Community Corner

Easy DIY Halloween Costumes

Halloween is only two weeks away. If your kids don't have a costume, here are some ideas for things you can make at the last minute.

Written by Janet D'Oliveira

If your humble abode has turned into a house of horrors because your child is still without a Halloween costume, these easy DIY ideas might be just what Dr. Frankenstein ordered. Turn your last-minute efforts from frenzied to fabulous with a little help from your mini-me and make memories that last beyond the photo op. All you'll need is a little hocus pocus.

Rock Star. The whole family can have fun with this one. Kids and parents dress in jeans or black leggings, black boots or shoes, and funky tops. Cut up or tear the clothes, add buttons or safety pins on older kids' costumes, and accessorize with bandanas, scarves, belts and sunglasses. Then whip out your black eyeliner, paint everyone's nails with black, and style hair into faux-hawks. All that's left? A really cool name for your band. Rock on!

Blood Suckers. It's a rite of passage for little ones to graduate from fairies and superheroes to vampires with frightening fangs at Halloween. Whip up your miniature Dracula's cape with a piece of cloth and some string. Finish the look with black pants and a white shirt—the frillier the better. Then, turn the healthy glow of young ones white and add dark under eye circles. Don't forget plenty of fake blood around the mouth (red lipstick does just fine).

Clown Around. There's no limit to how ridiculous a clown costume can look or how easy it can be to throw together. Dress your child in overalls or in pants that are a few sizes too big (use suspenders to hold them up). Pair them with a bright shirt, and add lots of flair, like buttons, fake flowers and bits of fabric. Once again, hair and makeup are the most important, so get a fun, bright wig, and paint on a happy or sad face.

Giddy Up. Another classic, just start with jeans or a jean skirt, add a plaid shirt, tie on a bandana and find a belt with a big buckle. You can braid hair and top off the look with a cowboy hat and boots if you have them. Give your child a thick rope to carry like a lasso. Yee-haw!

Get Cookin'. Whip up a cute chef's costume in a flash. Dress your child in a white, untucked, button-down shirt and black pants. Tuck in or cut off the shirt's collar to make it look like a real chef's coat. Next, chef's hats are a snap to make: Glue white fabric to a strip of thick paper measured and glued to fit around your child's head. Then, stuff the fabric with tissue paper to create the quintessential chef's fluffy pouf. Use real utensils as props, like a mixing bowl, measuring cups or a spatula. For a final touch, dust some flour on your child, so it looks like he or she has really been making a mess in the kitchen!

This article is part of Mix It Up, an editorial series created in collaboration with AOL's Kitchen Daily and Huffington Post. It is dedicated to making the lives of mothers easier through articles, videos and slideshows focused on simple and creative solutions to everyday challenges. From healthy recipes to exciting ideas for a more balanced lifestyle, this section aims to become a resource for moms everywhere. 


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