Okay! After our little Christmas break (or maybe Bosses Day? October 16th!) I feel ready to move on to the reader costume ideas. I didn't feel absolutely swamped with ideas, but that's okay. I know coming up with costume ideas is hard, hard, hard. Thank goodness for those awesome websites, right? The good news is, the ideas I was sent were all pretty fun/hilarious. Enjoy!
(I copied and pasted from my email, but did a little editing for clarity. Just so you know.)
This one is from Misty. She says:
"When my oldest son was two I made him a pumpkin costume that was very cost-efficient that I thought I would like to share.
(I copied and pasted from my email, but did a little editing for clarity. Just so you know.)
This one is from Misty. She says:
"When my oldest son was two I made him a pumpkin costume that was very cost-efficient that I thought I would like to share.
Materials:
Orange sweat suit
Orange baseball cap
Black and green felt
Hot glue gun!
Since it was hunting season in our neck of the woods, finding the bright orange sweat suit and baseball cap was not a problem. In fact, since the color is really so hideous for normal wear, I got the sweatsuit and the cap for less than $10.00. Also, I used one 8.5X11esque sheet of black felt. These go for about 20 cents in my neck of the woods. This is for the pumpkin/jack-o-lantern face. I did a really toothy grin with triangle eyes and nose, to keep it simple. For the grin, I sketched it out on a piece of paper first so that I could erase as needed, then cut it out to use for a pattern. After I cut out the face bits, I hot glued them to the front of the shirt.
Using three 8.5x11esque sheets of (dark) green felt for the the foliage, I made strips of attached triangles (they were all one piece and one edge looked like this: /\/\/\/\/\/\). The length you would need would depend on what size costume you are making. Then, once again with the glue gun, I glued these all the way around the wrists of the shirt and the ankles of the pants. I also did a ring around the collar. Also, note that the stretchability of the cuffs will cease to exist once you hot glue on these accents, so make sure you leave enough room for little hands and feet to slip through.
Then, for the pumpkin top cap, I did a circle with the jagged triangle edges and hot glued that to the top of the hat, not overly big, probably around six inches across. Then I took a strip of the green felt and cigar-rolled it up to make a little cylinder. I glued that on top of the jagged circle for the stem.
Voila! You have a comfortable and cute pumpkin costume that is HOMEMADE no less. He was adorable."
I like that this involved no sewing and that "hideous" bright orange color found in hunting gear.
Next we have some ideas sent in by the lovely Pixel. Again, edited slightly for clarity.
"Here are some costumes I've seen people actually wearing that were very cute.
A) The Blues Brothers Couple's costumes.
This husband/wife team I knew just shopped at Goodwill for the shoes, suits, white shirts, ties, and hats. He provided the white cotton socks. She put her hair up under her hat, and they both wore their sunglasses. It was priceless. And cheap. I think they used ballpoint pen for the tattoos on the fingers. They were the hit of the party!
B) Crayolas Group Costume. Also known as Crayons by some people. But we know they're Crayolas.
Buy solid-colored cheap pillowcases at Goodwill, Salvation, or WalMart, etc. If they're not in the color of your choice, dye them. Rit dye is still really cheap. Use black fabric marking pens (Michael's sells these) to draw the lines around the top and bottom of pillow case and label with appropriate icky Halloween color. For adults, things like Pea Green Puke or Puppy Poop Brown are good. Kids could have less "crude" color choices--perhaps I Hate Broccoli Green or Slug Gray. Cut out head and arm holes from pillowcase (no need to get fancy and hem anything. This is disposable). Wear matching tights. Make your "crayon point" from a construction paper cone glued or taped. Elastic can be used under the chin to hold them on for kids. Adults can usually get away with bobbie pins. Use face paint if you want to get fancy, but I've seen this one done (by a group of art therapists) without the face paint and they were adorable! Great idea for a family costumes, too.
C) Pregnant Costume - Eggplant or Pumpkin with Vine.
Mother: Use coat-hangers (or other light, bendable wire) to construct a vaguely rounded shaped of the appropriate veggie, in a size the mother can wear. Make sure pregnant mom fits through the bottom hole you leave for her to put it on! Cover the metal frame with fabric (orange or purple) using a hot glue gun. Cut out arm holes and neck holes. Mom wears matching tights and long-sleeved turtleneck (in green or veggie color). Use green felt to make a flat "cap" and collar of leaves for mom (perhaps like the pumpkin idea above!), and glue a fake stem and leaves to the cap. Use elastic on cap under chin to keep it on.
Father: Use green felt strips tied together and twisted (about 6-10 feet long) to connect to Dad, who gets the joy of wearing green tights and long green t-shirt. Pin or glue the vine to the cap or collar of Mother Eggplant so they stay "connected". If felt is too expensive, plain cotton from a fabric store should be fairly cheap.
