For the third year in a row, my son is going as Diego, Dora's cousin and the animal rescuer who has his own show on Nick Jr.

For the first year, he had a store-bought costume. For the second year, he had grown out of most of it, so he wore a brown fishing vest, blue pants, and carried the store-bought "Diego" backpack.

This year, he has outgrown all the store-bought stuff so it will all be homemade.

We usually recycle costumes among the kids/cousins or make our own. This year, DD10 used Family Fun magazine to make a costume herself (although I would have gotten off cheaper at the Halloween Store), DS8 is a homemade bank robber (ski mask, dark clothes, burlap bag with '$' and monopoly money, DS6 has a previously loved storebought Batman costume from older cousin and DD4 has Native American costume my aunt made for me 30 years ago.
I tried to get someone to be a 'Charlie Brown' ghost...you know the sheet with all the holes, but didn't get any takers.

Whether we go homemade or store-bought depends on what else I have going on. One year, when my son wanted to be Winnie-the-Pooh and I couldn't find even yellow sweats or a blanket sleeper anywhere, I sewed a bodysuit from scratch. That was the most ambitious. For a couple years, he wanted to go as an astronaut and we already had a dress-up costume. This year it's SpongeBob pajamas with a couple items added to complete the look.

Got to love grandparents. My MIL made my son's first costume last year (dinosaur) and is almost finished his for this year (monkey). I have nowhere near the skills/time to make a costume from scratch, but she is unemployed and a whiz at the sewing machine, so we've lucked out so far!

My son, who is 7, is, as always, buying a costume. However, he also has a book report due on the 29th on "The Star Wars Storybook", which was mine when I was his age. He has to dress up like the main character to present his report. So, I hit Craigslist and found a used karate gi that is his size ($5) to use as Luke's shirt. We'll put an old belt of mine around him to attach his lightsaber to, and wrap his ankles in ace bandages over his tan cargo pants. Should work out pretty good!

"I had neither a vest nor a blaster nor did I look like Harrison Ford."

Harrison Ford in "Witness". Yum.

My daughter always has grand plans that are not in the usual store lineup. I make (with my very limited skills) pieces, buy an accessory (like a wig or helmet), and fill in with props/clothes we already have. This year she wants to be Sherlock Holmes, so we bought a hat, and she'll use clothes (and a magnifying glass) that we already have. Last year's "lady of Versailles" was trickier, but in the words of Tim Gunn, we made it work.

My mom used to make us amazing costumes when we were kids -- I remember a year when she sewed my sister an Ewok costume out of an old faux-fur coat. Theoretically, I think homemade costumes are the way to go.

However, it seems to me that store-bought costumes, lacking though they are in originality, are much cheaper and easier than homemade. Even the "free" costume ideas you see in magazines usually assume you're going to start out having some foundation pieces that no actual person really owns (really, whose kids have monochromatic pant/shirt sets in the various primary colors?) By the time you hunt down clothes in those colors, you've already spent more than you would just going to Target and getting a premade costume.

I will say, I was very proud of myself last year -- DD wanted to be Minnie Mouse and I managed not to buy one off the rack. I happened to have a hand-me-down red dress with polka dots, and I covered a pair of dress shoes with yellow duct-tape for the shoes. Still, I ended up buying tights, a black shirt and gloves to round out the costume.

This year, she wants to be Ariel, and she's getting a prefab costume. The baby will wear a hand-me-down puppy costume.

I am all about being as home made as I can. I bought a home last year and made a few grave stones myself out of foam you get at Lowes, carved it with a wire cutter and Japanese handsaw; this year I am making seven more. I am building a seven foot tall death, bought a foam skull for it on sale after Halloween last year, add some fabric and paint and you zombie the skull out. Stick it on a pvc pipe frame with some mesh, paper mache, and a fabric robe (made by me) and you have a death prop. Whole forums are out there on costume and prop making, I would argue home made is bigger than ever you just don't know what is home made or store bought anymore because the skilled home makers are better than ever at it.

I am all about being as home made as I can. I bought a home last year and made a few grave stones myself out of foam you get at Lowes, carved it with a wire cutter and Japanese handsaw; this year I am making seven more. I am building a seven foot tall death, bought a foam skull for it on sale after Halloween last year, add some fabric and paint and you zombie the skull out. Stick it on a pvc pipe frame with some mesh, paper mache, and a fabric robe (made by me) and you have a death prop. Whole forums are out there on costume and prop making, I would argue home made is bigger than ever you just don't know what is home made or store bought anymore because the skilled home makers are better than ever at it.

My mom is an ace at sewing, so all costumes in my childhood were homemade (as was my wedding-dress).

I am an able hand, but no better than that, at sewing, and getting to the right shops is more difficult here. Previous years my children have had no interests in costumes, so I just made it simple (purple dress and homemade paper cone-hat for my little witch, chuncky brown sweater, brown trouser and a bit of make-up for a little bear).

