It’s that time of year again when your mom frantically searches through closets for scraps of material and seldom worn clothes whilst all the while screaming: ‘Why didn’t you tell me it was tomorrow?!’

You’re sure you did tell her that the school Halloween party was tomorrow and, to be fair, isn’t it always around October 31^st anyway?

You’d love to help her out but hey, it’s not your fault that you’re not allowed to use scissors, glue or anything else that may come in handy for manufacturing a costume that doesn’t look like you just bought it from Walmart.

Moms tend to get a bit precious about these things anyway and the best help that you can be is to stand around and wait while she circles you with pins sticking out of her mouth and a tape measure draped over her shoulder.

Of course, throughout our early lives we rely on our moms for so many things and from making sure we have food in our bellies to taking us on school trips, there’s not much that these women won’t do to ensure we’re out their cleaned, polished and representing the family team.

In tribute to mothers everywhere the top ten list below is designed to cut corners, push boundaries and give the old girls a helping hand when it comes to knocking out their little darling’s next Halloween costume.

The quick and easy mom’s guide to making Halloween costumes

Count Dracula

This is basically a pair of black pants, a white shirt and a black bin liner tied around the neck for the cape. For the authentic pasty white look: throw a handful of flour in their face. Top the costume off with a pair of fangs that can be carved from a white vegetable such as a potato or a daikon.

Wicked Witch
Bin liners are your friend and from a dress to a cape, you’ve got yourself a little Halloween witch before you can say take out the trash. Of course, every wicked witch needs a pointed hat so roll a newspaper into a cone, stick it in place with tape and then either make like the Rolling Stones and paint it black or, you’ve guessed it, wrap it in a bin liner. For that green glow – rub your witch’s face with a cabbage.

Frankenstein
Dig out that old Crystal Carrington blazer and you’re pretty much set! All you need now is a pair of wellington boots (great for perfecting the lumbering gait), a tight pair of black pants and a tank top. Scars can be drawn on with a marker pen and the all-important bolt through the neck can be achieved by giving your child a couple of corks and telling them to hold them to their neck every time there’s a photo opportunity. For green face see Wicked Witch.

Casper the Ghost
It’s a sheet over their head and eye holes cut out – easy!

Zombies

Most kids tend to get that zombie look after a few hours in front of the TV or game console so just go that extra mile and let them watch or play all night. The next morning you’ll find your little zombie has a thoroughly glazed stare and is more than hungry for brains.

Jason from Halloween

It’s a guy in a hockey mask with a big knife. He also wears a dirty shirt and pants (gasp!)

Werewolves

You know that old hair brush that’s got a habit of collecting your long hair? Well, now’s the time you’re gonna need it. Kit your kid out in jeans, Converse sneakers and white shirt. Next, stick your fallen hair to the collars of the shirt and blam – Teen Wolf! Of course, you’re going to need fangs so, as in the Count Dracula costume, cut up a potato. Note: If you don’t have any old hair lying around then head to the local barbers – I know, it’s easy when you think about it!

Harry Potter

This little wizard doesn’t go on senior class trips or have a magic hat however, he does have a stick (aka: a wand) which is basically what you’ll need to get started with this modern-day classic costume. Again, good old bin liners come to the rescue as the cape, followed by black pants, a white shirt and a striped tie. Top your Harry off with a pair of round-rimmed spectacles made with five black pipe cleaners and ‘Avada Kedavra’ you’ve nailed the opposition!

Pirate

Ahoy there! Stick your young Jack Sparrow in a pair of black wellington boots (or green for Caribbean pirates), an old frilly blouse and tie a sarong or shawl around their head. For a cutlass you can give them a roll of aluminum foil (no one will notice) and if they simply must have a pirate parrot then stick a cabbage on their shoulder and they’ll be ship shape and ready to sail the high seas.

Black Cat

Black tights, long-sleeved black top and a black tie tucked into the back of their waist band. A dab of black paint for the kitty nose and three stripes either side for whiskers. Forget the kitty ears, just say they got bitten off in a fight.

So there you have it – Halloween made easy. Look out for our next article entitled: “What do you mean you’re in the Christmas play!?”

