Since my children were born, I have done a new Halloween Costume every year and most have been handmade. There have been rules and guidelines for these costumes that I follow. 1) They must be Cold-weather friendly. 2)They must match when I have more than one child. 3) I prefer book-related costumes. This year they are finally making individual requests (She wants to be a Pink Cat, He wants to be Max from Where the Wild Things Are - (Revisited, as you'll see below), Sigh), and I will no longer get to choose. So to celebrate 8 years of Halloween Costumes done my way, I would like to share those costumes with you!
Year 1: Astronaut [Bonus costume! First Ever!]
Hand-assembled... Yes, I put my precious baby's head on a plate in service of looking like an astronaut. I stand by my actions.
Teddy Bear [Official Halloween]
Store bought, hand-altered.
Year 2: Monster [Official Halloween]
Hand made all the way! ... Mostly by my mom. Though I did do the adult hoodie decorations myself.
Year 3: Max, Where the Wild Things Are [Official Halloween]
I store bought the one-piece pajamas. I hand-made all the detail (added the feet/paws, buttons, ears and tail. Made the crown with fur edging)
Skeletons [BONUS Costume! aka My Daughter's first costume!]
Pajamas with skeletons from Carters, Shirt for me with Skeletons from Etsy
Year 4: The Very Hungry Caterpillar and The Very Beautiful Butterfly [Official Halloween]
The Hungry Caterpillar handmade from fleece as a slip on costume (sandwich board style) over top green pajamas.
The Very Beautiful Butterfly with a store bought Orange sweatshirt and handmade butterfly wings from fleece.
Year 5: Sorcerer's Apprentice & Minnie Mouse [Official Halloween]
Sorcerer's Apprentice Mickey was cheapy knit winter gloves and a golden rope I found at a craft thrift store. My Mom made the hat, I added the ears. I sewed the red robes!
Minnie Mouse was a machine stitched Red white-polka-dot dress from a pattern on Etsy with lots of petticoat material and lace underneath, over a black long sleeved t-shirt and leggings. I made the ears from felt and bows attached to hair clips!
Bonus Costume! I was particularly ambitious this year and made homemade costumes for the Renaissance Fair for both kids!
Flynn Rider utilized leggings, a white button down shirt, this free pattern for boot covers using microsuede material, and a Flynn Rider vest of my own making!
Renaissance Fair princess was made using the same pattern as the Minnie Mouse dress, just with some alterations for the over-lay!
Year 6: The Cat in the Hat and Fox in Socks [Official Halloween]
Both costumes used store-bought solid-color one-piece pajamas. The fox in socks used 2 pairs of blue soccer socks, and handmade ears and tail. The Cat in the Hat costume used a store-bought hat and gloves and handmade belly and tie.
Year 7: Superman and Wonder Woman [Official Halloween]
Superman was store bought 100%. Wonder Woman was partially store bought, and partially handmade. I added glow in the dark stars, I altered store bought accessories to fit her.
Year 8: Peter Pan and Winter Tinkerbell [Official Halloween]
Peter Pan was store bought. Tinkerbell was almost all handmade! I bought a hair-bun, as we had cut her hair short, and I bought green boot covers. I found light-up fairy wings at a yard sale. The Dress was made from an adult sweatshirt, and extra large pipe cleaners. Brown accents are lengths of elastic!