Author Topic: Halloween costumes  (Read 4337 times)

Poundwise

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2076
Halloween costumes
« on: October 17, 2017, 07:13:40 AM »
It's that time of year! My little girl wants to be Wonder Woman.

- Spend $25 on a readymade costume at Costco, or try to DIY?  I have blue chiffon which might be suitable for the skirt, but would have to buy shiny red fabric for the top/boots, and gold material for the stars, headband, and wristbands (the most important parts!)

Any other favorite ideas for fun cheap costumes this year?

meerkat

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 4214
Re: Halloween costumes
« Reply #1 on: October 17, 2017, 07:43:32 AM »
Wonder Woman sounds fun! I'm crafty but not sufficiently crafty to DIY a Wonder Woman costume, there's a lot of parts and materials involved.

My two year old does not tolerate hats, hoods, masks, or any other head gear. He also runs hot and we're in a hot climate, most premade costumes are made for cold climates so they have lots of padding and frequently have hats or something head related, so DIY costumes will probably be preferable for him anyway. This year I finally decided to make him a tiger costume. He has an orange shirt and shorts already so I bought some orange fabric and black puff paint. The orange fabric is to make a tail, I probably have so velcro around so I can attach it to his shorts but it's not a big deal if someone else (or he) yanks on the tail. I may also make a little bag for him if there's enough leftover fabric.

My costume is less Mustachian - I'm dressing up as Jessica Jones and the priciest part was the jacket at $35 including shipping. I'm also getting a scarf ($9) and a wig ($9), both of which I expect to reuse a lot in the future. Everything else either my husband or I already own (hoodie, jeans, boots, messenger bag).

tthree

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 424
  • Location: Canada
Re: Halloween costumes
« Reply #2 on: October 17, 2017, 07:52:13 AM »
I bought my daughter the Costco Wonder Women costume last year.  Wonder Woman wasn't as popular last year, so it was on sale for $15 when they were clearing out costumes.  My daughter is Wonder Woman at least once a week (it's still cute when your 4).  It was well worth the $15.

bognish

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 301
Re: Halloween costumes
« Reply #3 on: October 17, 2017, 09:23:48 AM »
My kids are going to be ninjas, so I am getting attached every night when I come home from work as they practice. I am going to get my craft on this weekend and hopefully come up with a fidget spinner for me.

AMandM

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1673
Re: Halloween costumes
« Reply #4 on: October 18, 2017, 08:46:16 PM »
How demanding is your little girl?  My inclination would be to use a red t-shirt instead of sewing a special-purpose costume, and just add the shiny gold trim.

Over the years, we had a lot of costumes based on craft-store t-shirts ($2 apiece on sale in those days) and felt.  Robin Hood, a Maurice Sendak Wild Thing, court jester were some of the best. We also used a lot of general-purpose items from the dressup bin, many of which were homemade: cloaks, skirts, crowns, swords, shawls. One year, my older daughters made chain mail for their younger brothers, who were really into knights, by loosely knitting grey yarn, and I made fleece surcoats. Those were worn for many years.

Mariposa

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 641
  • Location: NYC
Re: Halloween costumes
« Reply #5 on: October 18, 2017, 09:51:56 PM »
Here's a DIY Wonder Woman costume that just involves cutting out felt:
https://www.primary.com/halloween/all/wonder-woman

I bought a $25 Red Riding Hood for my 2-year-old but it doesn't look like he's going to tolerate it. We may have to DIY something with odds & ends lying around the house.

ChiefMomOfficer

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 14
    • Chief Mom Officer
Re: Halloween costumes
« Reply #6 on: October 19, 2017, 04:19:48 AM »
I have three kids and have different strategies that I've used over the years.

-Consignment shops: I've found amazing costumes that were $30-$50 New for ten bucks or less. Halloween costumes are usually worn once and then not again, so they tend to. E in great shape. The disadvantage of this is that you have to deal with the selection they have.

