October’s here, ushering in cooler nights, haunted hayrides and pumpkin lattes. It’s high time to start stocking up on candy and brainstorming for that perfectly cool, yet easy-to-put-together Halloween costume. If you’re the type of do-it-yourself maverick parent, here are some irresistible costumes that won’t require a full day at the sewing machine to pull off.
Party Time Excellent!
For all you rock-n-rollers, big and small: bring back Wayne and Garth from “Wayne’s World!” I love this costume idea because it’s incredibly versatile, fairly easy and instantly recognizable. It works for virtually all age groups, siblings, friends, girls or boys, and even parents and kids. If you have boys, you may need to invest in a couple of wigs (unless your little rockers are already longhairs). But the rest of these items you’ll likely have lying around the house: a plain black tee for Wayne, blue jeans (preferably ripped), a rock band tee and a flannel for Garth, and classic black Chucks. Garth also requires some Wayfarer-style black framed glasses—you can find these sunglasses in any pharmacy or grocery store. Just pop out the lenses and you’re all set! The one item that might require some craftiness is Wayne’s iconic hat. I recommend getting a plain black trucker’s hat and stenciling on the logo with a white paint pen—or just freehand it if you’re an artsy wiz.
Bonus item: A pair of drumsticks for Garth. And make sure to rock out to “Bohemian Rhapsody” before you leave the house to really get in the spirit!
A Boy and His Dog
Tintin and Snowy have successfully made the leap from comic books to the big screen, thanks to the 2011 movie “The Adventures of Tintin.” In order to recreate the famous boy reporter and adventurer’s signature look, you’ll want to layer a blue crew neck sweater over a white collared shirt. Next, grab some brown pants and roll them up to mid-shin. Finish it all off with high white or black socks and dark shoes. Now for the fun part: the hair gel! You’ll need something with extra staying power in order to get those bangs straight up and vertical. Tintin would never leave Snowy behind, so make sure to bring a white terrier toy, or even a cardboard cutout along (any chance you can convince dad to dress up as Snowy?).
Bonus item: A trench coat completes the look. Now let’s go solve some mysteries!
My Little Mummy
The mummy is a simple classic that is also utterly cool. All you need is a whole lot of gauze and a little bit of mom’s makeup. You’ll want to wrap each limb and the torso separately for maximum mobility. Wrap the head as well, or just tie some gauze pieces in with the hair. Be creative with the makeup—just don’t forget to add the obligatory stitched mouth.
Bonus item: Staining the bandages red with food dye takes this costume to a whole new level of creepiness!
Hotline Bling
Embrace your inner Drake! This is another relatively easy one as far as the clothes are concerned. You have several options to choose from (take a look at the video if you need a reminder). Option number one: A white Air Jordan tee, red puffy jacket and jeans. Option number two: An owl hoodie and track pants. Option number three: A grey turtleneck sweater and sweatpants. You can pair all three outfits with tan work boots. The most important part of this costume is going to be capturing Drake’s meticulously groomed eyebrows and facial hair. Go crazy with felt or, in a pinch, use mom’s eye crayon to draw them on directly.
Bonus item: A gold chain—or three. Your little Champagne Papi is ready for a night out!
We Can Do It!
Here’s a quick and empowering pick for mom and baby: Rosie the Riveter. Chances are, you already own everything you need for this one. The costume works really well, even if you’re toting your tiny Rosie around in a carrier. Mom, you’ll want to dress in a denim button-up and blue jeans. Red lipstick is a must, and make sure to pin your hair up. For little Rosie, a denim jacket or dress will suffice. Both mom and baby get the iconic red bandanas tied in a knot in the front of their heads.
Bonus item: Teasing mom’s bangs up and in a curl will add that extra oomph to the outfit—don’t skimp on the hairspray. Two Rosies are mightier than one!
It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown
Do you have a bald baby? In that case, have I got the perfect costume for you! Turn your little peanut into a real-life Charlie Brown. Grab the following: a yellow onesie, black shorts, yellow ankle socks, and dark shoes. Use black fabric paint to draw the familiar chevron design on the onesie—it’s as easy as apple pie.
Bonus items: A Snoopy doll and a pumpkin. Mr. Schulz would be proud!
Crazy Cat Lady
This costume is an all-around winner: fun, quirky and cute. It also allows a lot of leeway when it comes to the components, which is terrific. Any bathrobe, socks or tights, and slippers will do. Haphazardly pin the hair up in mom’s rollers. Gather all ye (fake) kitties and stuff them in the robe, its pockets and sleeves. Attach even more cats with safety pins to every corner of the robe (the more cats, the crazier the cat lady).
Bonus item: Crazy cat lady glasses—you can use colorful oversized sunglasses with the lenses popped out. Just make sure to leave your real kitties at home!