You’ve heard about it, the idea of “steam” plus “punk” intrigued you, but you really have no clue what it’s all about….well, friends, you aren’t alone. Steampunk falls into that mysterious, difficult to define place between fantasy and fact, which is absolutely ideal for the geek in all of us that seeks adventures in uncharted territory.

Let’s begin with the essential ingredients of Steampunk:

• 1/3 whimsical Victorian past
• 1/3 clunky, adventurous future machinery (if oil fuel was never invented)
• 1/3 punk mayhem, anarchy, and unrest
• 1 generous helping of corsets, bustles, petticoats, and vests
• 1 scoop of flying machines, clockworks, optical apparatuses
• 1 sprinkle of Final Fantasy, 10,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Mad Max, and the Labyrinth

Keep in mind that this recipe is only the starting place. Like any good formula, variations on a theme can produce magnificent results! To really pull off the Steampunk look, time, energy, and odd adornments are required- this realm is for the brave costumer only!

You in? Let’s get started with these tips and ideas for becoming your Steampunk fantasy:

“Steampunkize” a familiar character…perhaps one for which you already have the “ingredients.” For example, dress like a historical figure gone futuristic such as Steampunk Honest Abe. You need a top hat, beard, black coat, and a few Steampunkish trappings like a pocket watch, goggles (search: welding goggles on Amazon.com), and old typewriter keys for buttons. Spray paint an old vacuum cleaner hose gold or silver and affix it to a similarly colored small backpack to mimic a futuristic jet pack.

Makeover a favorite past persona. Do you love old Westerns? Burlesque? Explorers a la Lewis and Clarke? Take a basic costume such as this burlesque outfit and add Steampunk flair with suitable gadgets like vintage gauges, brooches, and clocks. Add a hat adorned with clockworks or googles for the perfect Steampunk touch.

Work from a favorite item. Have a beloved corset? Own a killer bowler hat? Know where to get a debonair handlebar mustache? If so, you’re halfway to your Steampunk dream. Browse the web for inspiration and consider what items you already have that can be dressed up with a little help:

• Etsy
• Steampunk Emporium
• Clockwork Couture
• Designing Your Own Steampunk Costume
• Steampunk Costumes at Costumecraze

Peruse your local thrift and antique stores for more inspiration. Afterall, this is a movement made of creativity, and customization is key!

Still having trouble with your Steampunk costume design? Check out these ideas for inspiration:

First, raid your local thrift store or shop online for Steampunk accessories. Depending on which look you want, gather a variety of metal gears, buckles, clock faces, and brooches. You’ll also want to keep an eye out for old lace or leather gloves, garters, and handlebar mustaches (always a plus for the fellas).

Steampunkers love to include images of octopuses, owls, and peacocks. Jewelry or other gear that reference those fantastical creatures is a major plus!

Future cowgirl/cowboy

1. Invest in a cowgirl/cowboy costumeor put together your own outfit with a short leather or denim skirt/distressed jeans, a brown or black leather vest, and some rugged boots.
2. Accessorize with a cowboy hat, lasso, and toy gun (plus holster!) Note: as a Steampunker, your weaponry is now known as a “raygun.” No pistols here!
3. Add that Steampunk touch by affixing machinist goggles to your hat and various vintage accessories to your belt of sleeves.
4. Customize your toy gun with metal gears and spray paint it gold or silver for a futuristic look.

Aeronaut:

1. Get a basic flight costume.
2. Wear an aviator helmet and glasses.
3. Put a Steampunk touch on this great costume with vintage metal pilot’s wings, affixing several old brooches to your belt, and distressed leather gloves.
4. Add a futuristic jet pack:

• Spray paint a small cardboard box or backpack and various hoses gold
• Attach these hoses to the box along with two straps, which you can create with old belts or rope

Mad Victorian Scientist:

1. Wear a vintage suit or dress under a white lab coat.
2. Add futuristic over-the-coat shoulder plates by affixing small portions of scrap metal or spray-painted cardboard pieces
3. Attach a stopwatch to your lab coat pocket and wear a monocle.
4. Carry an old cane and an outdated medical book in your lab coat pocket.

