Halloween Costume Ideas, Part 2

This is the second blog post on Easy Halloween Costume Ideas.
Click here for the first blog post:  Halloween Costume Ideas, Part 1

Army costumes and a football player

Who doesn't love fall and Halloween? Around our house, we get really excited thinking about the coming pumpkin recipes, fall leaves, corn stalks, stews, college football and all things autumn. We even have an annual Fall Party. 

When the kids were little I made all their costumes.  Most years the costumes were made by hand and accessories purchased to go with them.  As they got older I started creating some of the costumes from clothing I found at thrift stores or second hand stores, then made or purchased the remaining items needed. 

Was I especially crafty?  No, not especially, not really.  I taught myself as I went along, learning from a lot of mistakes.  Looking for parts and pieces to use for Halloween costumes made it much easier and saved lots of time and sewing.

Even non-crafty moms can put together costumes from items around the house or found at thrift stores and yard sales. I am not against store bought costumes; they have actually improved quite a bit, (minus the trampy ones, I really dislike the trampy ones).  But store purchased costumes can be quite pricey, are not really high quality and you run the risk of you or your child having a costume just like everyone else.  Who wants that?

 

Flashback:  My daughter Dawn, October 1988

Depending on where you live, it can be pretty chilly in October.  Remember to choose costumes that are warm or ones you can wear clothes or thermal underwear underneath. 

Please overlook that some of these photos are years old and taken with a film camera, hopefully you’ll still get the idea.

Here are a few more of my favorites: 

Wolverine: 

This costume is pretty popular right now.  My daughter’s fiancé came up with this one. He used gel to get his hair to look like the wolverine’s in the movie, wore a leather jacket, t-shirt and jeans and purchased the long wolverine claws.  He also carried a cigar just like in the movie.

Wolverine

Wolverine

Wolfman:  

This costume’s items are pretty minimal.  Purchase a wolfman mask then just add a plaid shirt and blue jeans.  Adding pieces of fur to the costume, ripping the shirt a little and wearing furry hands are all a big bonus and tie the costume together.

Wolfman

Roman or Toga: 

We loved this one.  Use a white sheet, a white baggy dress or large long white shirt.  Drape a colorful piece of material across one shoulder and pin on the opposite waist. Wear sandals and add a head band of golden leaves.  A snake arm band or bracelet looks great too.  That's me and my husband Bill and we wore these costumes in the early 1990’s.

Roman or Toga from my younger years

Bride:  

I can not tell you how many wedding dresses are hanging on thrift store racks! And you can pick one up for under $10.00.  Add a bouquet of flowers and lace for a veil and the costume is good to go!

Bride Costume

Bride and Groom Zombies:  

Speaking of wedding dresses that are hanging by the dozens in thrift stores.  That also applies to men’s suits too.  With the T.V. show "The Walking Dead" the top watched cable show, zombie costumes are really popular right now. Turn those wedding dresses and suits into Zombie costumes!  Just rip them here and there and add fake blood.  Stuff a pair of pantyhose to use as guts. Makeup and blood applied to the face will complete the zombie costumes. 

 

Zombie Wedding Party

Zombie Cheerleader:  

And since we’re on the subject of Zombies, we’re big OSU football fans so of course our dead zombie cheerleader was from Michigan.  This costume got a lot of attention and comments.  Use whatever team you dislike (or like).  Dress in the teams colors with a cheerleader’s skirt.  Put your hair in pigtails and ripe up the costume a little. Add smudge marks to the costume and zombie makeup to complete.  We also added iron on letters to the yellow vest and pompoms.

My granddaughter Kelsey as a Zombie Cheerleader

Prom Zombie:

Use a prom dress left over from high school dances or there are multiple to choose from at second-hand stores.  They usually have dozens.  Add face makeup for a "just dead" look.  Practice the Zombie walk and groan and add a fake human body part.  Costume complete.

 

Another Granddaughter as a Prom Zombie

Bandito:  

Most of us have in our possession that weird blanket rug thing no one likes, usually picked up on vacation.  They’re also easy to pick up at second hand stores.  Just wrap the blanket around you, add a sombrero, fake mustache and eyebrows and you’re done!  Adding a toy pistol or squirt gun and holster, spurs on cowboy boots and rifle shells just pushes this costume into awesome.

Bandito

Farmer:
Wear overalls or jeans and a flannel shirt.  Add a straw hat, bandanna hanging from the back pocket and chew on a piece of straw to make the costume believable.  Add your kids or dogs as part of the costume too! For our dairy farmer costumes, we dressed our dogs in cow outfits.   

Dairy farmers and their cows

For a strawberry farmer costume my daughter dressed our granddaughter in a strawberry outfit. My daughter Jami found the strawberry costume used on Craigslist for under $10.00.

  

My daughter the strawberry farmer

My strawberry granddaughter Maddie

Witch: 

Adult Witch: For a witch, any black outfit or dress will do along with pointy black shoes.  Purchase a witch’s hat and broom.  I added orange and black striped socks for fun.

Adult witch costume

Child Witch:
I used Halloween material to cover a basic black witch’s hat and used the extra material to tie around the shoulders as a cape.  Green face, a black wig, fake nails, and striped socks all add up to make the costume one of a kind.

My granddaughter as a witch

I hope you are enjoying the wonderful Fall weather.  It has been beautiful here for the last week.  
I finished our costumes, my husband and I are Pilgrims this year! 

Elizabeth

And remember, don’t forget your pets!

Our little devil

Josie the Bumblebee

Other Posts:

More Halloween Costume Ideas

Building a Pumpkin Arbor

Fall Party in the Barn

Scarecrows!