Homemade Costumes On The Cheap

by Marci Palumbo
(Deltona, FL)

Yes, these were costumes on the cheap... but they were funny and fun! A few years ago, my daughter was whining about not knowing what she wanted to be. She was too old for the 'kiddie costumes and didn't want to be 'boring.'

After a long discussion (read that: drama, drama, drama), she decided on being a 'housewife.' She was done in pink robe, fuzzy slippers, curlers, a green mask on her face and carried a coffee cup and a trashy magazine.

Having been a housewife for many years, I was worried some other women would find it "offensive" but she got the biggest laughs at school and when she trick or treated. She even won 'best original costume' for her age.

The second costume I made was during the Spiderman craze and my son wanted to be "Doc Oc" but no costumes were to be found so I promised I'd make him one. Mind you, I'm about as creative as a paper bag, so this was going to be.. interesting. And money was extremely tight.

We bought a trench coat from Goodwill (had a blue tag, which was half price that week). I went to the dollar store and bought 4 pool noodles, half gloves and sunglasses.

I bought a can of silver spray paint, wire and tinfoil from Walmart and made the 'tentacles' with that.

The whole costume cost about $20 and he was a big hit with his friends!