To win first prize at a party, the expectant mother has to go into labor and they have to go to the hospital in their costumes. Their child will never forgive them for the weird birth pictures."
All very awesome. Especially tips about how to win first prize. Take notes!
Swistle sent us this:
"Since I am not creative (I have never made a robot costume out of boxes and tin foil, for example), and I am not crafty (sew? no), I am a fan of HANDMEDOWN COSTUMES. When Rob and William were 5 and 3, I bought two pumpkin costumes on a nice sale at The Children's Place. I bought them a little too big. The costumes fit that Halloween and also the next Halloween. The Halloween after that, Rob's costume fit William.
The costumes are close enough in size (and flexible enough in the fit) that the twins will be able to wear them next year--Edward will probably need a larger size than Elizabeth anyway. Eventually Henry can wear them.
In this way I pay for two costumes, and get many, many uses out of them. However: you have to have kids young enough that they don't care, or you have to use my Halloween Costume philosophy, which is that kids get to choose from what's available in the house, not from what's available in the universe. I bring out the bin of costumes and costume pieces, and they can choose what they want from there.
I do have ONE inexpensive, easy costume idea. I use it for younger kids who can be persuaded to dress as a bunny.
At Easter, I buy those headbands with bunny ears attached. So first go back in time to Easter and buy some.
Then I dress the child all in grey and/or white clothing the child already owns: grey sweatpants, white shirt, that kind of thing. White gloves are a nice touch if you happen to have them.
I make a bunny tail out of cotton balls and glue. Take a cotton ball, pull it so it's bigger and fluffier; then take another cotton ball and do the same until you have a big wad of cotton. Squirt glue into the inner workings of the fluff, and mess it around a little (more pulling and squishing). Then let dry. I do this the day before. You can pin the tail to the back of sweatpants with a big safety pin.
For the face, I use liquid eyeliner for whiskers, pink lipstick for the nose. If I don't have liquid eyeliner, I use undereye pencil. If my undereye pencil isn't dark enough, I use Crayola Washable Markers. Emphasis on WASHABLE, or you will be sorry."
Again, I love the philosophy. And also the instructions on going back in time.
Erin sent in this:
"Halloween Costumes in a Box
We used to do this a lot when we were kids. It probably works best with school-age kids. You just get a box from the local grocery store, something that the body can fit into. Then you cut out a hole for the head and the shoulders, so you wear the box like a dress. Then you can be anything box-shaped. Like a box of crayons (my most brilliant homemade costume when I was 8) or a box of candy or something like that. We used construction paper to cover the box with whatever pattern we chose."
This wasn't from a reader, but I saw it on ivillage and wanted to share it:
I like that this involved no sewing and that "hideous" bright orange color found in hunting gear.
Next we have some ideas sent in by the lovely Pixel. Again, edited slightly for clarity.
"Here are some costumes I've seen people actually wearing that were very cute.
A) The Blues Brothers Couple's costumes.
This husband/wife team I knew just shopped at Goodwill for the shoes, suits, white shirts, ties, and hats. He provided the white cotton socks. She put her hair up under her hat, and they both wore their sunglasses. It was priceless. And cheap. I think they used ballpoint pen for the tattoos on the fingers. They were the hit of the party!
B) Crayolas Group Costume. Also known as Crayons by some people. But we know they're Crayolas.
Buy solid-colored cheap pillowcases at Goodwill, Salvation, or WalMart, etc. If they're not in the color of your choice, dye them. Rit dye is still really cheap. Use black fabric marking pens (Michael's sells these) to draw the lines around the top and bottom of pillow case and label with appropriate icky Halloween color. For adults, things like Pea Green Puke or Puppy Poop Brown are good. Kids could have less "crude" color choices--perhaps I Hate Broccoli Green or Slug Gray. Cut out head and arm holes from pillowcase (no need to get fancy and hem anything. This is disposable). Wear matching tights. Make your "crayon point" from a construction paper cone glued or taped. Elastic can be used under the chin to hold them on for kids. Adults can usually get away with bobbie pins. Use face paint if you want to get fancy, but I've seen this one done (by a group of art therapists) without the face paint and they were adorable! Great idea for a family costumes, too.
C) Pregnant Costume - Eggplant or Pumpkin with Vine.
