Creative Handmade Halloween Costumes

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Easy Costume Ideas for the Whole Family!

On this page, you will find some of the most creative costume ideas that you can make from items you already have! If you need a costume at the last minute, look no further for ideas that will make you stand out in a crowd of ghouls!

Browse through some ideas on how you can make your own costumes without using sewing or complicated techniques. You can learn how to save money, and recycle or upcycle items from around the house, while creating a unique and memorable costume party or Hallowe'en.

Trick or Treat!

Easy Costumes 

No Sewing Required!

Of all the festive holidays celebrated in North America, Hallowe'en is one of the most loved family favorites. Getting dressed up, telling spooky stories and carving pumpkins make for cherished childhood memories. There are so many ways to make Hallowe'en scary, silly and special for your family and friends. Once stores have cleared away their Back-to-School displays, all manner of Hallowe'en fare packs the shelves. Decorations, costumes, make-up and candy are ready to be used for a quick and easy holiday.

But perhaps you would prefer to make your very own Hallows Eve, like no other. There are thousands of patterns available for costumes that you can make yourself, but not everyone is adept with a sewing machine.


Skeleton Playing a Violin, Day of the Dead, Dia de los Muertos



With just a little imagination, items from your own wardrobe can be transformed into unique disguises for Hallowe'en festivities. Just adding a few accessories, some make up, or a certain hairstyle can take an outfit from mundane to masquerade.

You can also find excellent costume building pieces at thrift shops and consignment stores. Colorful and eccentric clothing, shoes, scarves, hats and jewelry can all come together to create the character you desire. Whether you shop with a specific goal in mind, or just wait for some quirky item to inspire you, used clothing is gold for those who love to dress up.

Here are some ideas of costumes you can make just by combining everyday clothes and accessories with a bit of make-up:

Elf or Sprite Costume 

No wings required!


Goth Fairy



Make it with:
  • A full body leotard. Use any color you wish, and wear glitter or jewels to match.

  • A vest with fringe or shredded edges for the woodsy look.

  • A wrap around skirt or sarong with lots of fringe. Wear a woven or beaded belt over top for an added touch.

  • Dainty footwear such as ballet slippers, pointed boots or gladiator sandals.

  • Pin silk flowers or ivy to your hair, or add streaks of color with hair mascaras.

Fitness Guru Costume 

Let's get physical!


Jane Fonda



Make it with:
  • Tights or a leotard. Wear shorts over top if desired.
  • Tube socks and sweat bands.
  • Shiny white sneakers. You can clean up an old pair with baking soda and a toothbrush.
  • Don't forget the shiny, happy attitude!

Grandma Costume 

Parody Your Favorite Real or Fictional Crone!


Study of the Head of an Old Woman, 1880s



Make it with:
  • A frumpy dress and apron, or a bathrobe and slippers.
  • Layers of costume jewelry. The bigger and brighter the jewels, the better.
  • Big glasses. You can buy novelty glasses, or just remove the lenses from some plastic sunglasses.
  • Hair curlers! Use your own hair, or a gray wig and add lots of pink hair rollers. A hair net is a nice touch, too!
  • Bright red lipstick. A smudge or two completes the look.
  • The biggest purse you can find! Stuff it with all manner of odds and ends, or use it for trick-or-treating.

Quick and Easy Sewing 

Dress Up Your Costumes

Sometimes a pieced together costume needs that little bit more. You can add your own embellishments with hot glue, or use a few simple hand stitches. You'll need a sewing needle, and thread that matches the garment. Cut about one yard of thread, and pass one end through the eye of the needle. Line up the ends of the threads, and tie them together. Tie a second knot over the first for added strength. Then grasp the knot with one hand, and pull the needle to the center of the thread. Now you're ready to stitch!


All Is Vanity



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Adding Patches or Ribbon 

Dress Up Your Costume with Extra Frills!

Use invisible stitching to attach patches or flat pieces of fabric to your garment. Stitch through the garment from the back and pull the thread gently until the knot reaches the fabric. Give it a tug to make sure that it will not pass through. Add more knots if necessary.

Stitch back down into the fabric as close to the thread as possible and pull tight. Stitch through the fabric again so that the thread is exiting at the front of the garment.

Sew into a corner of the patch or ribbon through the back, and slide it down to the garment. Stitch back down through both the patch and the garment, as close as possible to the place where the thread is exiting. Pull gently to tighten the thread.

Sew back up through the garment and the fabric about ¼ inch away from the last stitch. Continue adding invisible stitches around the edge of the patch or ribbon until it is secure.


