Some people have a fear of public speaking. Others fear spiders, the dark, snakes. Me? I fear costumes.
I tried wearing my regular jeans and heels to Halloween parties, and saying that I was dressed up as a ‘designer’s rep’ – that didn’t cut it (since at the time, that WAS my job). Then there was the year that a boyfriend and I dressed up as the American Flag. I wore all white, and he wore all blue. With red construction paper, we cut thick strips and double stick taped them to my clothes. We found gold stars at a party supply store, and double stick taped those to his clothes. Simple, but creative.
Need Last Minute Costume Ideas?
If you or your kids have been putting off figuring out what to dress up as for Halloween, here are some simple ideas:
Gum stuck to the Bottom of a Shoe – wear all pink, find a huge all-star type tennis shoe, paint it pink and tie it to your head (like a hat).
Skunk – wear all black. With construction paper, double stick tape a white stripe down your back. With black construction paper, make ears to stick to a headband.
Bunny - Wear all pink, brown, or white. With stuffing generally used to make pillows, make a large pom-pom for a tail. With construction paper, make a set of ears to stick to a plastic headband.
Turtle – Wear all green, a hooded sweatshirt would work great for this. Use a large piece of poster board, cut it into an oval. With a black and green market, draw a pattern on the board to make the shell. Attach it to your back using double stick tape.
Puppy – Wear all brown, tan or white. Cut out pieces of construction paper in circles to make spots. Ears can be made from colored knee socks, filled with tissue and taped to a headband. For a tail, you can use a solid colored tie, a sock, or more construction paper.
Kitten – Wear all gold, brown, tan, or white. Make stripes or spots with construction paper. A tail can be made by using yarn. Take several stands (maybe 10-15), and braid them into a thick tail. You can finish the tail with a bright bow (if this is a girl kitten).
Spider – wear all black. Legs can be made from black panty-hose or tights. Stuff the legs with anything dark (construction paper). Close the ends of the legs with a stapler. Pin the legs to your clothing.
Lady Bug – Wear all black. Use a piece of red poster board, cut it into an oval. Paint it black dots on it. Staple black elastic pieces (in a loop) onto the board to make arm holes. For the antenna attach craft pipe cleaners with black pom poms on the ends to a headband.
Ragdoll – Use an old sleeper and cut out the feet. Sew patches in various places over the sleeper. For the head, use an old stocking cap and sew strips of fabric from old clothes to the stocking cap. Then use make up for red cheeks and freckles.
Here Are Some Grown-up Ideas for Halloween Costumes:
Cereal Killer – Attach little cereal boxes to a shirt, cut a slit in the boxes, glue in plastic knives into the holes, drip red paint running down from the knife hole in the box.
Pre-Wine – Using green or purple sweats, attach balloons of the same color with safety pins. Paint face and hands same color. You could also put socks (or mittens) on your hands.
Black Eye Pea - Wear all white, with black tennis shoes, cut out several letter 'P's from black construction paper and pin the P's all over the white outfit. Paint a black spot over one eye ("black eye" … get it?
Blooming Idiot – Wear all green. Glue fake flowers to a hat and pin a few on your clothing. Use fake Ivy and wrap it around your neck and arms.
Basket of laundry…clean or dirty - Wear sweat pants and sweatshirt if it is cold. Take an inexpensive (thin) plastic laundry basket and cut a hole in the bottom that you can fit through. Make it small enough so that is "sits" on your hips after you pull it over your head. Fill basket with laundry and pin a few dryer softener sheets to your sweatshirt.
Bubble Bath – Take a white laundry basket and cut out the bottom, be sure to tape the cut edges with masking tape. Staple two wide strips of material (white) to front and back of basket (these are the shoulder straps). Attach white, light peach, and pearl balloons to the straps using safety pins (these are bubbles), wear all white. Wear slippers and a shower cap, and grab your scrub brush.
PHOTO CREDIT: http://family.go.com
Kathy Friend is looking forward to the day she can trick-or-treat with the 6 year old she and her husband are adopting. Until then, she will continue to blog about fashion at www.fashionanswers.blogspot.com.
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I love the basket of clothes idea! I will have to remember that one for next year.