DIY Halloween Costumes on a Budget
We got some great tips from a Consignment Expert to create and save on costumes this Halloween
Do you remember your favorite Halloween costume as a kid? Mine was this long, flowing princess costume that my mother made out of green satin and chiffon. It had a vest with sequins and a cone-shaped hat with a long flowing train. When I wore that outfit, I felt like I was walking the red carpet. That was nearly as fun as all the candy I collected!
To create a memorable costume for your own kids, we’re bringing you some creative ideas from our favorite consignment expert, Michelle Thompson from Swap.com, an online consignment shop. You don’t even have to be a crafty DIY mom for these! If browsing is more your thing, you can find ready-made costumes on Swap.com or BuyCostumes.com.
Michelle says, “There are such great costume ideas out there. With just a little bit of creativity and effort, it’s easy to save big and have your child stand out.” Here are her ideas for the best Halloween costumes for the DIY mom on a budget.
Superheroes:
Superhero costumes are fun and extremely easy to make with items you already have. Take an existing track outfit or brightly colored, matching shirt and pants. Add colorful tape to decorate the outfit and make their favorite superhero sign. Another option; extra fabric around the house can make a quick cape, pair with comfortable leggings, purchase a mask or face paint and you have a DIY superhero!
Mad Scientist:
More than likely, your little one will already have a pair of khakis and a plaid shirt. All you need is a white lab coat and lab goggles. Add a few finishing touches such as; a cute bow tie, yellow gloves and pens for pocket flair. Complete this look with a fun wig or add a bit of hairspray if their hair is long, and your little Einstein is ready to go!
Raining Cats & Dogs:
This costume is super cute and fun to make. There are two routes for this costume. The first, take a clear umbrella, you will need cat and dog stickers. Place the stickers on the clear umbrella; pair it with their favorite raincoat and boots. For the second option, take a few stuffed animals of cats and dogs and glue them to the umbrella and your kiddo will be the talk of school with their creative outfit.
Deep Sea Scuba Diver:
This is a great out-of-the box costume idea and easy to make with existing items. What you will need for the scuba gear; goggles, wet shoes and black gloves. Pair this with a black hoodie or long johns for underneath the accessories. For the air tank, take two 2-liter Coke bottles, and paint them silver or yellow. Duct tape them together and glue them to the back of a black sweatshirt. To add a finishing touch, you can use a tube or cord and cut a hole in the bottle and attach the cord to one side of the shoulder.
Little Piggy:
Take an old pink sweatshirt (2-3 sizes larger than your child), cut the arms and hood off. Sew or glue the edges showing to make a clean look for the arms, head and bottom. With the extra fabric and hood, you can make a hat and ears to pin to the hood. For the nose you can paint on the pink, purchase a nose or cut a toilet paper roll and attach string for around the head. Pair this with pink pants or tights and a pink long sleeve undershirt.
Other Animals:
Follow the little piggy instructions above. Animals are super simple to make with existing items around the house. All you need is a sweatshirt that is cohesive with the animal’s color you are choosing, and extra fabric to glue for the specific markings of the animals. Take old tights, pants or play clothes to pair with, purchase a nose, ears and face paint and you are set to DIY an adorable costume.