Mother: Use coat-hangers (or other light, bendable wire) to construct a vaguely rounded shaped of the appropriate veggie, in a size the mother can wear. Make sure pregnant mom fits through the bottom hole you leave for her to put it on! Cover the metal frame with fabric (orange or purple) using a hot glue gun. Cut out arm holes and neck holes. Mom wears matching tights and long-sleeved turtleneck (in green or veggie color). Use green felt to make a flat "cap" and collar of leaves for mom (perhaps like the pumpkin idea above!), and glue a fake stem and leaves to the cap. Use elastic on cap under chin to keep it on.
Father: Use green felt strips tied together and twisted (about 6-10 feet long) to connect to Dad, who gets the joy of wearing green tights and long green t-shirt. Pin or glue the vine to the cap or collar of Mother Eggplant so they stay "connected". If felt is too expensive, plain cotton from a fabric store should be fairly cheap.
To win first prize at a party, the expectant mother has to go into labor and they have to go to the hospital in their costumes. Their child will never forgive them for the weird birth pictures."
All very awesome. Especially tips about how to win first prize. Take notes!
Swistle sent us this:
"Since I am not creative (I have never made a robot costume out of boxes and tin foil, for example), and I am not crafty (sew? no), I am a fan of HANDMEDOWN COSTUMES. When Rob and William were 5 and 3, I bought two pumpkin costumes on a nice sale at The Children's Place. I bought them a little too big. The costumes fit that Halloween and also the next Halloween. The Halloween after that, Rob's costume fit William.
The costumes are close enough in size (and flexible enough in the fit) that the twins will be able to wear them next year--Edward will probably need a larger size than Elizabeth anyway. Eventually Henry can wear them.
In this way I pay for two costumes, and get many, many uses out of them. However: you have to have kids young enough that they don't care, or you have to use my Halloween Costume philosophy, which is that kids get to choose from what's available in the house, not from what's available in the universe. I bring out the bin of costumes and costume pieces, and they can choose what they want from there.
I do have ONE inexpensive, easy costume idea. I use it for younger kids who can be persuaded to dress as a bunny.
At Easter, I buy those headbands with bunny ears attached. So first go back in time to Easter and buy some.
Then I dress the child all in grey and/or white clothing the child already owns: grey sweatpants, white shirt, that kind of thing. White gloves are a nice touch if you happen to have them.
I make a bunny tail out of cotton balls and glue. Take a cotton ball, pull it so it's bigger and fluffier; then take another cotton ball and do the same until you have a big wad of cotton. Squirt glue into the inner workings of the fluff, and mess it around a little (more pulling and squishing). Then let dry. I do this the day before. You can pin the tail to the back of sweatpants with a big safety pin.
For the face, I use liquid eyeliner for whiskers, pink lipstick for the nose. If I don't have liquid eyeliner, I use undereye pencil. If my undereye pencil isn't dark enough, I use Crayola Washable Markers. Emphasis on WASHABLE, or you will be sorry."
Again, I love the philosophy. And also the instructions on going back in time.
Erin sent in this:
"Halloween Costumes in a Box
We used to do this a lot when we were kids. It probably works best with school-age kids. You just get a box from the local grocery store, something that the body can fit into. Then you cut out a hole for the head and the shoulders, so you wear the box like a dress. Then you can be anything box-shaped. Like a box of crayons (my most brilliant homemade costume when I was 8) or a box of candy or something like that. We used construction paper to cover the box with whatever pattern we chose."
This wasn't from a reader, but I saw it on ivillage and wanted to share it:
"What's a quick and easy costume for the toddler? How about a 'baby greaser'? Use hair gel to slick his hair back, a white T-shirt, jeans rolled up, a comb in his back pocket and a jacket. We used a black spray-painted raincoat from a thrift store but you can also use a jean jacket or similar.--cl-mon 7"
Okay! Comments section would looooove to have some more awesome ideas.
And then I promise I'll stop hounding you and move on to something else.
Go!
3 comments:
well, I feel like I've posted this already -- or like I'm talking about it all. the. time. with my friends or something, but we're making our own Mickey Mouse costume this year for my 3yo:
-we were given some Disney ears one year and they're in good shape -- adding elastic to secure it on his head
-black turtleneck
-black leggings/tights
-white gloves
-red shorts, onto which I'll either sew or glue-gun 2 big, white buttons
-yellow crocs if I can find them
-a black nose (eyeliner pencil)
Et voila! Who's the leader of the club that's made for you and me??
I love the crayolas idea.
Once my husband and I went as the Adams family parents- Morticia and what's his name? It was easy- we made our faces pale, I wore a long black wig and a all black dress and red lipstick, D wore a suit (I think) and we painted on a mustache with eyeliner. We got pictures off the internet, so we had something to go by.
I love the crayons idea!
Appearing in the Crayola group costume would literally be a colorful one. BuyCostumes.com has group Halloween costumes which you also might wish to see for yourself.
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