DIY Halloween Costume Ideas

 

 

Getting the kiddos ready for a night of trick-or-treating doesn?t need to break the bank. Nope, this Hallmark holiday can actually be an opportunity to encourage creativity on a budget. Try looking around your own home and the local secondhand stores before relying on the Halloween ?superstores.?

Growing up, my mom cleverly avoided those stores like the plague, much her children?s chagrin. Instead, we made a trip to the local Goodwill every October to do our costume shopping. We were each given a few dollars and then turned loose. It was up to us to decide what we wanted to dress as and how to create the look. After we had made our big purchases, we headed home and spent the afternoon getting crafty with mom. I remember turning an old prom dress into a princess?s gown, a choir robe became the cape for a vampire costume, and a pair of overalls was combined with dad?s flannel shirt to create a farmer get-up. My wise mom not only avoided having to take out a loan to finance the holiday, but she also encouraged us to be innovative and resourceful.

I loved playing ?designer? and creating my own Halloween costumes as a kid. So when I had the opportunity to work with the Socks4Life.com team to put together a DIY Costume Ideas guide, I jumped at the chance. The guide features tons of costume ideas and how-tos as a part of the new resource, Heel to Toe: A Guide to Feet. If you?re looking for costume ideas, the guide has it all?from traditional, character costumes to clever, funny ideas for groups. Below are just a few examples of costume ideas:

1. Old School Basketball Player:

• Short gym shorts
• Sleeveless jersey
• Sweat band
• Knee-high socks
• Old gym high-top gym shoes

 

1. A Highway:

• Black long-sleeved shirt
• Black pants
• Stick yellow strips of tape down the center of your body.
• Create a highway sign out of construction paper and tape on your back. Tape a smaller version on your chest.
• Tape Matchbox cars and trucks to your outfit, one side of the road should have cars face south, and the other side north.

 

1. Stewardess:

• Dark pencil skirt and matching suit jacket
• White blouse or button-up shirt
• Neck scarf
• Low heels
• Wear your hair in a bun and act super perky. Direct people to a seat, the exit, or just the kitchen for a drink.

 

1. Three Blind Mice:

• Wear grey spandex pants and a grey, long-sleeved t-shirt.
• Cut an oval out of pink fabric and attach to your stomach (the belly of the mouse).
• Create mouse ears by attaching ears cut out of felt or poster board to a headband.
• Wear aviator sunglasses and walk with a walking stick made by painting a long, thin wooden rod black.

 

1. Clark Kent:

• Dark men?s suit (or suit jacket and jeans)
• Men?s white dress shirt
• Necktie
• Superman T-shirt (or make your own with a plain blue tee and colored tape)
• Clear glasses
• Act as if you?re ripping off your button-down to transform into Superman.

For more creative ideas head to the DIY Costume Ideas guide!

 

Guest author Maggie Voelker is recent college graduate working as a writer in Indianapolis, IN. Outside of work, she loves traveling, live music, sporting events and staying active.