Guest Author - Carissa Danette Ramirez
As Halloween fast approaches, I know that a lot of us moms out there are faced with coming up with costumes for our children, that won’t break the bank. It makes me cringe to think I might have to pay $30+ for an already made costume from the store. It’s hard for me to justify a purchase like that in my home, as I am sure it’s the same in many other households out there. So what’s the solution? One word, creativity, hopefully I haven’t scared anyone off yet. Don’t worry you don’t have to be Martha Stewart and heck you don’t even have to know how to sew. The internet has a huge plethora of sites out there that will give you plenty of ideas. One site that I frequent a lot is www.easyhalloweencostumes.net I like this site because they not only have ideas for children’s costumes but adults as well. Most of the time you can get by with some fabric glue or even better a glue gun. I have even seen some creative uses of Duct Tape. So really anything goes.
For example, last year my son was really into Clifford, (the big red dog). So instead of buying the costume I found online for $35.00, I found a pair of red sweat pants at the thrift store for $.25 and he already had a red shirt. I then went to the craft store and bought a few sheets of felt, red and black. I cut our some ears and glued them to an old headband, and then I cut out a tail that was glued to the back of the pants. Lastly I cut a collar out of the black felt and made a tag out of tinfoil that said, “CLIFFORD”. He looked adorable and better yet the costume cost me $4.75!
One thing to keep in mind is that it’s always helpful to think about what you already have, and then think of ways to re-invent them. Maybe your daughter wants to be a princess. What about those old prom dresses you have hanging around? Garnish the dress with a tiara and some jewels and viola a princes! The possibilities are endless. When coming up with costume ideas, your own closet or even the thrift store could become your best friend.
Maybe after racking your brain you still can’t come up with anything, don’t worry there is still hope. Consider looking on Craigslist or Ebay even. I found a great deal on an old wedding dress, $5.00, for my daughter who wanted to be The Bride of Frankenstein. Not to mention that people often sell actual costumes for penny’s on the dollar, which is pretty good for something that was most likely worn once. There is also a great site called www.Zwaggle.com where you can swap your costumes, (as well as toys, clothes books etc.) The best part you don’t pay a dime as long as you post your items.
What I have learned over the years is that thinking outside the box when it comes to Halloween costumes, while challenging at times, has proved to be a big money saver, and with some practice you will come up with some great ideas of your own.
