Halloween is a magical holiday for children and adults. It’s a celebration of creativity and an invitation to be anyone or anything. It’s a free pass to be an alter ego and or a free pass to eat candy with abandonment.
Here's a group photo of the MN Themed DIY Costume Crew Back Stage at the TCL Studio. Photos By: Glenn Griffin
Here are FIVE tips on how to create a homemade Halloween costume:
1. Start thinking and gathering ideas for costumes.
Are you drawn to current events, movies, or maybe nature? Do you want to amplify a characteristic that is very much
Once you have a general idea of what type of costume you would like to create, starting looking for images to drawn inspiration. This is very helpful when creating a costume that is not premade.
Make a list of colors, textures, and shapes that you would like to include in your costume.
2. Check your closet, basement and garage (yes, garage) for potential costume pieces.
Before you going shopping, shop your own closet. Some of my best costumes have come from pieces that I already own. In college, I had a Twister Board Game that I turned into the cutest dress. I wore a purple wig and glued the game spinner piece to a headband. This costume took me about 20 minutes to make and I spent under $20 to make it.
3. Head to your nearest thrift store.
Thrift stores are the best places to find unique pieces for costumes. Often times, thrift stores save their most unique donations just for Halloween! I went this year with a list for colors and textures that remind me of Babe the Blue Ox, a Lady Slipper and a Loon.
I was successful in my search for the pieces to add to my Babe the Blue Ox costume and my Loon costume.
4. Shop the Dollar Store and Craft Store
I am normally able to create the majority of my costumes from thrift stores but oftentimes costumes need to have a few pieces created specifically. The Dollar Store is great for picking-up house hold items that can be repurposed into costumes. I purchased all the items needed to create my Hot Dish costume.
I went to the fabric store to pick-up large amounts of felt, fake fur and shiny fabrics. All of the items I needed to embellish my costumes were on sale. Unlike department stores, I always find seasonal that seasonal items are on major discount.
5. Look at the Images that Inspired you and Start Craftin’
I looked at actual images of lady slippers flowers in nature to be inspired to make the Lady Slipper fairy costume. I like creating nature inspired costume as they are more of an artistic representation. All of the costumes I made are created with a glue gun! No need to create limitation for yourself- get some spray paint, a good scissors and glue gun and you’ll be able to create any costume that strikes your fancy.