Your Guide to Fabulous DIY Kid Halloween Costumes Without the Waste
Spooky season is coming up and if you have small kids, you know it is a big deal! Kids absolutely adore Halloween (so do we for that matter!); they will spend an uncharacteristic amount of time, energy, and focus trying to come up with the perfect Halloween costume. As a parent, the pressure is on to get it right.
But let’s face it; traditional kids’ Halloween costumes are often poor quality, overpriced, and worn for only a day - they really are the epitome of waste, and we think that we can do better.
That’s why we’re a huge fan of DIY Halloween costumes! Not only are DIY costumes creative and cute but using everyday clothing as a foundation for costumes is more sustainable. We adore costumes that leverage quality, everyday clothing as a base because these clothes won’t be thrown away on November 1st but instead will be worn time and time again. Oftentimes, you can find the clothing you need in your own closet or get it at affordable prices by visiting a consignment or resale shop, making it a smarter option.
Three reasons to love DIY Halloween costumes are:
- It reduces textile waste. When you use quality, everyday clothing that you already own, or will continue to re-wear after Halloween, it cuts down on waste.
- It’s budget friendly. The price you pay for traditional costumes versus the quality you get simply doesn’t add up. When you make a costume, you can skip those overpriced costumes.
- It’s a fun way to spend quality time with your kids. It’s an opportunity to encourage your kids’ creativity.
Here are some fun and creative DIY Halloween costume ideas for kids:
Gender Neutral Costumes
- Minion: Take a pair of basic denim overalls, and then add a yellow shirt, yellow beanie, and a pair of goggles or glasses.
- Superhero: Take an old t-shirt (preferably one that is no longer in great shape/being worn!) and glue on a large emblem that you can make from fabric scraps (again from old clothing) or art supplies. Create a mask from felt. Add a cape from your kid’s pretend play box or even hack it with a pillowcase.
- Space Explorer: Let your imagination blast off with a cute space explorer costume. Start by dressing them in silver or white clothing and the create a jetpack from cardboard covered in aluminum foil, which you can decorate with markers or paint, and use string for arm loops.
- Mime: Grab a white and white striped shirt and throw on some black bottoms with suspenders. Top it off with a black hat, red bow around the neck, and glasses for a costume so cute, it will leave you speechless (see what we did there?).
- Classic Ghost: Can’t go wrong with a classic! Simply take a sheet (ideally one that you’ve been planning to replace anyway!), cut out the eye holes, and draw a spooky face with a black marker. Add a flashlight and you’re good to go!
- Waldo: A red striped hat, beanie, blue pants, and wide-rimmed glasses are all you need to create this notoriously illusive character.
- 90s Icon: As a Millennial who remembers the 90s well, it pains me to put this one on the list but apparently this decade is now in the costume rotation. So raid the storage boxes in your parents’ house and bust out your finest tracksuit and other fashion mistakes from your youth.
Girl Costumes
- Taylor Swift: Find a kids' sequin dress (be sure to you don’t have one!). Add some fun cowboy boots, a faux fur jacket, and perhaps even a wig to complete the look. Throw in a microphone – your call whether you’re brave enough to use one that works!
- Holly Golightly: Transform your little one into this classic Audrey Hepburn character starting with a basic sleeveless black dress. Add in a toy tiara, big necklace, and gloves. Lastly, give your little lady a croissant; not only will it complete the look, but it might deter her from getting into the candy prematurely (lesser of two evils and all that…).
- Elsa: Start with a light blue dress or long skirt and then use silver or white fabric to create a flowing cape. Finish the look with a tiara.
Boy Costumes
- Harry Potter: Create a magical look by taking a black robe and pairing it with a white shirt and tie. Add some round glasses and a DIY wand made from a stick to finish it off.
- Marty McFly: Channel your love of the 80’s with a Back to the Future classic that your kid will love too! Repurpose your kids’ everything clothes by pulling together a denim jacket, gingham shirt, denim pants, and red puffer vest. Take it to the next level with some 80’s style headphones and skateboard!
- Clark Kent: A Superman tee and a button-down shirt will easily turn your little guy into the one and only Superman.
In Conclusion:
This Halloween let’s skip the overpriced, poor-quality, disposable-like costumes and do something more sustainable – DIY Halloween costumes! Not only are DIY Halloween costumes easy on your wallet and the planet, but creating your own spook-tacular costumes is also a fun and creative way to spend time with your kids. Happy crafting!