint works great. Allow to dry. Cut four circles (for square Lego) or six circles (for rectangular Lego) from another piece of cardboard and paint to match. When dry, glue them onto the front of the box.
I'm going to be a mummy this year, but wrapped in toilet tissue that has been stained with paint and smeared with chocolate that will resemble human poop! The background of my character would be like this: Ancient mummy, found in the Sphinx [read more for why], and upon the ankh he wears had bear the title,"Nile Clogger: for in life, he jested to pharaoh Tut, that he stink and had a big butt; so Tut gave him the big shut, mummified under the Sphinx's butt!" Of course, I'll spray some exquisite cologne odor to mimic the true stench of a mummy covered in poop. All in all, it's always fun to create your own costume, because it projects one's creative abilities to be manifested.
Homemade costumes are part of the Halloween fun. I have made a few over the years for myself and my kids. They are grown now and sadly not many adults have parties anymore but I have saved a few of the costumes just in case the occasion arises again. A great way to get costumes is to go to a thrift store, ie. salvation army, goodwill, and buy some cheap clothes to go with some really interesting ghoulish faces. You don't have to be a great crafter to come up with ideas and supplies. Just get out there and do it! You will not only have fun doing it now but you'll have fun reliving the memories later.
Good stuff, Pjazzy. It is a lot of fun, and my kids and I have some great memories from those times. Thrift stores are a really good resource. Cute dress, apron, basket, some red cloth, and you have an instant red riding hood for a just a few dollars. You can find some fun stuff in the party clothes sections too, like old prom dresses or bridesmaid dresses. One of my daughter's fell in love with the gowns and decided to dress up like an old fashioned, glamorous, movie star. Just picking out the dress was fun.
I might get away with making a homemade costume for my toddler, but my daughter has her heart set on Elsa and nothing else will do. I don't have a sewing machine or the patience to try to make her a homemade Elsa costume right now.
Yeah, when they are set on something it's hard to get around it. When you can do it though, it's such fun and it does save some cash. Dollar Tree has quite a bit of costume stuff right now too. Some themes have entire sets, while some things are just an item or two, but they would still offer a good starting point for people looking to make less expensive costumes. I love the little fairy/butterfly wings and stuff like that. So cute.
This past Halloween we skipped trick or treating but had we gone I would have loved to just make our own costume. I think it's mostly because the particular costume I wanted To make would lend itself well to DIY but generally I think it's still a good idea altogether because the kids can help out and that's a big part of the purpose for me since I think it's more about the bonding time you get with the kids rather than the actual trick or treating itself or the candy that the kids will get. When they get older they will remember the experiences a lot more than the candy they got.
I don’t even remember the last time I wore a pre-made costume. I think I was still single-digit age. Sewing/DIY skills weren’t the strongest in my immediate family, but we still managed to craft some pretty cool stuff over the years. Later on I started focusing less on constructing a costume and more on working with what I already had, and I have to say, this year my costume for a party turned out pretty awesome in a fashion-y way. It’s part of the reason Halloween is my favorite holiday; it works my creative muscles.
