One of our favorite times of year is upon us. A time of fluffy, jump-in-able piles of leaves, corn mazes, and pumpkin-flavored everything. Yes, it’s the Halloween season, and that means two things: comically gigantic lawn spiders and one of the most important questions asked all year: What’s your costume gonna be?
Depending on the idea, there might not be a ready-made, pre-packaged kids costume available. But even if there is (and there probably is), we believe there’s a better, more creative, sustainable, and budget-friendly way to fashion kids costumes out of clothes that are already in the dresser.
With a little creative imagination and a dash of DIY ingenuity, you can make fun Halloween costumes out of practically anything, and it doesn’t have to cost a lot. They might not realize it, but kids who wear school uniforms already have some easy Halloween costumes just waiting to happen.
Here are a few quick Halloween hacks that are fun ways to weave schoolwear into a costume.
DIY Harry Potter Costume
From the moment Hogwarts came to life on the big screen, Harry Potter and his fellow wand-wielding students have become perennially favorite Halloween costumes. A DIY Harry Potter or Hermionie Granger costume is super easy to put together, and kids who wear school uniforms have a huge advantage. Start with what’s already in the dresser:
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White oxford button-down shirt
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Sleeveless V-neck sweater or cardigan
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Pleated skirt or v-neck jumper
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Chino pants
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Necktie
Add a few identifying Harry Potter details:
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Round eyeglasses
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Lightning bolt scar
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Gryffindor house crest
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Cloak with burgundy trim
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Wizard’s hat
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Wand
DIY Wednesday Addams Costume
The most memorable member of the spooky, kooky Addams family, a Wednesday costume is easy. Here’s what’s needed:
- White shirt with peter pan or oxford collar
- Long-sleeve black dress
- Black tights
- Black shoes
All that’s left to add are pigtails and a sullen expression.
Easy Kids Costume Ideas
French Toast polo shirts can make a great foundation for costumes! Think about characters from popular books, movies, and video games. With some strategically applied makeup and maybe a prop or two, schoolwear can serve as the foundation for creative or classic costume ideas.
Minion: Pair a gold polo with a matching beanie, blue overalls, and some safety goggles and voila, your kiddo’s a Minion!
Charlie Brown: Accent a gold polo with a zigzag strip of black fabric or paper and transform them into a Charlie Brown costume just like that.
Mario: Is red one of your school’s colors? Then your trick-or-treater could wear a red polo with the same blue overalls, add a matching red cap with an “M” on the front, apply a fake mustache, and you've got a Mario costume.
Bat: Transform them into a bat with a bit of fabric and a long-sleeve black polo. Cut the fabric into scallop-edged wings, and attach it to the back and cuffs of the shirt. Use that same fabric to make a headband or eye mask with pointy ears.
Pumpkin: Create a pumpkin costume in a snap with an orange polo and black fabric. Bonus points if you’ve got a green bow, beanie, or headband to top off the look.
Zombie: The best part about a zombie costume is that kids don’t actually need a “zombie costume.” Anyone wearing any outfit can be a zombie: mail carriers, construction workers, firefighters, elementary school principals, even students in their school uniforms! Just dab on some creative, zombie-like makeup (think ashen skin and sunken, black-rimmed eyes), get the zombie walk just right, and say “Brains!” instead of trick-or-treat.
Secret Agent: Like a zombie, any outfit will do. Simply add a pair of dark sunglasses, an earpiece, and maybe some papers labeled “Top Secret”. There’s nothing impossible about this Halloween mission!
Mime: Put together a classic mime outfit of black pants, a black-and-white striped shirt, and suspenders. Don’t forget the white face paint, white gloves, and maybe a beret. Oh! And remember, mimes don’t talk, so kids can only gesture “trick-or-treat!”, not say it.
Halloween is the one day of the year when the dress code gets turned upside down and the spirits come out to play. With a little creative imagination and maybe an accessory or two, it’s easy to transform French Toast schoolwear into a fun, budget-friendly DIY Halloween costume.
