Use everyday items for your self-made costume.
Reluctant to spend hard-earned money on a costume you'll wear just once? Don't sit out the festivities or go costume-less to a costume party - make your own! With just a few materials, a sense of humor and some creativity, self-made costume ideas can be a huge success.
Movie Characters
Movie character costumes are often easy to create with materials you may already have around the house. For Harry Potter, don a black robe, paint a lightning bolt on your forehead, carry a broomstick (write 'Firebolt' on it) and wear round-frame glasses. For Juno, wear jeans and sneakers with a long T-shirt under a red jacket. Stuff the shirt with a pillow or beach ball, put your hair in a ponytail and carry a jug of Sunny D. Kids can become Bob the Builder with a pair of overalls and a red shirt. Put a little yellow hard hat on their head.
Food
Dressing up as a food often gets lots of laughs. To be a California raisin, don a large black trash bag (cut holes for your head and arms, then gather the bottom), large sunglasses and white gloves. Carry a saxophone if you can find it. For a super-easy gummy worm costume, simply wear one bright color on bottom and another on top. Make a pea pod costume by wearing all green, then taping or sewing a large light green felt oval on your torso. Sew three or four circular green felt pieces inside the oval. You can also be a food mascot; turn yourself into the Morton Salt girl with a yellow dress (add a big bow) and an umbrella, or the Jolly Green Giant with a green shirt, tights, toga and headband.
Plays on Words
If you're pressed for time, a play-on-words costume is often the fastest and easiest option. Wear your normal clothing with slight modifications. For example, wear a pot on and you're a pothead; tape a quarter to your back and you're a quarterback. Find a large cardboard box, cut a hole for your head and attach a lamp, box of tissues and a book - you're a "one night stand." Take an old solid-color T-shirt and write (in permanent marker) "Go Ceilings!" Presto, you're a ceiling fan.
Favorites
Even the most popular costumes don't necessarily have to be store-bought. If you've got a pair of jeans, a white tee, hair gel and an old leather jacket, you can be a 1950s guy. Ladies can become Marilyn Monroe with red lipstick, a blond wig and a full white dress, while men can be Chippendales for the night with a pair of black pants, no shirt and a black bow tie. Both genders can become a hippie with old clothes from the attic - bell bottom jeans, a tie-dyed shirt, a vest, headband and large sunglasses.
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