This year the eldest has started kinder and will need a dress-up and would like to be a dinosaur. I have found a pattern and have every intention of making the costume myself. Only, I found the pattern 2-3 weeks ago and have gotten no further, so I'm beginning to wonder if I will find the time. Hope I will though, because I would like my children to carry on the homemade tradition that allows you to be anything you would like to be, rather than something that the shops think you should want to be.

We're still using homemade costumes. The kids (3 and 6) take a lot of interest in the choice and making of their costumes. This is incredibly time consuming, of course. The appeal of store-bought costumes for me would be about saving time, not better quality.

I enjoyed sewing costumes for my now-adult daughters. They were crayons, pumpkins, clowns, butterflies, witches, bags of marbles, and probably other things I can't immediately recall. I am proud to say that my daughters have inherited my sewing proclivities. We have one granddaughter, who will be a little lamb this Halloween, courtesy of her mother's sewing machine.

Growing up, my mother used to sew our halloween costumes. One year, I was Glinda, the good witch, and my brother was the scarecrow. It was a different costume every two years - we had to get a good wearing out of it, and she had time to make one of our's each year. Now in my twenties, I am making my own costumes for the adult night out! I thank my mother for teaching me how to be so crafty, and giving me the inspiration to try my hand at anything I dream up.

DW usually makes at least 1 homemade costume a year. Some of the princess outfits she made were just as elaborate as the typical wedding dress (not quite as expensive, but comparable) , only they were designed to fit a 7 year old.

And I have a very fond memory of my daughter wearing her homemade costume bouncing into my arms and saying, "Look Daddy! I'm a bunny rabbit, I've got BIG ears!" Kids love Halloween. The girls were more into the costumes, the boys not so much as they prefer the candy grab aspect of the event.

As for the homemade costume, I think it's going the wayside of the sewing machine, needle and thread. I doubt that a quarter of the girls graduating from HS nowadays have ever sewn a stitch in their lives, much less ever touched a sewing machine. But that's technology for you, what was once deemed as a necessary skill for managing a efficient domestic environment has now turned into an expensive, time-consuming hobby.

fr newsahm:

>...This year, she wants to be Ariel, and she's getting a prefab costume. The baby will wear a hand-me-down puppy costume.

Awwwww, how cute! My wife and I had a five minute "discussion" about Halloween costumes for our csts, and fortunately, wiser heads prevailed. I can just SEE our male cat, George, wearing deely boppers for 3 seconds. Gracie, our female, would just LOOK at you like, "what are you, crazy? I'm NOT wearing that thing!"

I refuse to buy a halloween costume. My mom made them when I was a kid and now I make them for my daughter using my grandmother's ancient Singer. It's a bit of a tradition. Last year she was a garden gnome, and this year, she's going as a Star Trek officer. When she's old enough, I'll help her make her own costumes.

Growing up we always had homemade costumes, but it was more because my parents didn't like halloween and therefore we were forced to be creative and find something around the house - this resulted in many years of being a hobo, movie star (wearing my grandma's costume jewelry and an old dress of my moms) and marine (wearing my dad's uniform). The most work I remember my mom doing on a costume was the year I was a flapper - she made the fringe out of tinsel and I wore my black leotard and tights - came out very cute actually even though the tinsel was just stapled around me. I don't remember being disappointed at all about never being a disney or other movie character - I guess when you know that's not an option you just roll with it... halloween always meant start looking through the closets. We must have been more interested in the candy.

Two years ago all three of us dressed up in costumes that reflected my son's favorite foods. I "made" my son an outfit to resemble a green been: green pants, green shirt, felt hat that I duct taped to create a cone shape, and then I duct taped white and black felt circles to resemble salt and pepper (looking back at the pictures I think he looked more like a Xmas elf than a green been, but I tried). I "made" my costume to resemble red grapes: purple/red jumper dress with purple balloons very carefully pinned to my dress, brown tights and long boots, and in my hair I wore a headband that I had taped grape leaves to. My husband wore a white shirt with a big yellow circle in the middle to resemble a scrambled egg. We were a big hit. Last year I bought my son a pirate's costume.

My kids make their own costumes- have since they were old enough to voice an opinion on what they want to be. Purple flying hippos, aliens, pirates, hobos, evil doers, what ever- just go through my closet, or to a thrift store, get some raw materials and go for it. Often, no one but them have any idea what they are. But- no store bought costumes. And don't forget the pillowcase for the loot. Those little plastic pumpkins are for amatuers.

DW says the store-bought costumes for girls are getting way, way too skimpy to wear in good tastes. What do you think? Is she right, or is she just getting old fashioned?

For a while when the boys were younger, I made them costumes. I love to sew, and I'm very good at it.