Go forth and steampunk!

If you know anything about trends in Halloween costumes then you do know that Zombie make-up is hot! Just look at all the Zombie walks that take place all over the world in big cities like Toronto, New York and London.

The first thing you need is a clean slate so be sure to wash your face. Apply a white powdered base all over your entire face so you get that ghostly, sickly pallor. You can use very porcelain colored light liquid or porcelain make-up, or you could buy commercial grease paint or pancake in a ghostly green, white or yellow color. Be sure to do your neck down to where you will be covered in shabby clothing.

Next, get a dark eyeshadow, eyeliner or stick of black grease paint and hollow out your eyes and your cheeks. Make yourself look as deathly as possibly. Be sure to black your eyes completely. You can experiment with gray shades as well to get the most rotted and haunted look possible.

Zombie, by Brendan Lally/Flickr

You also have the option of drawing rotted teeth and gums on your upper and lower chin areas. Following your natural gum line, outline where your teeth are using a black crayon until you achieve that grinning skull-like effect. You can then fill in the teeth with a bit of white or yellow grease paint to teeth.

Applying false lashes is also appropriate because the hair keeps on growing after you are dead. If you can find white false eyelashes, that is perfect.

Yet another nice touch is to pack on the baby powder or a loose gray powder. A bit all over the face and in the hair makes it look like you are covered in graveyard dirt. You could try mixing a little black food coloring with flour and pat it on your face and hair as well for that crusted look.

No Zombie look is complete without some fake blood. You can buy the commercial stuff from a store or you can make your own. All you need to do is add one to two tablespoons of red food coloring, a drop of blue or green food coloring and a bit of chocolate syrup to one cup of corn or pancake syrup. You can mix this well with small amounts of water until your blood has the desired consistency. You can then drip or smear the blood where you look. A good idea is to dribble blood into your hairline and let it dribble down your head. You can also have it dribbling down your checks and, of course, your mouth.

If you want your blood to be less runny you can try using honey mixed with red and blue food coloring.

If you want to look like you have just been eating your neighbor’s brains then you should pour some fake blood onto the palm of your hand and them slurp at it to get a smear of blood on your mouth. You can also let it dribble down your chin, onto your chest and all over your costume to achieve a very convincing zombie like effect.

Happy moaning!

Check out a more advanced video tutorial if you wish to have scars and rotting flesh on your face as well – yum!

Strawberry Shortcake seems to only get sweeter with age. She’s come a long way since her original greeting card days in the 1980’s. Created as a card cartoon, she quickly gained popularity as a children’s doll with her trademark scented hair. She made a few friends along the way with the equally delicious names of Blueberry Muffin, Lemon Meringue, and Raspberry Torte, to name a few. A story subsequently developed around Strawberry Shortcake, her friends, and their pets living together in Strawberryland and they all enjoyed immense fame as an 80′s fad. Not even fragrant hair, however, could keep the Shortcake craze alive and her popularity began to wane in the late 80′s.

Yet for a “berry” sweet girl, she’s tough to keep down! The Shortcake franchise has been revived several times and Hasbro recently put out a new line of toys featuring Strawberry and all her friends. Now, three decades after her birth, you can see the dessert darling in television series, feature films, video games, dolls and adorable Halloween costumes.

With her revival has come an entirely new look and it’s created a kid-friendly, fun, and pretty costume series for young girls this Halloween. Girls can go as Miss. Shortcake herself in a silk dress with a built-in, high waisted, pink polka-dotted skirt. To match with the strawberry theme, the dress comes with green and white striped stockings and, to top it all off, a strawberry brimmed hat. Good accessories to consider would be a bright pink wig and a strawberry Trick or Treat pail that is as functional as it is fashionable.

Whatever your sweet tooth, there are plenty of choices in her friends’ costumes. Blueberry Muffin, the studious one of the bunch, has an ensemble which features a tiered pink and blue dress with a silk blue jacket attached, fastened with a blueberry detail. Striped green tights are included as well as a headband with matching blueberry detail. Blue would be the wig of choice for this outfit.

