It seems people fall in one of two categories: those who love Halloween and love getting dressed up, and those who don’t. I live in the middle of nowhere, so we don’t get trick-or-treaters. (The notion of dressing up and meeting trick-or-treaters at the door is foreign to me.) This year, however, I am sure we will be full-on in the spirit of the candy-giving holiday. Having an eight year old will do that to you!
Here are some of the top Halloween costume trends for this year:
Avatar
Prices on Avatar character costumes range from about $20 to well over $60. A simple take on this would be to start by creating a cat costume (ears and tail) and wear all blue. A blue leotard and tights would be perfect. Finish the look with piece of fabric tied around the waist (in loin-cloth fashion), add a big cuff bracelet and hit up your local craft store for some feathers (use as a necklace) and you are done!
Toy Story 3
You can get a fairly detailed Toy Story costume for $30 - $40. A Cowboy costume would cover this theme, unless your little one if a stickler for details! To re-create a Buzz Lightyear, you will need to get creative. Wear all white (maybe find white long-johns). A grass green t-shirt (pick one up at Goodwill on a 50% off day for about $1.50) can create the green details on the costume, and some soccer knee pads will finish off the look.
Vampires
This may be the biggest trend this season. Getting a new vampire costume can set you back anywhere from $30 to over $150! An easy inexpensive take on this trend is simply makeup. Costume makeup can be pricey, so I suggest going to the drug store and find a very light makeup in the .99cent bin. If the makeup needs to be lighter, try adding some baby powder. Lip liner (in red) can enhance the look. If you really want to finish the look, take a trip to the fabric store, and purchase a yard of black fabric. Attach it to the collar of your shirt – and presto! You have a vampire cape!
1980’s Looks
This look is easy and very simple to re-create. I think it is funny that the “80’s costumes” are a Halloween look (being that I am a product of the 80’s). All you need is big hair with a bandanna and some shoulder pads. Think Dynasty (as in the TV show) or Madonna (the early days) for the girls, and Miami Vice or the much coveted ‘hair band’ look for the guys. Hit a thrift shop, and I promise you will find the pieces you need to recreate this look! The key with this costume will be the hair. The 80’s were all about hair. Big, and I mean HUGE, hair for the girls and a long hair “mullet” style for the guys. You could also purchase this look for about $20 - $50.
Lady Gaga
The Lady Gaga look is pricey. If you purchase the costume, it will run you well over $50. You can create any kind of crazy costume and call it Lady Gaga. One idea is using balloons and attaching them all over you (like a dress) – creating her bubble look. Try her signature black/white look with thrift-shop finds, and add her hair bow (available for about $7 online) – literally, her bow made of hair…another idea is to recreate the star over one eye with a black eye-pencil - presto, Lady Gaga!
Alice in Wonderland
This is very easy to create with a light blue dress and a white apron. You can easily pick up the dress at Goodwill and turn a white towel into an apron for less than $10. New costumes online are going for $25 on up. I even saw a deluxe Alice costume for over $150!
Michael Jackson
Even though the King of Pop has been gone over a year now, his persona lives on in Halloween costumes. Of course, this is a simple costume to recreate with black pants, white socks, black shoes and, of course, the silver sequined glove. Costume kits for MJ run anywhere from $25 (for a hat and a glove) to well over $200.
Iron Man
Popular costumes will always come from hit movies; Iron Man is no exception. Costumes purchased run about $25 - $60. The super-creative mom could recreate this look with dark red PJs (or long-johns) and a clever gold mask. Get out the gold spray paint and cardboard! This costume re-creation-for-less may take some time!
Superheroes
Superhero costumes are always a hit on Halloween. You can pick up your favorite hero at the store for anywhere from about $25 on up. I suggest making up your own superhero! Let your kids create their own costume.
This article appears in the October 2010 issue of The Family Magazine of Michiana
Image from: www.life123.com
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