Stuffed Scarecrow on Display at Halloween, Washington, USA



When you've finished stitching, or the thread is about 4 inches long, tie a few knots as close to the back of the fabric as possible. Stitch up through the fabric, then stitch through to the back again. Knot the thread a second time, and trim the excess.

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Tacky Tourist Costume 

They walk around saying "Hi, Helen!"


Group of Senior People Holding Bowling Balls



Make it with:
  • Khaki shorts, or any long shorts. Pleats are extra tacky!
  • A Hawaiian shirt, or brightly colored souvenir T-shirt.
  • Sandals with socks.
  • Any kind of hat or baseball cap. Extra points if you wear Mickey ears.
  • A fanny pack. Stuff it with bandages and sunscreen!
  • To top it off, wear a camera around your neck, and zinc sunscreen on your nose!

Adding Beads 

Embellish Your Costume with Beads or Charms

Begin a new thread as instructed in Adding Patches and Ribbon.

Choose the place where you would like to add the first bead. Stitch through the garment from the back and pull the thread gently until the knot reaches the fabric. Give it a tug to make sure that it will not pass through. Add more knots if necessary.

Stitch back down into the fabric as close to the thread as possible and pull tight. Stitch through the fabric again so that the thread is exiting at the front of the garment.

String a bead on the thread. Slide it down to the fabric, then stitch into the garment close to the bead hole that the thread is exiting. Pull the thread gently, then stitch up at the next place where you would like to add a bead.

You can add flat beads and sequins by picking up up a smaller bead as well. Stitch back down through the sequin only. The smaller bead will hold it in place.

When you've finished adding beads, or the thread is about 4 inches long, tie a few knots as close to the back of the fabric as possible. Stitch up through the fabric, then stitch through to the back again. Knot the thread a second time, and trim the excess.


Mlle. Marguerite Henriquez Modeling a Pale Gray Robe du Soir with Beading, Designed by Doucet



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Lunch Lady Costume 

Bring back scary cafeteria memories!


Waitress with Burger



Make it with:
  • Grubby white pants and shirt, with an even grubbier apron over top.
  • Gawdy red lipstick and nail polish.
  • A hairnet over a bun, or curlers!
  • The biggest, ugliest brown shoes you can find.
  • To make the look more gruesome, add lots of band-aids. You can also make it a horror costume by adding blood stains and a plastic meat cleaver prop.

Costumes for All Occasions 

Learn the Art of Dress-Up

With the right directions, anyone can learn to create unique and amazing costumes for Hallowe'en, theatre, or good old-fashioned dress up! Find the guide that's right for you, and enhance your skills for a fantastic holiday!

Costume Craftwork on a Budget: Clothing, 3-D Makeup, Wigs, Millinery & Accessories

Amazon Price: $35.95 (as of 12/16/2009)Buy Now



Learn the techniques used backstage to transform ordinary people into extraordinary characters. This "cookbook of theatrical craftwork" shows even the first time crafter or designer how to create detailed masks, wigs, headdresses, and much more!

Avg. Customer Rating: Amazon Rating

Aristocrat Vampire Costume 

Easy and Stylish!


Cat



Make it with:

  • Any formal outfit in black, burgundy or forest green. Anything velvet is great!
  • Bone jewelry. Make your own or search antique and thrift stores for vintage pieces.
  • Very pale face powder. Apply some gray eye shadow all around your eyes, then dab on the white powder for the undead look.
  • White hair-streaking cream. Add a few shock or two of white to your hair, then style any way you wish.
  • Washable red marker or red face paint. Create a pair of small bite marks to complete the look.
  • For even more vampire ideas, check out the Top Ten Movie Vampires!

Zombie Farmer Costume 

Themed zombies are more fun!


Zombie Holding Human Skull


Make it with:

  • A pair of overalls and a plaid shirt. Add holes and dab them with red make-up or food coloring.
  • A pair of your dirtiest, scuffed up boots. If they're almost too worn out to keep, cut away the toe of one boot for and even more disheveled look. Don't forget the wooly socks!
  • Very pale face powder. Apply some red or brick-colored eye shadow all around your eyes, then dab on the white powder for the undead look.
  • A plush dog or cat. Drag it around by the tail like you're saving it for a snack. This is a gruesome touch, better for adult costume parties.

Aging Clothes and Fabric 

Add Decades in Minutes!

Whether you want your outfit to look more antique, or you'd like make the tablecloth on your display of candies and treats spookier, aging fabric is the way to go.

To make fabric look worn and holey, rub a few areas with sand paper to cause fraying. This works best with heavy woven materials like denim.