Shortcake’s fashionable friend, Raspberry Torte, is stylish in a pink and green, long-sleeved dress with dark pink bolero overtop. She has a striped green belt with raspberry detail, and matching tights and headband. Like her fellow berry friend, she can wear a bright pink wig as well.

Strawberry’s sunny friend, Lemon Meringue, looks positively radiant in a yellow and blue dress with a high waisted skirt, green bow, and lemon detailing. She has brightly coloured tights and a lemon-wedge hair clip. A yellow wig ties the sunshine-fresh feel of this costume together nicely.

If you remember the good ol’ days of Strawberry Shortcake, there are classic costumes available with a striped top featuring a Strawberry Shortcake logo, simple blue plants, and her trademark hat with a plump strawberry in the brim.

Whether your young lady goes as a shortcake, muffin, meringue, or torte, she’s sure to look deliciously adorable in a Strawberry Shortcake themed costume. Indulge in dessert minus the calories!

• View all Strawberry Shortcake costumes at Buycostumes.com

Halloween costumes are most fun when the child wearing them gets to pick them out or even design them. The costume your child wears should be a reflection of something he loves; it could be a favorite movie, comic book character, or occupation. It may be a favorite monster or something completely different. Children who love to garden have lots of options for creative Halloween costumes that tell the world where their passion lies.

Garden Gnome

Gardening is more fun when a garden gnome is watching over the flowers. A flower garden gnome costume is great for boys and girls. Point shoes and a signature hat will complement a pair of short pants and a plaid shirt. Little girls will look adorable in pink with pretty plastic flowers to embellish the top and the pants. Little boys might wear green or earth tones and sport a beard. Ready made garden gnome costumes are available in stores, but they are easy to make.

Ladybug

Generally considered a girl’s costume, a ladybug costume is easy to make and adorable to wear. Ladybugs are a common part of the garden motif, and can easy be made with red and black felt. If your little one prefers, other bugs are great as well. Butterflies and bumble bees are also denizens of the flower garden. Wings can be reinforced with wire hangers to make them stand up if you desire.

A Bouquet Of Flowers

Your little girl will feel positively striking when you help her create a costume for a bouquet of flowers. Green pants represent the stem, and a flowered or brightly colored shirt form the foundation for this lovely and creative costume. Then you can adorn her with strings of silk or plastic flowers in bright, beautiful colors. Top her off with a wreath of dried flowers or a hat covered in flowers, and pin green leaves to her sleeves.

Scarecrow

If your child enjoys vegetable gardening as well as flower gardens, he will understand the importance of the scarecrow in successful gardening. Dress him in jeans and a flannel shirt, and tuck straw in the cuffs and hems of his clothes. Paint is face to make it look as though it has been stitched together, and add a straw hat. You can give your scarecrow a sign that says, “No crows allowed,” and for fun, you might add a stuffed crow sitting on the sign.

Tomato

Your child can trick or treat dressed as his own prize tomato this year. Similar to the old fashioned pumpkin costume, this costume can be made with red felt, cut and sewn into a sphere. It fits over your child’s torso with holes for the arms. Stuff the costume with newspapers to keep it full and round. On his head, place a matching red beanie with a single green leafy stem sticking out of the top. Green pants and brown shoes complete the look. You may also try this for a peach, an apple, or any round fruit or vegetable.

Garden Fairy

Your little girl can combine her love of fanciful feminine fairies and her love of the garden in a garden fairy costume. A green dress with tiny flowers hot glued to it and wreath of flowers around her head will look beautiful with a set of green or white fairy wings. If it is chilly in your area, add a pair of heavy green tights. She will be the fairy princess of the flower garden. Of course, no fairy costume is complete with out a few sequins and a sprinkling of glitter. You can add this pretty touch to her cheeks as well as her costume.

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There are certain eras that are so distinct that you can’t help but identify them at one glance. When you think of the 70’s and the 80’s, there is no disputing just how unique they were. Much of this is due to the fact that these decades had such outrageous and outlandish costumes and attire. The way that people dressed during these decades can never be replicated.

