Last-Minute, Low-Budget Kid Costumes

An easy homemade Halloween costume is just a few steps away

Superheroes

Most superhero costumes start out with the same base: a bathing suit over tights or solid colored pajamas. From there, the details make the hero. Add homemade lightning bolts, crowns, stars, chest letters, belts, or capes to bring the character to life. Don’t forget coordinating socks, boots, or masks. With a little creativity, your child’s hero costume will be more lifelike than those overpriced getups they sell at party stores.  

Cheerleader

This is a classic. A simple pleated skirt, sweater with a hand-fashioned letter, pom-poms and a megaphone will have your little one ready for the game and a night of trick-or-treating. Naturally, a few ribbons, a ponytail, and tennis shoes would add to the ensemble. If it’s a cold night, just layer tights under the skirt or attach team letters and logos to a chunkier sweater or cardigan for your child to wear.

Dancing Queen

The menu here is vast and creative. Can-can dancer? A bathing suit with full skirt and multi-colored ruffles underneath will do the trick. Ballerina? Borrow or quickly make a tutu of netting, fluffed out over a leotard with ballet slippers. Charleston flapper? In an instant, you can whip together a shimmery sheath and off-center headband with a silk flower.

Little Waldo

This is the ultimate last-minute option. If you have a red shirt somewhere, flip it inside-out so you don’t damage any design on the front, and create stripes with white duct tape. If you can, find some round black glasses, or fashion a pair out of black pipe-cleaners. Finish off the Waldo look with a red beanie. If your kid’s head is small enough, you can make one of these out of a very large red knee-sock with the length trimmed and folded over.