(*Note: Some of these costumes we have pictures for, some we don't. For those we don't have pictures of, you'll just have to use your imagination! Doesn't that sound fun?)
If you're here, then you already know that do-it-yourself costumes are the super fun, ultra cheap way to go. You not only want to avoid spending $50 per kid at the costume store, but also $15-$20 per kid on the bargain rack at Walmart. So without further ado, here are our favorite costumes which can mostly be made with things you already own, or just a few minor additions from the store (usually the dollar store!).
Good luck, and Happy Halloween!
Kate and Marcia
(For more super last minute costume ideas click HERE)
Group Themes
Despicable ME
Minions
Yellow Shirt
Overalls
Black Gloves
Goggles
Pa Poi! (scrub brush)
Yellow Hat/Masks: I used an old yellow baby blanket, but an old tee shirt or scrap of fabric would do. I just sewed (but you could hot glue) it in a circle, cut out a hole for the face, and glued black yarn on for hair.
Agnes
Yellow Tee Shirt
Overalls: We didn't have any, so I took an old pair of jeans and cut them into the shape of the top of a pair of overalls!
Giant Fluffy Unicorn
Edith
Pink Shirt
Pink Pants
Pink Skirt
Pink Snow Hat: We made puff balls out of yarn, tied them to strings and then tied them to the bottom of the hat to make the little dangling things.
Cookies for Sale: Just one big box with paper labels for all the types of cookies.
Margo
Vector (I confess, this is the costume I really splurged on)
Buns: two small white or tan pillows, two rolled up towels, or two rolled up baby blankets
Kids Costumes
Pirate
Detective
Trench coat
Hat
Toy Magnifying Glass
Bubble Bath
White clothes (or white sheet)
Tape balloons all over body
Carry rubber duckie
White Collared Shirt with Dark Tee on top
Old Glasses with popped out lenses
Old Jacket
Plaid Skirt: I bought a 1/4 yard of fabric (Walmart 25 cents) and pinned it around her waist to look like a prep-school skirt.
Vector (I confess, this is the costume I really splurged on)
Orange Jacket I borrowed from a friend.
Orange Leggings: $2 at Goodwill
White Collar: a big piece of paper taped to my jacket
Old glasses with the lenses popped out
Hair: I bought a $4 wig at Walmart
Squid Launcher: A two liter pop bottle with the top cut off. Then I took some fishlike stuffed animals, tied them on a string, and taped the string inside the "gun" so I could shoot them out without losing them.
Gru
Black Pants
Black Jacket
Black Scarf
Bald Cap: from the Dollar Store
Power Puff Girls
Pink, Blue, and Green Dresses: I made these out of small scraps of fabric. They are basically just pillow cases with arm and head holes.
Eyes: paper head bands with giant paper eyes attached
The Wizard of OZ
Dorothy
Any Light Blue Dress (of course checkered is better)
Braids/Ponytails
Picnic Basket
Stuffed Dog
Any Red Shoes (think how adorable red rain boots would look!)
Wicked Witch
Black Dress
Pointy Hat: from Dollar Store
Broom
Green Face: green food color in a bowl of water, then wipe it on your face (is a little tough to wash off, but do-able). Or green eye shadow works well.
Glenda the Good Witch
Any Princess Dress
Wand
Crown
Tin Man
Grey/Silver Shirt
Grey/Silver Pants
Hat: silver paper rolled into a cone like a birthday hat
Ax: cardboard and duct tape
Scarecrow
Overalls
Shirt
Boots
Gloves
Straw: raffia or yellow paper strips
Cowardly Lion
Lion Suit: sorry this one's tough to fake... you're going to have to find a friend to loan you a lion costume.
Crayons
Everyone wears solid colored clothes. Put a matching colored, paper, cone shaped hat on. Tape the word "Crayola" down your tummy.
Baby Costumes
Hot Dog (This is my favorite baby costume of all time, and really works best with a newborn that will just lay in a stroller all night and not move too much.)
Dog: red jammies, red beanie
Buns: two small white or tan pillows, two rolled up towels, or two rolled up baby blankets
Baby Animal
Head: one of those super cute little snow hats with the animal faces on them
Body: clothes in a color to match the hat
Yoda
Robe: can just be fabric with hole in it
Belt: or piece of rope
Ears: green hat with paper or fabric ears glued on
Light Saber: green glow stick
Kids Costumes
Dora
Pink Tee
Orange Shorts
Purple Backpack: regular backpack with a piece of purple fabric wrapped around it and a face drawn on it.
