Halloween costumes can be a huge stressor for parents, and it’s especially tough when you are limited by budget and time. The key to survival may just be creating a costume at home, and today I’m sharing 10 DIY costumes you can make with stuff you already have.
1. Mad Scientist
A mad scientist costume is simple to make and really fun. A lab coat can be made by cutting an over-sized white t-shirt down the middle. Then, all you need to add are rubber gloves, crazy hair, safety goggles, and a name tag.
2. Ninja
My middle son was a ninja two years in a row, and it’s a simple no-sew costume to make. Dress all in black and add detailing with red duct tape. Google “no sew ninja mask from a t-shirt” and you’re good to go.
3. Doctor
This might be the easiest no-sew costume ever. Simply cut a slit down the middle of an oversized white t-shirt to create a lab coat and use a sharpie to add a red cross to the lapel. Then, raid the toy box for a fake stethoscope, and you’re done.
4. Pirate
The key to a pirate costume is finding old clothes and making them look extra ragged. Use scissors to fray and make holes in the clothes. Then, create a paper pirate hat or make a bandana from an old piece of clothing. Adding a hoop earring or eye patch is a great way to finish the look.
5. Super Hero
To be a super hero, all you need is a cape and a mask. To make a no-sew cape, cut the front part off a t-shirt (leaving the neck intact). Then, decorate the cape with foam stickers or fabric markers. Finish the look by making a simple mask from craft foam and elastic.
6. Explorer
To be a wilderness explorer, just dress in a white shirt and khakis. Add a bucket hat and hang some binoculars around your neck. It doesn’t get much easier than this one.
7. Clark Kent
If you have a superman shirt in your closet, you can be Clark Kent. (I bought one for my son at Walmart for only $7). Add a dress shirt and tie, then secure the dress shirt open with safety pins. Of course, you need black-rimmed glasses to finish the Clark Kent “disguise”.
8. LEGO
If you have an old box laying around, you have everything you need to transform someone into a giant piece of LEGO. Hot glue some round containers to the front of the box, cut holes for body parts (legs, arms, and head), and spray paint the entire thing red, yellow or blue. Finish by printing a couple LEGO logos, and gluing them to the box.
9. Secret Agent
My middle son chose this costume last year, and he loved it. He put on a suit we had purchased for a summer wedding, then added a “secret agent” name badge, a briefcase, sunglasses, a hat, and a dollar store mustache. It was a simple costume, but he looked great.
10. Robber
If you have a black and white striped shirt in your closet, this one is a no-brainer. If you don’t, you could add stripes to a white shirt with black markers or black duct tape. Add black pants, a black hat and gloves, a black mask (which you can make from craft foam and elastic), and a bag of money (which you can create by using a marker to make a dollar sign on a bag).
Homemade costumes really are the best. They are budget-friendly, easy to throw together, and totally unique.