Though they were fun in their own way, the reality is that most of us will never dress that way again on a daily basis. If however you are looking for unique and fun Halloween costume ideas, these eras are simply the best – and you likely still have them in your closet! (Whether you’ll fit into them is another matter. Yes, I’m talking about myself as well!) There are some awesome costumes to choose from, so let’s take a look at some of the most popular and fabulous.

Big Hair, Bright Colors

Both the 70’s and the 80’s had some similarly outrageous fashion trends. 70s fancy dress outfits such as polyester pants, ruffled shirts and wide collars are distinctive of that era. However, the one that most people tend to remember the most is the hair. This was some big hair, and we haven’t seen anything quite like it ever since. If you want a simple costume idea, start with the hair. Tease up the bangs and make them big and stiff with plenty of cheap hair spray. They should look like an extension of your body when you’re done teasing them up! Then make your entire hairstyle big—the bigger the better! For some reason in these eras, the big hair was in and it reined king.

Another element that will bring your costume to life is lots and lots of bright colors. 70’s and 80s fancy dress costumes are all about crazy bright fashion, and you can embrace wherever that appears in your wardrobe. Neon works well and so do big bright colors. If you have any gummy bracelets or the ability to pin your pants, then you are in for a real treat embracing this fun fashion era!

Embrace Your Inner Madonna

If there is one thing that many people tend to remember about this era it was the introduction of a pop icon. Madonna made her entrance into the pop scene around this time and the world of music was never the same. So this lends way to the perfect costume idea to celebrate this wonderful and super fun period in time. Get out your black lace gloves because that’s where it all starts from. You need some ratted out big blonde hair and if you can’t accomplish that on your own, go for a wig.

Then get out your lace dress, tight mini skirt with a bright vibrant top, or some other flashy but vibrant outfit and wear it with great confidence. American online retailers such as Amazon carry outfits like this. If you live in England, you can purchase these pop dresses at Fancydressball.co.uk. You want to be sure to top of the look with lots and lots of accessories—try out your big bright pink bow for the hair, then get out lots of cheap but tasteful chain necklaces, and of course loads of neon gummy bracelets help to complete this look.

Nothing Like Old School Rappin’

Who didn’t love a little old school rap back in the day? This costume is simple enough to pull off and it’s actually comfortable so it works quite well. Here you can simply pull together some big oversized pants and a sports logo sweatshirt, preferably Adidas, as it was so big in this era. Then get a clock that you can wear around your neck because that was such an identifiable, though silly looking, part of these decades. You want to be sure that you have a hat that you can turn backwards and of course load on the gold chains for good measure.

This and the other costume ideas will take you back in time and help you to remember eras known for lots of fun!

Time’s ticking! Need to scare up cheap and easy Halloween costumes fast!?

Never fear! Fast, inexpensive Halloween costumes are hiding in your closet right now. Here are a few favorite easy Halloween costume ideas to get your creative juices flowing.

Mummy: Wrap up your costume in a flash. Use gauze, a white sheet fabric torn into strips, or toilet tissue (if you’re really in a pinch). This costume may require an assistant. Cover every part of the body from head to foot. But do make sure your mummy can see through their bandages.

Ghost: This age-old costume is a classic. All you need is an old white sheet with holes cut out for the eyes. To further dress it up, plastic chains (purchased at Lowe’s or another hardware store) give an authentic lost-soul look.

Witch: Good witch or bad witch, the choice is yours. Witch costumes are incredibly easy Halloween costumes. Almost every girl has a black dress. And any black dress will do. You can create a cone shaped hat with fabric or construction paper. They’re also readily available for purchase and usually very inexpensive. The witch’s hat is the most convincing part of the costume!

Bad witches might want to break out the green eye shadow to create the typical evil green face of a witch. Good witches might prefer sparkles. You’ll need a broom, and possibly a cat, as accessories.

TV Personality or Reality Star: These are easy costumes for adults with a sense of humor. You need not dress as an actual reality star. You can make up your own name and back-story. But with so many crazy personalities out there, an actual star is fun too. Be sure to wear a name tag.

Reality stars generally love flashy things, so break out and scour through every name-brand in your closet. If your items still have the price tags on them even better (don’t take them off).