Boots
Grey Shirt
Grey Pants
Red Boots: regular shoes with red socks over top of them
Tail and Ears: I had a small piece of gray felt that I cut and sewed into the shape of a hat and tail (you can always just use hot glue).
Ballerina
Pink sweat suit or clothes under a tutu - I made a tutu in less than an hour using a dollar's worth of pink tulle from the fabric store: Either fold the whole piece/s of tulle in half and sew a seam large enough to thread a piece of elastic thru, or else cut the tulle into strips and tie them around a ribbon or elastic headband.
Pirate
Bandanna, Eye Patch and Sword: all things we already owned.
Vest: his idea, not mine
Annabeth from The Lightning Thief
Plain T-shirt with logo written in Sharpie
Hat with logo taped on
Sword and Shield: already owned
Princess
Dress: any dress-up dress you already own
Crown and Wand: you probably already own these too, but if not go get one at the Dollar Store
Adult Costumes
Nacho Libre! (This was one of our more expensive endeavors but was still only about 5 or 6 bucks)
White T-Shirt
Red Shorts: Walmart $2
Cape: 1/2 yard each of red and yellow fabric ($1 a yard at Walmart) just sewn together in four stripes. I used gold buttons I had laying around to add flair to the cape.
Stretchy Pants: Using one yard of stretchy turquoise fabric ($1 a yard at Walmart), I tried to sew a pair of pants, but they kept splitting apart, so in the end I just hot glued them together. Then I glued red knee patches on.
Red Boots: I used red socks pulled over top of sneakers, and put duct tape on the bottom to keep the socks from tearing when he walked on them. I glued some yellow strips of fabric to look like laces.
Mustache: 100% Home Grown.
Kate from LOST's Dharma Initiative
Blue Mechanic Jump Suit (Yes, I already own this. My dad gave it to me to keep in my car and put on in case I ever need to change a tire while wearing a dress.)
Dharma Patch: Printed out and taped on
(Pay no attention to the Charlie Chaplin standing behind me. I didn't make that costume, so I can't take credit for it. But it does look pretty awesome and simple to do: Jacket, Tie, Bowler Hat, Cane)
Police Officer (or Maytag Man?)
Regular Dress Clothes + Police Hat
Trench coat
Hat
Toy Magnifying Glass
Three Hole Punch Jim (as made famous by The Office)
Button-up Shirt and Dress Pants
Three Dots: black circles made out of paper taped to your shirt in a line down the left hand side like a piece of paper
Blind Referee
Referee Uniform: (We already own this real one, but you could fake one with black pants, white shirt with black duct tape stripes, and black baseball hat.)
Dark Sun Glasses
Whistle
Towel
Cane: old piece of PVC pipe
Pregnant Costumes
Pregnant Skeleton (Credit for this awesome costume goes to Jami Sears, who made it herself in about an hour.)
Black Tee
Black Sweats
Skeleton: White duct tape cut into the shape of bones and stuck onto the fabric.
Good For Anyone Costumes
Bubble Bath
White clothes (or white sheet)
Tape balloons all over body
Carry rubber duckie
Indiana Jones
Tan Pants
Button-up Shirt
Tan Jacket
Hat
Whip: coil of cheap braided rope from craft or hardware store
Medusa
Black or green dress
Snake Hair: Buy a bag of rubber snakes at the Dollar Store and stick them in your ponytail or bun.
Jedi
Robe: any neutral robe with a belt will do, but if you don't have a robe, a square piece of cloth with a hole cut out for your head works too.
Light Saber: is there any family out there that doesn't already own a toy light saber? If you really don't, then use a pool noodle, rolled up newspaper, or even a flashlight.
Robe: any neutral robe with a belt will do, but if you don't have a robe, a square piece of cloth with a hole cut out for your head works too.
Light Saber: is there any family out there that doesn't already own a toy light saber? If you really don't, then use a pool noodle, rolled up newspaper, or even a flashlight.
Ninja
Black sweats/pants/shirt
Black dollar store beanie with eye holes cut out
Tie plastic swords or other weapons to your back
Angel
White dress
Gold pipe cleaner halo - attach it to a plastic headband
Bonus: Carry a small musical instrument (think recorder, not clarinet)
Black sweats/pants/shirt
Black dollar store beanie with eye holes cut out
Tie plastic swords or other weapons to your back
Angel
White dress
Gold pipe cleaner halo - attach it to a plastic headband
Bonus: Carry a small musical instrument (think recorder, not clarinet)
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