To make fabrics yellow or brown with age, soak them in a large pot or sink full of hot tea or coffee. Once the fabric has darkened, rinse the cloth thoroughly with hot water and hang to dry. The more bunched up the fabric is while it's soaking, the more variations in color you will get.


Macbeth, The Witches



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Funky Fingerless Gloves 

Great for a Witch or Rock Star Costume

All you need for a funky set of gloves is a pair of old black knee-high stockings and some scissors. Roll one stocking over your arm and spread your fingers out to stretch the nylon. Carefully make small nicks in the stocking near your fingertips, as close to the toe stitching as possible. Then push your fingers through the holes and you're done! Repeat to make a second glove.

For an even funkier variation, use two or more layers of stockings in different colors. Cut more holes along the arms for a worn out, witchy look.


Eve with Rag Doll



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Freaky Faces 

Transform Yourself with Halloween Makeup

With a few tools and some quality make-up, anyone can be a face paint artist. Follow step-by-step directions from a tried and tested face paint guide, and create the Hallowe'en looks you've always wanted! This guide features great patterns and ideas, and comes highly recommended!

The Usborne Book of Face Painting (How to Make)

Amazon Price: $7.99 (as of 12/16/2009)Buy Now



This in depth guide will show you how to create professional looking face paint and makeup. Learn how to use a variety of application techniques and tools to achieve scary and beautiful decoration for Halloween and other parties!

Avg. Customer Rating: Amazon Rating

Custom Face Paint 

More Than Just Clown Faces!

Instead of settling for the basic face paint colors, create exactly the shades you need for your costume with craft paint. Your make-up will last longer than grease-paint, and is much easier to apply.

Begin by applying a thin layer of glycerin and rose water to your clean, dry face. Use a clean make-up sponge for even application. You can also use petroleum jelly, but the glycerin is less likely to clog pores, and it smells nice.

Allow the glycerin primer to dry for a few minutes, then apply non-toxic liquid tempera paint with clean paint brushes. Begin with your base color, then add darker colors and details. Allow each addition to dry before you continue to get a smooth finish. Do not apply paint to eyelids - touch up eyes with cosmetic make-up once all the paint has dried.


Paint by Numbers Coffee Clown



You can save money by buying just the basic paint colors, and mixing them to create the colors that you need. Here are a few mixtures you can try:

Magenta - Mix 5 parts red, 2 parts white, and 1 part blue.
Brown - Mix 3 parts red, 3 parts yellow, 1 part blue and 1 part black. Use white or yellow to adjust the shade.
Bright orange - Mix equal parts red and yellow with just a drop of blue. Add white to lighten the shade.

You can use any leftover paint mixtures to decorate windows with Hallowe'en pictures. It washes off easily with soapy water and newsprint.


Halloween, Girl with Jack O'Lantern Head



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Gypsy or Fortune Teller Costume 

A classic that can be done a million ways.


Fortune Teller Reading Flapper's Palm


Make it with:

  • A dark colored dress or sarong, or wear two for lots of layers. The more fringe or embellishments, the better.
  • Brightly colored scarves. Drape them around your neck, and wear one on your head.
  • Black boots or clogs.
  • Chunky, eclectic necklaces and bracelets, and large dangly earrings.
  • Black or bright red nail polish for your fingernails.

Gypsy Necklace 

Make your own costume jewelry

This is a basic necklace design that kids and parents can do together. You should be able to find all of the materials at a department store or dollar store.

Materials:

Seed beads (tiny glass beads)
Assorted large beads or buttons made from wood, glass or plastic, in different colors and shapes
Sewing Thread
Clear craft glue
Sewing needle
Barrel style necklace clasp

1) Cut a piece of thread that is twice the length of the desired necklace, plus 12 inches.

2) Dab a bit of glue on the pad of your thumb, then grasp one end of the thread. Pull the thread through the glue with your other hand, coating it evenly. Lay the thread on a clean, smooth surface to dry.

3) Thread a needle with the stiffened thread, and double it over. Knot the ends together to keep them in place.

4) String 5 seed beads, one clasp half, and 5 more seed beads. Slide them down until there is about 5 inches of thread between the beads and the knot. Sew through all the beads again and pull tight so that they form a ring.

5) String assorted beads as desired. Make sure to leave about 6 inches of thread to complete the last half of the clasp.

6) Pick up 5 seed beads, the remaining clasp, and 5 seed beads. Slide them down to the other beads, making sure that there is no space between any of the beads in the necklace.

7) Carefully sew through the seed beads again to make another ring.