Accessories for this costume would include: A bottle of champagne, a Rolex watch, the zirconium or glass equivalent of 5-carat plus diamonds, 4-inch stilettos, false eyelashes, fake tattoos, and a huge ego.

Roman God/Goddess: Perhaps one of the easiest costumes ever is the Roman God or Goddess. You’ll need a white bed sheet that you can tie into a toga. An extra piece of purple, red or gold fabric draped over one shoulder is a nice addition (but optional).

A crown made of grape or laurel leaves is a must. You can create this from fake or real leaves and spray it gold or leave it natural. Braided hair and hair worn in an up-do is perfect for girls. Guys can comb their hair (provided they have hair) forward for the Cesar effect.

Zombie: Raid your closet for old work clothes with holes already in them because you’ll want to make more rips and tears before it’s over. Zombies are the living dead, so play up the makeup. Dark makeup around the eyes and very pale skin are hallmark. Evidence of the fatal injury is also a good way to use makeup. Red lipstick can mimic the look of blood.

Priest: This Halloween costume is simpler than you might think. A black pair of pants and black shirt are the foundation. Next, use a white piece of fabric to create a collar that can be fastened over the shirt collar. A rosary or cross is the perfect accessory. If you don’t have one, make one. Borrow a necklace (beaded is best) and add a cross made from found sticks.

Pirate: Pirate costumes are great for both guys and girls. The primary part of every pirate costume is a frilly white shirt (guys may have to borrow this from a female in the house). Next, a pair of pants that are either black, brown, or if you’ve got them, black and white stripped are great for men or boys. Women and girls will look authentic in a long black or solid colored shirt.

Accessories make a big difference when it comes to pirates. Bandanas on the head work for both guys and girls. Scarves or sashes tied around the waist also work for both genders. Both boys and girls pull off the look with black eyeliner. Other additions include: a parrot, a gold hoop earring, a sword, a gold tooth, and rustic necklaces or jewelry.

A pirate booty bag attached to a waist sash or carried in the hand is the perfect accessory for the little one to carry their candy loot!

Baby: This is so easy, even a baby could do it! Just wear your pajamas. If you can conjure up some guts, make a towel or sheet into an oversized diaper.

A baby bottle, pacifier around the neck, bonnet, or hair in pigtails complete this funny Halloween costume.

Hillbilly or Hobo: Even if you don’t have a banjo, you can still dress as a hillbilly (no offensive to banjo players – I love the banjo!)

Most hobos and hillbillies that I’ve encountered have a limited number of teeth (so black out a few), dress in oversized overalls complete with patches and flannel shirts.

Wear boots if you have them and tuck your jeans or overalls into them. A straw hat is another good choice.

Hobos and hillbillies often have a long piece of straw or wheat hanging from their mouth as an accessory. If you want to be a scary hillbilly carry a fake axe or shotgun, but if you don’t have one of those in your closet, carry a sack of goods bunched up in a bandana and attached to a large stick (of the backyard variety).

You’ll find more ideas for inexpensive Halloween party themes and cheap Halloween costumes here.

By Jennifer Scheffel (themed-party-ideas.com)

Felt makes an excellent, virtually no-sew choice for simple Halloween costumes. Because it doesn’t fray, felt does not require hemming. It is also easily glued and hand sewn, making it perfect for the non-sewing crowd. And with a variety of colors available at your local fabric store or a fabric store online, the possibilities are endless. Here are just a few simple and easily customizable Halloween costumes that can be made from felt in almost no time at all.

Moustache-on-a-stick and Masquerade Masks

These quick mini costumes are perfect for a last minute party and are also great to hand out to non-costumed guests at your own Halloween bash.

Cut two moustache or mask shapes from a small piece of felt (8×10 sheets of felt are available at most craft stores.) Thread an embroidery needle with a two-foot piece of coordinating or contrasting (depending on the look you want) embroidery thread and sew a simple running stitch around all the edges.

When you have an inch or so to go, pause and stuff your mask or moustache with small pieces of felt scraps to give it a little poof and stability and finish stitching closed. Insert a dowel between the stitches on one side and secure with a few drops of craft glue.

