Halloween is just a few weeks away, and then after that it will be Christmas but let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Let’s tackle everything one at a time. Halloween itself will require a whole lot of your time especially if you’re a parent. Expect to be handling the costume designs and worries of your kids for their school play and party or for their trick-or-treating on the 31st. And with all those things in mind, you will always have to shoulder the burden of costs.
How to come up with Halloween costumes while working on a budget
It is true that your life would be easier if you buy a Halloween costume from the store or rent one from a costume shop. But if you have four kids and all of them wants a costume that can be quite a burden for your wallet.
Also, if you’re going to rent or buy one, you will have to tackle the stress of your kids fighting over which one would be the fairy or which one would be Spiderman. While your kids argue you go down memory lane and reminisce of the time you were a kid. There’s no quarrel over costumes because in the first place you have to make your own.
This, of course, lights up a series of light bulbs in your head. Why not have my kids make their own costumes. It’s economical, it’s fun to do, and you can show your kids the value of work. However, if you follow this path be prepared with some resistance especially if you have promised your kid a great costume last year or if you have spoiled them a little along the way.
In the end, it is your decision to make. Plus, homemade Halloween costumes are not always the crappy things that children always thought they would be. With extra effort and a lot of imagination, you can make your kid a Halloween costume better than the ones they sell at the mall.
To encourage your kid avoid the usual white bed sheet with holes for the arms, eyes, and mouth costume. This is not a great idea, unless your kid wants that. But as someone who has been around, try to be more creative and spend time on your kid’s costume.
Try to remember that nowadays, it’s okay to have costumes of celebrities and superheroes. In fact your kid might be badgering you of a batman costume. That one can be tricky but with the right materials you can make one from a black cloth, ski mask, kid’s tights, and that pair of boots your kid has in your room.
Other costume ideas include a cat or kitten costume which involves leggings, sweatshirts, stockings or rope for the tail, and probably a paper at mask. A devil costume is also quite easy to make. Clothe your kid in all red or black and buy that head band horns which you can practically see everywhere during this time of the year. You can add a cape if you want and of course a forked staff. Just make sure your kid knows that the staff is for props only and not for poking his neighbor.
Materials you will need for your budget Halloween costumes are readily available in most shops or most of them you can even find in your own home. Again, you can create a great costume while working on a budget, all you need is time to spend and imagination to burn.
More Homemade Halloween Costume Ideas
Using your imagination and putting different items together is much better than tossing a sheet over your head and saying you’re a ghost. Since Halloween doesn’t always have to be scary, think of other characters you can play like perhaps a clown, tin man, a pirate or a gorilla.
- Clown. For a clown outfit, you should start by looking for a colorful pair of sweats pants. If you don’t have any, see if there is some other baggy clothing lying around. Since clowns have big buttons on their coveralls, use colorful mesh dish scrubbers which can be found in your kitchen or the grocery. For your hair, get a wig because it will take more than a day to get off the color on your hair. Get some white makeup for your face and then find a pair of goofy shoes to complete the outfit.
- Tin man. We all know tin man from the wizard of Oz. To dress up just like him, you will see cardboard which will be most of your costume. To make yourself look like him, you can spray the cardboard with silver spray paint or attach aluminum foil all around it. For your hat, see if there is an old funnel in the garage. You will need black shoes for your feet and silver eye shadow for your face. Another option will be to make your own make up using silver face makeup with cold cream and food coloring. Don’t forget to put black eyeliner to draw lines from the corners of your mouth to your chin.
- Pirate. Making a pirate costume is probably the simplest of them all. For this you will need a pair of black or brown hospital scrubs. You then cut the top portion as well as the sleeves to create a vest. To make it look good, sketch and skill and crossbones onto white felt then paste this on the back of vest. Now put on a white shirt and just wear a pair of jeans. Since not all pirates have wear a hat, you can wear a bandana instead just like some of the characters in Pirates of the Caribbean.
- Gorilla. Lastly, to be a gorilla, you will need a lot of black fur and then sew this up to your top and bottom. Since the mask is hard to make, it is best to just get the costume from the store.
Once you have finished planning what you are going to wear, it is time now to look at what accessories there are available. If there are none, then you have to buy it at a thrift shop or consignment store.
Making your costume for Halloween will surely save you a lot of money since most costumes cost more than $20 a set. The best part is that you don’t have to feel guilty when you decide to throw it away since you can probably make a new one the following year.
See Also…
Halloween Costume Ideas for Kids – 12 Must-See Resources