Halloween Costume Ideas for Kids

Quick, Easy and Fun Homemade Costumes

Oct 13, 2009 Rachelle Ward

Halloween costumes for kids do not need to be expensive and store-bought. With some creativity, some of the best costumes can be made at home.

Halloween is a favorite time of year for children and adults everywhere. Things can get costly though when buying multiple costumes. Here are some great ideas for making favorite costumes at budget-friendly prices. With some creativity, homemade costumes can often turn out even more authentic looking than their store-bought counterparts.

How to Make a Pirate Costume

A very basic pirate costume should include black pants or skirt, a white button up shirt and a vest. Vests can be made by simply tearing the sleeves out of an old button up shirt. For a real pirate look, patches can be added to clothes and hemlines cut to look jagged and torn. A bandanna can be added as well as a sash. Bandannas and sashes can be made from strips of fabric or long scarves. To accessorize a pirate costume, add boots, hooped earrings and plastic swords.

How to Make a Gypsy Costume

Gypsies wore long, flowy fabrics and clothing. To create an authentic gypsy look, a loose peasant-style blouse can be paired with a long billowy skirt. Better yet, to skirts of varying lengths can be worn together for a layered look. A gypsy costume can be accessorized by adding a scarf tied around the head, a shawl, heavy makeup, hooped earrings and layers of necklaces and bracelets along with sandals.

How to Make a Ghost Costume

While a white sheet with holes cut out of it is perhaps the most basic ghost costume, a "spookier" ghost look can be made with a little creativity. Layers of billowy white fabrics such as tulle, chiffon or drapery sheers can create a great ghost costume. Thrift stores often carry old drapery and formal wear that can provide the fabric needed for this. Sparkles or glow-in-the-dark spray can be sprayed onto the costume for a ghost that actually seems to glow.

How to Make a Vampire Costume

Makeup is the most essential part of creating a great vampire costume. Hair can be streaked with color, white being the most traditional. Foundations, face paint and powder can be used to give the skin a white look. Dark eyeshadow or paint should be used under the eyes followed by red or pink eyeliner. This will give the eyes the required "dead" look. Darkened eyebrows and eyelashes will make the white skin look even more startling. Blood-red lipstick in the corners of the mouths is also a classic "undead" look.

Vampire clothing can be as simple as some dress pants and shirt, or made elaborate with long black trench coats or capes.

How to Make a Rock Star Costume

This is a very versatile and simple costume to make. Jeans, ripped shirts, jewelry, spray painted hair and wild hairstyles and lots of makeup are the most basic ways to do this. Wigs can also be used as well as t-shirts with band names painted onto them. This look can be accessorized with toy microphones and guitars.

How to Make a Cowboy Costume

Jeans, a button up shirt and a bandanna tied around the neck are the basics of a cowboy costume. A cowboy hat and a slicked up hairstyle can be added, as well as cowboy boots and belt buckles. Some children may want to add a sheriff's badge and toy gun, or perhaps carry a lasso.

By scouring the thrift stores and using a little creativity Halloween costumes can be inexpensive and fun all at the same time.

Halloween Decorating Ideas

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Kids Costumes