-Dollar store: this year my middle son wanted to be Shredder from the Ninja Turtles. New versions of this costume are rediculously expensive. So we got a helmet and shoulder things from the dollar store and spray painted them silver. We're also covering his shin guards with silver, and he's wearing black clothes.

-Homemade: My oldest son is 14 and more into cosplay-style costumes. Last year my mother and I made him a Vash the Stampede costume with a 99 cent pattern from Joanns. They always have sales and coupons for fabric. He's wearing the same costume this year to be Vincent from Final Fantasy 7.

We also hand down costumes between the boys, and try to get things that will be used after Halloween for dress up.

Livingthedream55

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 525
  • Location: Massachusetts, USA

Chesleygirl

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 639
Re: Halloween costumes
« Reply #8 on: October 20, 2017, 01:01:36 PM »
I'm making a fairy costume out of some wings and a tutu dress I already had, for one child. The other child is wearing a skeleton costume I got for $7 at a consignment store. Third child is going as Harley Quin and we bought the costume on amazon for about $25.

I also decided not to make Halloween candy this year, because those big bags in the store are anywhere from $10 to $20.

Poundwise

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2076
Re: Halloween costumes
« Reply #9 on: October 20, 2017, 01:40:58 PM »
Thanks so much for the great WW suggestions!!  I often DIY costumes so if I can get to the fabric or consignment stores this weekend I will rig something up. Nowadays bought costumes are so good and cheap, though, it's tempting to save the time and buy.  Not the way it used to be, when kids' costumes used to be these polyester aprons tied in the back.

Chesleygirl

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 639
Re: Halloween costumes
« Reply #10 on: October 20, 2017, 02:14:48 PM »
I remember when they sold costumes at the drug store and it included a mask to wear over your face.

Dicey

  • Senior Mustachian
  • ********
  • Posts: 22278
  • Age: 66
  • Location: NorCal
Re: Halloween costumes
« Reply #11 on: October 20, 2017, 02:39:00 PM »
More of an adult thing than a kid's costume, but it's mustachian as hell, so here goes.

Put on a long sleeve top and long pants. Dig a magazine or three out of a recycling bin and tear out a bunch of ads. Use duct tape (it holds better) to stick them all over yourself. When people ask, say you're "In Advertising"

Poundwise

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2076
Re: Halloween costumes
« Reply #12 on: October 20, 2017, 05:18:33 PM »
I keep trying to persuade the kids to try the head-in-a-jar costume but they never are interested...
https://www.google.com/search?q=head+in+a+jar+costume&tbm=isch

SimpleCycle

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1259
  • Location: Chicago
Re: Halloween costumes
« Reply #13 on: October 20, 2017, 06:32:57 PM »
DD is being an airplane.  It’s a DIY box costume.  DS is being a pilot and I’m crocheting him a hat and bomber jacket.  So we’re around $25 for supplies.  DW doesn’t optimize, so she spent $6 on paint for the airplane!

Pigeon

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1298
Re: Halloween costumes
« Reply #14 on: October 20, 2017, 06:47:28 PM »
I keep trying to persuade the kids to try the head-in-a-jar costume but they never are interested...
https://www.google.com/search?q=head+in+a+jar+costume&tbm=isch

I made a head in a jar for April Fool's one year and got very rewarding screams from both kids and dh.

Plugging Along

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 111
Re: Halloween costumes
« Reply #15 on: October 21, 2017, 09:41:14 AM »
I love DIY. costumwz over bought.   Unfortunately some of my DIY cost more than bought becuase I don’t sew

I made Wonder Woman for my daughter a few years of years ago (she was about 8).

Though I bought some things, many of the other things she ended reusing in everyday for school.   So i consider that a win, 

Red tank top or red shirt (make shirt). I found a picture of a Wonder Woman logo, printed it, traced I on the back of a cereal box, cut it out, then painted it gold, and outlined it in black, and covered it in clear packing tape and Velcro to her top

Cuffs and hand band were done the exact same way, but I used those form sheets because it was more flexible for the cuffs.  I found glitter star stickers, but again yo7 can make them, I didn’t think it was worth it. 

