Cheap and Easy Halloween Costumes – DIY!

With the economy the way it is it's becoming more difficult to splurge on store bought Halloween costumes. Here's a  couple of  REALLY quick and easy ways to dress your child for Halloween.You can pick up most of these items at your local Walmart.

Super Hero Costume:

Items you'll need:
Scissors
Mask bought at the dollar store or Walmart ( get a pack of 12 at Party Galaxy for about $2.50.)
2ft by 2ft square of solid fabric (most used for Super Heroes – red & blue)
3ft by 1 in strip of solid fabric (or you can tie 2 shorter pieces together)
Directions:
1. Have your child decorate the large piece of fabric with markers or fabric paint.  If you can find cheap super hero iron-on transfers you can do that. This will be the super hero cape.
2. Fold the top of the cape over about 2 inches and cut about (8)1 inch slits on the fold all the way across.
3. Weave your fabric strip through the slits and your cape is done!

Tips for this costume:
1.If you sew or know someone that does you probably can use scrap material for the cape for no out of pocket cost except for the mask!
2. Look for scrap discount bins at Fabric Stores and Walmart (those that still have fabric depts.) for really cheap fabric.
3. Add tights over solid color shorts and use solid color or super hero character tee to complete the costume.  You could for go the tights and just have them wear jeans, solid color long pants  or even sweats if it's cold outside.  Use what you have already!  Most little boys I know already have a solid color or super hero tee.  It doesn't have to be fancy….the kids will love it because they helped make it themselves.
4. This makes for a great birthday party theme also.  The above picture was taken at a recent Super Heroes birthday party where all the guests made their own costumes.   They had a blast making their capes!

Bat Costume:

Items you'll need: (most items can be bought at Walmart)
Scissors
An old black umbrella
Dark colored sweats or pants and dark long sleeved tee or sweatshirt.
Small back stocking cap ($1.00 at The Dollar Tree)
Pipe Cleaners
Black sewing thread and sewing needle, hot glue gun or a lot of safety pins
Black face paint or make-up
Directions:
1. Cut umbrella in half
2. Hand sew, hot glue or safety pin  half of the umbrella to the underside of each sleeve and down the side of the sweatshirt. This great because the kids can fold and unfold their wings by lifting their arms (looks cool too!)
3. Use the left over black material from the umbrella to make the bat ears.  Hot glue the fabric to pipe cleaners. Attach the ears with hot glue gun (or just attach with safety pins) to an old stocking cap.

Tips for this costume:
1.  Don't have an old umbrella?  Hit the thrift stores or Dollar Store for a cheap one.
2.  Hand sewing the wings  to the shirt is probably the best way to attach them. It will hold up better than the hot glue and you won't be able to see the thread making  the costume look more real.  Use a large basting stitch so you can easily remove the wings if the shirt is something your child will wear again.

Do you have a nifty idea for a Halloween costume???

Disclosure: This post is part of a campaign I am participating in with Walmart to give tips for budget-focused families. Walmart has provided me with compensation for this post.  Participation is voluntary, and opinions are 100% mine.

Jenn

Lori

Linsey

Denise