Six Inexpensive Last-Minute Halloween Costumes
Quick Halloween Costume Ideas for Stressed-Out Parents on a Budget
Oct 15, 2008
With Halloween approaching fast, many parents are scrambling for easy Halloween costume ideas. Here are ideas for six simple costumes that won’t cost a lot of time or money to create. In fact, you probably have most of the supplies already.
Showering Man or Woman
What you need: bathrobe, towel or shower cap, optional slippers and loofah
Instructions: Have your child don the bathrobe while you help them put on a showercap or show them how to tuck their hair under a towel. If you wish, slippers may be worn and a long-handled loofah can be carried as a prop.
Gift
What you need: large box, scissors, double-sided tape, wrapping paper, bow
Instructions: Remove the bottom of the box, then cut holes for a head and arms. Use double-sided tape to cover the box with wrapping paper. Stick the bow on top of your child’s head and you’ve created the perfect Halloween present.
Jail Bird
What you need: white T-shirt, black spray paint, white fabric, number stencils
Instructions: Spray paint black horizontal stripes across the white shirt. On a rectangular piece of white fabric, use the number stencils and spray paint to create a 9-digit number. When both the shirt and the fabric are dry, you can sew or safety pin the “prisoner number” across the chest of the T-shirt. You can also paint identical stripes on a second square piece of fabric and safety pin it around the head as a matching hat if desired.
Hobo
What you need: grubby clothes, pair of old gloves, stick from outside, handkerchief
Instructions: Everything you need for this costume is probably lying around the house already. Jeans with holes in the knees and shabby flannel shirts look great. (Ill-fitting clothes are okay with this costume, so they can borrow from a parent or older sibling if necessary.) Take the gloves and cut off the fingers at the knuckle. Tie the handkerchief to the end of the stick and carry it over the shoulder while trick-or-treating (it can even be used to hold candy if you want!) For an extra touch, rub a little dirt on the face and mess up the hair just before going out.
Robot
What you need: large box, aluminum foil, markers
Instructions: Cut off the bottom of the box, then cut holes for arms and head. Wrap the outside of the box with aluminum foil and use markers to decorate with buttons, knobs, and dials. Before your child goes trick-or-treating for the night, make sure to wrap his shoes in aluminum foil to match the rest of his costume.
Girl Dressed as Boy
What you need: man’s suit jacket, man’s hat, face paint
Instructions: For this easy and quick girls’ costume, raiding her dad’s or brother’s closet will probably yield all the supplies she needs. If she has long hair, make sure to pull it back and tuck it underneath the hat. Use the face paint to draw on a black mustache, and no one will recognize your precious little girl on October 31st.
If you’re looking for a quick and inexpensive costume at the last minute, consider these ideas or brainstorm some of your own. Browse your child’s closet or dress-up box for a piece (like a flower lei or a chef’s hat) that may inspire a simple homemade costume.
And don’t forget costumes that your child may already have, such as a ballet outfit or tee-ball uniform. Sending your kids trick-or-treating in a costume they've already got may seem like a cop-out, but your child might actually enjoy wearing it. Thankfully for parents, most children do not need expensive or elaborate costumes to enjoy themselves on Halloween.