But then came th year older son wanted to be a Star Wars storm trooper, or clone trooper, I get confused on that. Anyway the hard armor was way beyond me, and he got a store-bought costume - which meant that younger son also went to the Halloween store and also wanted store-bought. That year he was a ghoul with a circulatory system, little clear tubes filled with red liquid, and a bulb pump to make it all move around.

Since then, older son has gotten too old for trick-or-treating, and younger son wants black robes (like a grim reaper) every year. Turns out, those basic black things at the costume store are cheaper than I can buy the same (cheap!) fabric at the wholesale fabric warehouse near my work, so I see no reason to spend more time and money for a home made costume.

Oh, and I've always dressed up too when I take them out for trick-or-treating. I've been wearing the same black satin and chiffon Lady Death costume (home made, complete with a black chiffon face veil) every year since older son was 6, and younger son was 16 months and nodding off in the stroller in a hand-me-down Tigger costume.

Well, Whacky, she may be getting old-fashioned but I also agree with her (so I must be getting old-fashioned also). If I had a daughter, I would not allow some of the costumes for girls that are out there today. I have a granddaughter now, but she's still little (4 years old) and very much into princess attire. I think her parents will also be old-fashioned when she gets older if she asks to wear those tacky togs on the racks.

My parents never bought me a costume growing up and since there were several of us, we tended to have "series" costumes: three clown sizes, several incarnations of cats and mice with the same tail/ears.

My favorite costume was also the simplest. I was a princess/fairy/bride/fancy girl of some descript for at least three years. My mom had left over bride's maid's dresses that she tucked under and safety pinned and then let down each year. Couple that with the "special" tiara and wand from a dollar store that went back in the "special" box each year and we were happy.

I was a figure skater as a kid, so very often costume pieces from the previous year's end-of-season club show (think dance recital on skates) would get recycled. The only non-ice skating costume I really remember was a geisha: wig made of black yarn with two hair sticks stuck in it at the back, adult-size kimono style robe over a black bodysuit that I owned - there was probably some trimming/wrapping/snaps added that I don't remember - flipflops and white face paint.

As an adult, I have a standard Halloween costume: reveler at a masquerade ball. I have a black tea-length gown that I pair with a half-mask. Done.

fr mariel80:

>...I "made" my costume to resemble red grapes: purple/red jumper dress with purple balloons very carefully pinned to my dress, brown tights and long boots, and in my hair I wore a headband that I had taped grape leaves to. My husband wore a white shirt with a big yellow circle in the middle to resemble a scrambled egg...

The last year a couple threw one of their mondo Halloween parties, I dressed as a head on a platter. Found a long piece of cardboard, cheap tablecloth, aluminium serving plate. Glued a LOT of shredded green paper to the cloth-covered cardboard, glued apples to it and the silver platter with enough of a hole for my head. Swore the host's daughter to secrecy after I found out how wide their basement door was.

Scared the daylights out of ths hostess. Won the weirdest costume prize that year!

Parenting magazine has some great ideas for homemade costumes. I especially liked the little sushi roll baby! I might want to try that next year! But hubby doesn't want the baby to be something resembling food.

DW made most of the kids' costumes. One year she got on a Dalmatian kick and made a set of matching costumes - white sweatshirts and sweatpants with black spots sewn on, tails sewn on the pants, and hats with ears. They were so cute! Got a lot of use out of those - the first year the oldest three kids were 6, 4 and 3; the younger kids just moved up to the bigger costumes as they got older. (One year when DW didn't have much time she bought two small round, red pillows; sewed shoulder straps between them and drew an "m" - so oldest DD was a red M&M. That one actually got a lot of use - the kids "wore" it for years. :-)

Growing up we had homemade costumes. ALWAYS. Mom could sew really well, and there wasn't even a discussion. Even when I was raggedy ann one year.
One year I wanted to be snoopy, so I put on a white sheet, and had a spot on my back. Everyone thought I was a ghost. :(
My mom had made a flapper dress for us I'm not sure why - and it was orange and black (made for halloween). I wore that several times as a teen/adult. Probably couldn't fit into it now!
Last year we tried to make a ghost costume and used some chains, etc, but it didn't work so well for DS. He was fine, tho - my DH took him to a novelty store and he got a sword and a mask. He just likes dressign up, doesn't always have to be something.
This year he wanted to be darth vader. We went to ebay and bought a costume - some of the ones out there are $40!!

"I doubt that a quarter of the girls graduating from HS nowadays have ever sewn a stitch in their lives, much less ever touched a sewing machine."

How sexist! I didn't know estrogen is what powers sewing machines!

I will be making simple costumes. It's easy to make a Peter Pan costume with a green shirt cut in zigzags along the edges, green pants, boots, belt, and cap made of green felt with a feather.
It's important to make it fun & festive, not just another trip to Target.

