Any Thrifty Halloween Costume Ideas?

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Any Thrifty Halloween Costume Ideas?

Submitted by: Tip Hero 10/06/2009 10:16 PM

Halloween is just around the corner and it is time to start thinking about costumes. Whether you buy your costume or make your own, the costs can add up. So we were wondering if you have any ideas for interesting and inexpensive Halloween costumes? Where to find them, how to make them, how to reinvent an old costume, your favorite costume, etc. We welcome ideas for little kids or big kids alike.

Please share you tips, comments, and suggestions below.

Happy Halloween, and thanks for being a Tip Hero!

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Comments:

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We rarely ever buy halloween costumes, as much as the kids beg for the latest super hero. take this as an opportunity to get creative with what you've got. we often raid their toy chest and find everything we need - last year it was a chef complete with flour on their nose, handmade paper chef's hat and a tool belt of utensils and the mouse with a little eyeliner for whiskers, homemade cardboard ears attached to a headband and cloth tail. They sure had fun chasing each other around!

Posted by gloria on October 08, 2009 10:41 AM

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Not super original but it worked well: my then 8yo was a black cat last year. She used her black tights and body suit; we already owned face paint. We used scraps of material and stuffing from craft box to make the tail (just pinned on to body suit) and used foam board bits to make ears which we hot glued onto a headband. The headband was our only purchase. We do have a collection of younger costumes purchased after Halloween at $5 each.

Posted by Kika on October 08, 2009 11:54 AM

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One of my favorite costumes in college was when a couple of friends of mine went out as "men in wind" - all they did was take some newspapers and glued them to an old pair of pants, then they put a wire from a wire hanger and slid it into a tie and then bent it as if it was blowing in the wind, they styled their hair as if it was wind blown, one even stuck leaves in his hair. Now you've got to be theatrical to pull this off, and walk around as if you are walking into the wind. it was pretty funny.

Posted by anonymous on October 08, 2009 1:23 PM

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How about cutting the bottom out of and old round laundry basket, stepping through it and hanging laundry around the top of the basket.
You can be a load of dirty clothes. You can also cut the bottom out of a Clorox bottle and put it on your head. Add an empty detergent bottle hanging off the side of the basket and
you have a complete outfit.

Posted by Linda on October 08, 2009 2:44 PM

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My husband and I won the best costume couple with the use of a black garbage bag with a hole cut in the top of each for the head, a red stocking cap for each and a roll of white paper
hooked down the front with the face of a themometer drawn on each. Mine was labeled oral and his was labeled rectal. Of course you would have to have a very confident husband
to label him as such.

Posted by anonymous on October 08, 2009 2:48 PM

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If you sew, go to the fabric store and buy patterns and material..lots of patterns-can also serve as cool fall and winter pj's. This was especially great when the kids were under 10.

Posted by Mollie on October 08, 2009 7:46 PM

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My husband and I won for best original. we wore a black tee with a large P on the front, put on with white tape. We blacked one eye and went as "Black Eyed Peas"

Posted by Gale Osborn on October 08, 2009 9:51 PM

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Take a box top and cut a hole in the center for the head to fit through,cover the box top with something that looks like a tablecloth(I used an old vinyl tablecloth)anyway,have it hang down kinda low.Now glue on plastic table settings all around. 4 places. Glue on a paper or plastic plate,eating ware,a napkin and a paper or plastic cup.The person that wears this him or her,their head is the center piece. Put flowers all over the persons head to look like a floral center piece. It'll be a winner!

Posted by Gale Osborn on October 08, 2009 10:05 PM

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White sweats and an old white sheet, which is torn into 3" ribbons of fabric, will make a great mummy....and afterwards the sweats are good pj's if you live in a cold climate. I used old white t's to make full coverage masks (which I covered with more "bandages") and white gloves to keep little hands warm. And if the costume comes apart a little as they go...so much the better!

Posted by Gaynor on October 09, 2009 9:09 AM

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Wear a blue mechanics jump suit, glue cotton balls to your outfit in different locations and carry a squirtgun filled with water. Your now party cloudy with the chance of showers.

Posted by anonymous on October 09, 2009 10:00 AM

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One of my all-time favorites was inspired by the movie "The Birds". I bought a dozen or so birds at the dollar store (craft places have nicer ones, but more $$$), spray painted them black and attached them to a headband that matched my hair color. I placed them in different positions of attack, pinned some to my shoulders, etc., and of course, lots of BLOOD! Grusome, but so much fun!

Marilyn Arseneau

Posted by anonymous on October 09, 2009 10:52 AM

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My favorite costume is a bunch of grapes!

You will need a set of sweats (pants and sweater) in either purple, green or brown. Some Safety pins and purple or green balloons.

Blow up the balloons and attach them to the sweats to look like a bunch of grapes.

Style hair with gel to look like a stem, or wear a stocking cap.

You could use curled brown ribbon for effect.

Don't sit down!

Posted by anonymous on October 09, 2009 12:40 PM

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I had a friend do the Birds costume too and it was fabulous. she wore a little suit and had birds all over and would act out the terror.

another cool idea I saw at this big art event was someone went as a jellyfish, they had a big pink umbrella and attached tendrils to the edges and wore all black. then they would hold the umbrella above thir heads and open and close it, looked amazing.

Posted by jessa28 on October 09, 2009 1:35 PM

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A bag of jelly beans was a hit with my kids and grown ups too! Get a clear plastic bag, cut holes in the bottom for your legs to go through. fill with blown up colored balloons, tie the clear bag on top of the shoulders. Use a black marker to write "jelly beans" on the front - just don't get too close to the rose bushes or your beans will pop!

Posted by anonymous on October 10, 2009 2:57 AM

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One year, my hubby and I went as a clothes line. We both wore all brown, tied a rope around our necks (probably not such a good place, now that I think about it--maybe under your arms would be better), and hung "laundry" on the rope with clothes pins. It's especially good if you and the other person really doesn't want to talk to each other...:)

Posted by anonymous on October 15, 2009 2:15 PM

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I had a real winner one year: A potted plant. I went to the craft store, in the gardening area, and found a large, ceramic-looking, plastic planter and some fake greenery. Cut the bottom out of the planter; cut holes in the top rim so I could put heavy, green string thru them as "suspenders", and then taped all of the greenery on the inside of the planter. I wore a skirt and a long-sleeved green top and painted my face green. Wore a hand-made greenery crown and carried around my beverage of choice in a watering can. Warning: It's difficult to sit down in this gear, but it's an incredible costume! Enjoy!

Posted by anonymous on October 15, 2009 2:20 PM

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Yesterday at the supermarket, I saw a video on one of those annoying little monitors they have at the checkout. It was about how to make a variety of Halloween costumes from a cardboard box. The ones I remember are a robot, a Rubik's cube, and a die (or a pair of dice if you go with a friend). There were lots of others, but I can't call any of them to mind. Anyway, all you would need is the box, some paint, and something dark to wear underneath.

Posted by haverwench on October 17, 2009 11:03 PM

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The potted plant works great. Caution: years ago, I saw a Vietnam vet win "best costume" for his tree, made with corrugated cardboard and the remains of a silk ficus. Unfortunately, the costume party was at a local tavern, the vet was a beer drinker, and he forgot to design a fly into the costume!

Posted by anonymous on October 23, 2009 10:19 AM

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