Holy Batcape!

Got a little Batman in your house? They’ll love to swoop and swirl in this easy batcape. The weight of the fabric give the perfect drape for a cape and the wide width of felt sold in most fabric stores means you can avoid cutting and sewing panels of fabric to create the cape shape.

Fold one yard of 45-inch width black felt in half with the folded edge to one side. On the side opposite the fold, cut a triangle that starts a third of the way up from the bottom and finishes along the top edge, about 5 inches from the fold.

Make a second cut from the starting point of the triangle along the bottom, rounding it toward the fold. This creates a basic cape shape. Round the neck slightly and cut scallops along the bottom edge and stitch or glue ribbon (if you suspect this will become a long term addition to the costume box, stitching is best) to each side of the collar.

Wizards Hat

Measure the circumference of your head and add an inch. Cut a triangle from black felt with all sides at that measure. Roll the triangle into a cone and glue the seam with craft glue. Once dry, trim the bottom to be straight before setting out for some Harry Potter Trick or Treating!

Red Riding Hood

Following the same proportions as the bat cape but leaving off the scallops and using red felt, you can create a simple cloak for your Little Red Riding Hood. In addition to the cape and ribbon ties, you will need to create a hood.

1. Cut a 16-inch by 12-inch rectangle from the felt.
2. Fold the rectangle along the long side to get a smaller 8 by 12-inch piece.
3. Stitch or glue (again, stitching will hold longer) the top edge of this new rectangle.
4. Open the bottom edge back up and center along the neck of the cloak. You’ll need to fold or gather the bottom edge to fit within the neckline.
5. Pin into place and stitch the hood to the cape with general-purpose thread.

Have a great Halloween!

A few years back for Halloween, I wanted to make my own costume that was both original and cost effective. By cost effective, I mean cheap. I was a little low on cash, yet bent on creating the most unique Harley Quinn costume imaginable (a super villainess from Batman).

Mind you, I am not a seamstress. In fact, if I have to sew anything at all, I either pay a tailor or beg my boyfriend to sew the item for me as he is much better at it than me. He also has much more patience. With that in mind, how did I end up creating my Harley Quinn costume?

Look for Old Clothes that can Resemble your Halloween character

Looking through my closet, I found a pair of old black spandex pants and a spaghetti top that could fit the style of Harley Quinn in the comic, as well as the hybrid Harley Quinn ideas I had swirling around in my head. Since these clothing items were already available to me, I decided to merely paint over them to get the color scheme I wanted for my costume and then only pay for or make my accessories.

Keep in mind that painting a costume over clothes you already own can be time consuming, so I would start early. This means you need to start painting 2-3 weeks ahead of time, depending on the paint needed to create the costume effects on the clothing items.

Designing Your Costume with Fabric Paint

The fabric paint I used was Jacquard fabric paint in the colors of Red, Black, Silver and White. If you are planning on creating a horror type costume, I recommend you mix water into the paint to get that bloody, messy look. I used it on my costume to get a look that didn’t seem deliberate for character purposes and it came out quite well.

If you plan on mixing water to the paint, you definitely need to use a sealant as the paint will bleed even more after water is added to it. The consistency becomes very watery. Remember NOT to add water if you want a solid color look.

Although I used pretty basic solid colors, Jacquard also offers shimmer, glossy and glittery fabric colors for those who want a more ethereal or otherworldly look.

Also, make sure they are clothes you won’t miss once you have changed them because although fabric dye can sometimes bleed, it is quite permanent for the most part.

To prevent fabric paint bleed, you may want to invest in a fabric paint sealant. I used Crafty Crafty Chica Glossy Gloss Varnish, which I found online at Amazon. You can easily find this sealant online at Amazon, Ebay, and online craft stores. It may be difficult to find in store so I recommend online.

Another Option: Second Hand Clothing Stores or Modify an Old Costume

If you prefer not to alter any clothing you own already, a good option is to get secondhand clothing or re-use and alter an old costume you may have from previous years. This is simple enough if you decide to take a costume from previous years and simply create an evil or twisted version of that costume, which can be fun.

