Teens want to be the best-dressed kids at the Halloween party, but fulfilling such a request has the potential for putting quite a dent in your pocket book. Fortunately there are ways for you to avoid this scary situation by using some items you have around the house to make your teen’Halloween costume.
At first your teen may not be excited about making what they may think is an art and crafts project into a costume. But take heart, some very cool costumes can be made at home. All it takes is some creativity, ingenuity and a few supplies.
If you are having trouble finding a place to start, listed below are a few suggestions to get your creative juices flowing. Let these pointers be ideas that you can run with to create something unique for your teen.
Old clothes
Old clothes provide excellent costume material. The older and more torn and worn an article of clothing is, the spookier it looks. You can also modify clothes that are not worn anymore to serve your purposes. Use your imagination. Do not be afraid or trying your hand at seaming a few things together with simple sewing stitches. Remember that you are not looking for a ready-made costume; you are just looking for potential.
Mom’make-up
Make-up can really add to a costume, especially if it is meant to be scary. A painted face can really tell a story and you probably have everything that you need at home. Even if you are not supposed to look scary, face paint and make-up can effectively blend your face into the rest of your costume and make you look more put-together.
Play on words or one-of-a-kind
One of the most popular costume ideas for teens is to dress as something that has never been seen by their friends before. Teens want to stand out and draw positive attention to themselves. Having complements on the originality and wit of their costume is the goal. Teens also like to dress as a play on words. Showing your clever sense of humor is always popular. In order to illustrate how you can create a costume that will get your teen’friends thinking, here are a few examples:
Mr. or Ms. Smarty Pants: safety pin or glue “Smarties” candies to a pair of pants.
Piece of gum stuck to the bottom of a sneaker: Dress in all pink and safety pin or adhere an old shoe to the hood of a jacket or hooded sweat shirt.
Floor of a movie theatre: Dress all in a dark color and pin things all over you that might be found in a movie theatre (i.e. ticket stubs, candy wrappers, etc.).
Static cling or basket of laundry: pin as many articles of clothing onto yourself as possible until you are covered from head to toe.
Cereal killer: A box of cereal stabbed with a spoon is all you need to start this clever costume.
Rubik’cube or dice: The cardboard box is an extremely versatile object especially when it comes to creating a clever costume at home. Any shape that can be re-created and supported by cardboard can be made into a costume.
Here are just a few things that most everyone has around the house that, when combined with a little creativity, can be used to create a Halloween costume for your teen.
Felt
Old Sheets
Crayons, color markers, permanent markers
Empty egg carton and dried egg shells
White/Black Garbage Bags
Plastic Crates
Plastic Cups, bowls or plates
Extension cord
Popcorn
Newspaper
Toilet paper or paper towels
Food dye
Books and magazines (and clippings)
Cardboard box
Cling/plastic wrap
Aluminum foil
Plastic baggies
Duct or masking tape
Safety pins
Skates or roller blades
Pet toys
Scarves, hats, gloves, etc.
Shower curtain