8) Sew through the ring once or twice more, then knot the thread around the base of the seed bead loop. Tie a second knot for strength, then trim the excess thread.

9) Cut away the knot from the other end of the necklace, and thread the needle with the tails. Sew around the seed bead loop and knot the thread as before. Trim any excess.


Halloween, Witch Silhouette



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Make Your Own Costume Accessories 

Try these free projects!

Feather Mask
Created by Tammy Honaman. "There are so many things you can do to take these great NEW masks from white to exciting. I combined our NEW feathers and a few flat-back Swarovski® crystals for a quick disguise for a masquerade ball."
Published by Fire Mountain Gems
Spooky Sparkle Necklace
A cute pumpkin necklace designed by JewelrySupply.com
Spooky Chandalier Earrings
The perfect match for Spooky Sparkle Necklace, or a great accessory for a witch costume. Designed by JewelySupply.com
Beadwitched Earrings
These cute witch earrings will be the talk of your costume party! This project is available free, for a limited time!
Designed by Beading Daily
Spooky Beading Patterns
A collection of 8 easy peyote stitch patterns for Hallowe'en beaders.
Published by About.com
Arachnophobia Earrings
Dangle some cute spiders made from felt and beads from your ears for a witch costume, or just a dash of Hallowe'en spirit.
Published by FusionBeads.com
Morticia Choker
This easy to make necklace is called "Morticia Invities Miss Havisham to Tea". It's beautiful enough to wear year round, or to dress up a classy Hallowe'en costume.
Published by MyCraftivity

Create a Custom Mask 

Using a mask blank, you can create a new face for Hallowe'en, or a masquerade party. Begin by painting the entire mask to suit your costume, then add embellishments with hot glue or craft glue. You can dress it up with beads, sequins, glitter, feathers, yarn, and more.

This is a great family craft, and can also be a fun party game. Provide your guests with a mask and some glue, and set out bowls of decorations and paints for them to use. Offer prizes for the scariest or most creative mask!

Look-alike Costume 

Just use your own face!


The Seven Year Itch



Just about everyone has been told that they look like a celebrity at least once in their life. You can use that similarity to your advantage to make a unique Hallowe'en costume. Dress up in an outfit that resembles one worn by your celebrity look-alike in a movie or famous photo. Thrift stores are a great place to shop for the garments you need, because they have a selection of fashions from many different seasons and eras.

The Classic Nerd Costume 

Go traditional or re-create a favorite geek!


Superbad



Make it with:
  • A white dress shirt, complete with pocket protector and pens. You can use a long strip of craft felt to make your own.
  • The biggest, gawdiest glasses you can find. You can pop the lenses out of cheap sunglasses for an easy fix.
  • Suspenders and high waisted pants!
  • Slicked back hair with a perfect part on the side.

Punk Rocker Costume 


Sex Pistols- Sid Vicious



Make it with:
  • Ripped and frayed jeans.
  • A band or logo T-shirt. Clip on safety pins and other buttons, too!
  • Black boots and a black jacket. Leather is best, but anything will do!
  • Fingerless gloves and temporary tattoos.
  • Black eye makeup or glitter, and a spiked hair-do. Add some hair mascara for color!

Castaway Costume 

Be a Washed up Beach Bum!


Louis, the Desert Island Castaway, Attacking a Crocodile



Make it with:
  • A worn, ratty shirt. Use your dingiest work shirt, or dirty it up with tea.
  • Frayed cut off shorts. Wash them at least once to really get the threads pulling.
  • Old sneakers. The more holes, the better!
  • A length of rope tied around your waist for a belt.
  • A straw hat or bandana.

Pirate Necklace 

The complete project requires some skill with bead weaving, but it's well worth the effort. You can also skip the beaded beads and make a pirate style necklace with assorted wooden beads using the instructions below.

Materials:

Size 11o Seed beads
Size 8o Seed beads (4)
Assorted colored wood beads
Glass beads
Skull bead
Monofilament or Heavy Thread
Thread
Needle
Bead Tips (2)
Jump Rings (2)
Clasp

You May Also Need:

Scissors
Pliers

Tip: You can also use wire and crimp beads to assemble this necklace.

1) Make 16 peyote tube beads that are 20 beads long.

2) Tie two overhand knots at one end of a piece of monofilament or thread 30 inches long. Trim any excess.

3) String on one of the bead tips and close the jaws over the knots. If the thread is too thin, tie one knot over a seed bead. Close the jaws over the knot and the bead.

4) String 2 8o seed beads, a peyote bead, and a wood or glass bead.

5) Continue adding beads, alternating between beaded beads and wood or glass beads.