If not, secondhand clothing is the way to go. The clothing prices vary, but you should be able to find your entire costume for under $20.

For accessories, you can find wands, weapons, etc. at your local costume store and if you are going for a comic book character, you may be able to get away with purchasing a cheap kid version of the item.

Also, if something is for decoration and it is possible to make it, it is almost always cheaper to do so.

Here is a picture of me on Halloween with friends in my Harley Quinn costume:

Harley Quinn costume (middle)

As you can see, the pants and shirt were both painted ½ red, ½ black and the colors were alternated to create a checkered look when the costume is worn.

I created my own accessories by cutting white felt into the shape of a jester’s choker, but exaggerated the size and length of it. I also made my own bracelets and anklets out of elastic band and attached small little sleigh bells. I wore ankle boots with the outfit, which I also would have painted, but I did not have time. It turns out even painting your clothing takes time!

On the left is another photo of just my make-up for the costume the day after, which I had altered for a different Halloween party to get a more twisted look, whereas the look above is more classic and true to the comic.

Good luck, and remember, have fun and be creative; it will definitely pay off when that yearly Halloween party comes around!

Halloween party is the perfect podium to step into the shoes of your favorite characters. The Star Wars series sets inspiration to play the fantasy in real and a Star Wars Costume can help you in this.

The costumes of Star Wars characters available in the stores are expensive or they are too popular to quickly get out of stock. Begin the preparations for your Halloween look this season with self-made Star Wars costume. The following steps should guide you on how to build your own Star Wars costume with ease and on time.

Choose Your Character

Begin your adventure by choosing one of the numerous Star Wars Costumes you wish to be dressed like. Jedi Costume, Anakin Costume, Han Solo Costumes, Princess Amidala Costume, Rebel Costume and Leia Costume are some of the easy-to-make costumes. You should learn about other options as well and choose the one you find the best to grab the attention.

Use Pictures as Guides

The second step should be to collect the pictures of your favorite Star Wars character and use them as guides to build a detailed costume. You can obtain pictures or posters from an online store, or you can simply obtain the print outs of the pictures available on the web.

Buy the Right Fabric

For the costumes like those worn by the Jedi warriors, you have to buy fabrics in the right color tone and in sufficient quantity. Robes and other parts of the costumes will be prepared using the fabrics you purchase. Also, you must know the right way to sew or stitch the fabric for different costume pieces.

Use Your Clothes that are Available

You will be glad to know that most of the Star Wars costumes can be built using the clothes you might possess already. For example, to create a Rebel costume, you require pants in solid color and vests. The Princess Leia costume can be easily built using a white dress as the base. In the same way, you can easily arrange off-white t-shirts and black pants for the Han Solo costumes. Even the black boots required for this costume are commonly owned items.

Costume Accessories

The accessories used with Star Wars costumes too are easy to prepare at home. For example, the belt for the Leia costumes can be easily created using duct tape. Empty boxes in small sizes can be glued to a black belt to prepare the Han Solo belt. The aluminum foil folded rectangles can be used to create the silver bands worn by the Princess Amidala.

As far as the weapons used by the Star Wars characters are concerned, you can make them at home or purchase them from a nearby toy shop. For example, the Han Solo’s gun can be created using empty toilet paper roll and a paper towel roll. Light sabers for Jedi costumes can be purchased from a toy shop.

Adopting the Right Look

Apart from creating the Star Wars costume, you must also learn how to adopt the right look of the characters from the series. For example, dressing up like Yoda would require you to paint your face, neck and hands with green paint. Green construction paper can be used to create the ears for Yoda costume.

Another important preparation for Star Wars look is to style your hair in the way your favorite character in the series did. Use hair color or purchase hair wigs to complete the look.

The steps described above are easy to perform, but you must start as early as possible to come up with a perfectly made Star Wars costume. It is a good idea to build Star Wars costumes along with your friends or family members and enjoy Halloween as a Star Wars family.

Building Own Star Wars Costume in Few Easy Steps is a Guest post by Lea Jones who is an online freelance writer and also the owner of a Star Wars Costume online store. In this post she’ll give some tips about Building Star Wars Costumes for the upcoming Halloween 2010.