I like the idea of homemade costumes, but frankly I don't have the time or money right now. We no longer have a local fabric store, so I would have to buy fabric and patterns online in addition to everything else. Fabric is so expensive these days that I could easily see it costing $30 or more for one costume. You can pick up used ones on ebay (or at consignment places) for $10. And my mother's group is operating a costume swap- we have a database up where people can list which ones they've got in which sizes.

My 4-yo is getting a store-bought costume... the twins are getting *very* simple homemade costumes (as in, should take me all of 5 minutes).

My daughter is the queen of requesting unique costumes, so I HAVE to make them.

Age 3-"The Rain"; I sewed some silver table fringe onto a gray sweatsuit.

Age 4-"Fashion Model from France"; I let her raid my old cocktail dresses and makeup.

Age 5-"That girl from Singing in the Rain"; specifically Debbie Reynolds from the "Beautiful Girls" number.

Age 6 - Pippi Longstocking; finally, an "easy" costume.

My 5-year-old son is going in an awesome homemade robot costume, if I may say so myself! We spraypainted a large box silver for his torso, and it has lots of gizmos on it, including working lights and nobs. I used some old discarded electronics and spraypainted them silver too, so now he has an on/off switch and dial (from an electric blanket control that no longer has a blanket!) and stainless steel pot scrubbers and burner protectors.

My 4-year-old daughter is going as an embellished Tinkerbell. My mother made a lime-green fairy costume from a McCalls pattern, complete with a humongous homemade tulle tutu, and I embellished it with rhinestones and flowers. Any excuse to use a hot glue gun.

Homemade costumes are wonderful, but any kid who dresses up and celebrates should be made to feel great.

There is a funny post about trick-or-treating that's actually helpful to kids and humorous for parents on Ethic Soup blog at:

http://www.ethicsoup.com/2009/09/halloween-ethics-when-you-go-trickortreating.html

"We're clearly not alone. Every year, the ghouls and goblins that show up at my door are wearing less and less homemade stuff and more and more off-the-rack costumes that allow them to show off their favorite licensed characters. This doesn't make me happy, but in a world in which time is finite, I've made my peace with it."

Wow. That's so sad! :(

Was time infinite previously? No. I think we're losing our creativity and becoming lazy and blaming it on having no time. In our town's Halloween parade last year I tried to count the number of Spiderman costumes and lost count. Surely kids (with parents help?) can think of something more original than a princess or a superhero which they only think of because it's on every piece of clothing and food and commercial they come in contact with?

This year DS5 wants to be a street cleaner so we're making one complete with wired headlights. We even called our local streets dept to find out what the street cleaner guys actually wear for a uniform! And since big bro is choosing a vehicle DS3 wants to be one too so we're making a school bus complete with stop sign arm. Will they take more time to make than buy? Of course, but where are you going to buy that kind of love and attention? I'll spend however much time is needed to encourage my boys to think outside the box imposed on us by commercialism! :)

With my older daughter, the first few years of costumes were easy. When she was a baby, she was a bumblebee (storebought baby bunting outfit), the next two years she was a ladybug (toddler size storebought), and we managed to stretch a size 4 bumblebee outfit from Target into three years' worth of costume.

Last year was the first homemade costume, and it was a cinch to make. She wore green clothes, and I blew up a pack of purple balloons, tied them to green yarn, and made a crude harness out of that around her body so she resembled a bunch of grapes! It worked out especially well when we ran into another family in our town whose two daughters dressed up as a cracker and a piece of cheese (we moms spent the whole time joking about how we should've made ourselves into a bottle of wine and a glass since we had all the appropriate nibbles that accompany a good vintage!). This year she plans to be a firefighter (she got a child-size set of turnout gear for her birthday this summer, so she's all set to go!), so the only thing I have to worry about is her trying to talk me into wearing MY gear for the night!

Younger daughter's costumes are a no-brainer...she's wearing the ladybug costume a second year as well (she's small for her age so we might be able to squeeze a third use out of it next year), and the bumblebee suit will be brought out of storage after that.

I don't usually get dressed up for Halloween, partly because getting two kids ready is enough of a marathon and partly because the town we're in usually has trick-or-treat on the last Thursday before the holiday. The last time I did, I wore black and pinned strips of gold vinyl tablecloth around my body and arms to resemble a bumblebee along with my older daughter.

Homemade costumes can be ridiculously easy to make. One year my husband and I dressed up in his suits with fedoras and sunglasses for the firehouse Halloween party as the Blues Brothers. The next year we'd moved and I couldn't find one of the fedoras, so we simply kept the suits and sunglasses and went as the Men In Black. And my mom saved all of the costumes from when my sister and I were kids, so my kids will have no shortage of ideas or costumes as time goes by!

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