Lasso of truth was a broken skipping rope painted with the same gold, thick rope would do.

Bottoms, in my case I had found som leggings at old navy that had stars on then.   If you are in the US, I found tonnes of places that had nay or deminm bottom with stars (I am in Canada so it was harder). My back up plan was to use one of her heavy leggings or bottoms and stick white foam stickers.  We had shorts we would have layerd over something .

For the boots, she already had black hig( boots, and she didn’t want t(e red, s9 we jus5 went with tha5.  I debated spray paint some boot or making covers, but if yo7 can see that wouldn’t cost verymuch.
The supply list is pretty inexpensive
Red top
Navy or denim bottoms
Cardboard -like cereal box thickness
Paint
Thick rope or skipping rope
Velcro

« Last Edit: October 21, 2017, 09:43:19 AM by Plugging Along »

Hula Hoop

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1762
  • Location: Italy
Re: Halloween costumes
« Reply #16 on: October 21, 2017, 01:17:41 PM »
I've managed to convince younger kid to be a lion.  She already has the costume from a school event last year.  Older kid wants to be an obscure cartoon character that she loves.  I said OK when she told me that it just involves wearing all black (she already has black leggings and a long sleeved T), a mask and a cell phone (which she can make out of Styrofoam).


kimmarg

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 750
  • Location: Northern New England
Re: Halloween costumes
« Reply #17 on: October 23, 2017, 04:32:27 AM »
, most premade costumes are made for cold climates so they have lots of padding and frequently have hats or something head related, so DIY costumes will probably be preferable for him anyway.

Interestingly I always found premade costumes were made for warm climates, with the padding and fitted shirts and tops with no space for your jacket under the costume. Hated when you had to wear a winter coat over the costume, or snow boots...  I hope someone lives in the perfect costume temperature middle!

NeonPegasus

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 374
  • Location: Metro Atlanta, GA
    • Neon Pegasus
Re: Halloween costumes
« Reply #18 on: October 23, 2017, 11:07:25 AM »
My daughter is Wonder Woman at least once a week (it's still cute when your 4).  It was well worth the $15.

With 3 daughters, we have bins of costumes. Some years they want something store bought. Some years they assemble their own from the bins. Costumes are worn on the regular so I don't mind it. DD3 is 4 and is obsessed with unicorns. So, she's wearing a unicorn horn headband and a unicorn riding costume that I bought at Target years ago when they marked their Halloween stuff down 90%. My girls wear cat ears all the time to school (any headband gets tons of use at our home) and DD3 has been wearing cat ears and a tail everywhere for the last week straight. I could probably be a lot cheaper with this stuff but seeing them enjoy costumes, even as old as 10, just melts me.

I'm surprised no one has brought up borrowing a costume. Check with friends to see if they have a WW costume you can borrow. That's awesome for the lesser used/appreciated costumes.

Travis

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 4214
  • Location: California
Re: Halloween costumes
« Reply #19 on: October 27, 2017, 08:52:59 PM »
Cardboard, puff-paint, shoe laces, duct tape, and a $10 mask.

Hula Hoop

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1762
  • Location: Italy
Re: Halloween costumes
« Reply #20 on: October 28, 2017, 02:14:05 PM »
We just got back from a Halloween party.  One more to go on the actual evening of Halloween.

Younger daughter wore her lion costume and I painted her face to look like a lion.  Older daughter made her a tail out of string.

Older daughter ended up dressing as a lion tamer.  Cardboard (for her hat), crepe paper (flames for the ring that the lion had to jump through which was actually a hula hoop - of course my kids love hula hoops and also a bow tie), string to make a whip- all cost around 5 euro.  I just painted a mustache and some red lion claw scratches on older daughter's cheek to complete the look.

IMO you can jazz up pretty much any costume with some face paints.

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!