6) When you have strung 8 peyote beads, pick up a glass bead, the skull bead, and a glass bead.

7) Repeat the stringing pattern to match the other half of the necklace.

8) String the remaining 8o seed beads and the bead tip.

9) Make sure all the beads are snug, then knot the end of the thread or monofilament. Slide the knot down as close to the bead tip as possible. (Try tying the knot around a stick pin to help push it down. Remove the pin and tighten the knot.)

10) Close the bead tip. Attach the clasp to the bead tips with jump rings.

11) Wear your necklace to a costume party!

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Pro Wrestler Costume 

Dress like your favorite Superstar, or make your own!


Hulk Hogan



Make it with:
  • Tights, a unitard, or bicycle shorts.
  • A bright logo T-shirt. Crop the sleeves and waist for the wrestler look.
  • Shin high boots. If you can't find any, wear aqua shoes or cleats with matching socks pulled way up!
  • Elbow pads, wrist guards, fingerless gloves or knee pads.
  • Temporary tattoos, sunglasses or a bandana will finish off the look!

Rapper Costume 

Parody your favorite, or least favorite gansta!


Rappers



Make it with:
  • Baggy pants. The shinier the better!
  • Designer sneakers, or a reasonable facsimilie.
  • A sports shirt or jersey. Or wear a ribbed tank with a silk shirt over top.
  • Lots and lots of gold and diamond jewelry. (Fake ones, of course!) The bigger and gawdier, the better!
  • Sunglasses, and a bandana or baseball cap.

Sheet Costumes 

If you need a costume at the last possible minute, you can always resort to the classic ghost costume - just pull a sheet over your head.


Halloween Greetings, Children with Ghost



If you want to get a little more creative than that, you can dress up as some classic sheet ghosts from movies and television. Just be prepared to explain your costume to other revelers.
  • E.T. on Halloween


    Just cut two holes in a sheet and throw on some clown shoes from an old costume.

  • Charlie Brown


    Cut some extra holes in your sheet. Good grief!

  • Adam or Barbara Maitland


    If you don't have plain white sheets, wear paisley ones like the couple from Beetle Juice!

  • Michael Myers


    Put a pair of glasses over your sheet to mimic the classic scene from "Halloween".

Group Costumes 

If you're celebrating Hallowe'en with friends and family, why not create costumes around a fun theme? No matter how many are in your party, or how big or small they are, you can find a classic, fun or scary theme with a character for everyone!


Ballet Dancing



Here are some ideas for ensemble costumes:

The Village People,

The Munsters or the Addams Family,

The Breakfast Club kids,

Marvel or DC comics heroes - or villains!

Sailor Moon, InuYasha, or other anime cast,

Dr. Seuss, Peanuts, or other cartoon legends,

Hollywood legends like Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe, and James Dean!

The Wizard of Oz cast!


The Wizard of Oz



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Costume Ideas for All Occasions 

Find patterns and instructions for homemade costumes, make-up and more with this great Squidoo content!

 

For even more great Hallowe'en traditions, treats and tales, visit these spooky lenses!

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  • Reply
    superbookdepot superbookdepot Oct 24, 2009 @ 2:41 am
    Nice and very beautifully laid out lens. I would really appreciate it if you visit my Best Comics & Graphics Books lens and put your views there. Hope you will take out some time to rate it too.
    http://www.squidoo.com/comics-n-graphics-novels
  • Reply
    amy1980 amy1980 Sep 29, 2009 @ 6:05 pm
    Great! This year I have a wondering toddler, so I bought one of those push cars that have a safety belt on Craigslist. I bought a plain red t-shirt and pants from Wal-mart and some inkjet iron on transfers. I'm going to print out and iron on different logos and try to make it look like a NASCAR outfit. That way I can keep him safe and controlled, he'll have fun, and he'll have a great costume.
  • Reply
    Comfortdoc Comfortdoc Oct 22, 2008 @ 2:48 pm
    A lot of great ideas. I'll be sure to add it to my Easy Halloween Costume lens.
  • Reply
    naturegirl7 naturegirl7 Oct 20, 2008 @ 9:10 am
    Wow, what a great Halloween costume lens. I love all of your ideas and it's very well written. 5*'s and favorite.
  • Reply
    KonaGirl KonaGirl Oct 20, 2008 @ 12:26 am
    I love everything about Halloween and this lens is very well thought out and put together. I have always thought that homemade costumes are so much better than purchased costumes. 5 stars and I lensrolled you to my Halloween Costumes For Dogs lens.
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by Mortira

Hallowe'en has always been my favorite holiday for creating fun crafts.

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