Last week, just in time for back-to-school, the first flippin’ Halloween costume catalog of the year arrived in the mail. And like a FOOL (FOOL! FOOL! FOOOOOOOLLLL!) I left it on the dining room table instead of immediately burying it in the trash where the kids couldn’t find it.
So they found it. And since then I have been tortured by the endless, “Mom, look at this one. Here’s Tinkerbell, mom. Here’s Princess Peach. Here’s MarioLuigiSonicBelleArielThomasthetankEngineSpidermanSuperWhyPokemon.” And the underlying message, “I must have the very one I want or else I will die even if it costs $40 please mom please please please mom mom mom mom mom mom!”
Last year I made mistake of getting the kids what they wanted, even though I had a coupon, it was still about $20 each which kills me! Because {insert Grumpy Old Man voice here} in MY day, your mom put some lipstick on your cheeks, a scarf on your head, giant hoop earrings in your ears, and a long skirt on your butt, called you a Gypsy, sent you out the door with a trashbag, and you liked it!
I am not crafty. I can’t make the perfect Princess Peach or Pokemon Trainer costume out of yarn and $5. Sooooo tell me, where can I get the children what they want for the price of whatevertheheckisonsale?? It’s one night! And although Sophie can theoretically wear a princess dress for dress-up again, Joshua’s NOT going to be wearing his costume over and over again. I don’t want to break the bank, but I don’t want to be completely lame, either. (Because, you know, we always go trick-or-treating with Emily, and she’s FUN and all.)
What do you do for your kids’ costumes? Apparently NOW is the time I need to decide!
You were a very convincing gypsy and the boys were awesome football players…the best that I could do!
Mom, and we LIKED IT!!!
I remember being jealous of the awesome gypsy costume!
I usually cough up the dough. I’m not crafty, either (there’s a closet full of embarrassing, half-a**ed attempts at BEING crafty, but the closet is evidence that I am not and will not be). My son luckily still enjoys dressing up (only if it’s a Star Wars character or Indiana Jones or something)…so we stick with that.
Last year, my daughter was a flower girl in September, so she got to be a princess for Halloween! We reused the tiara and dress and sent her on her merry way. If Sophie likes being a princess, maybe go to Once Upon a Child or Kidz Again and see if you can’t find a used flower girl dress or something….
Mrs. Duggar just sends her kids out as a horde of locust…at least that’s what the neighbors think!
Aunt Diane always made the kids costumes each year, she’s crafty like that.
UP
Last year wal-mart had some awesome animal print fairy wings with a matching skirt that were $5 a piece. I paired it with some leggings and a shirt my daughter already owned and gave her a side ponytail and some 80’s punk makeup and called it a “punk rock fairy”costume. She loved it and even won a best costume prize.
Last year my daughter went as Daphne from Scooby Doo and I went as Velma . I was able to get away with just buying a purple dress, lime green scarf and purple boots for her which she wore the rest of the year. I dyed a white skirt red and found an orange turtleneck very cheap and just bought orange soccer socks. This year she wants to be Lemon Meringue from Strawberry Shortcake. There is no way I’m going to be able to piece that together from regular clothes so it looks like I’ll be buying it. But I’m shopping online early and really doing my homework to find the cheapest one! I’d like to dress as one of the characters but when looking online – they are all the “sexy” ones and somehow I don’t think that’s real appropriate for the preschool party we’ll be attending! I find if I buy it now, it seems like it’s not so bad at Halloween when I have to pick up a few accessories.
I’ve had great luck buying “gently used” costumes on ebay. NOW is the time to shop, though.
I already had Scarlett’s…For once I am ahead of the game..SCORE….She is Ariel…..Paisley and Declan will wear good ol hand me down’s (nothing like being recycled right) as for Evan well who knows with him. I figure if he is the only one I am actually having to buy this year he can have whatever he wants.
My mom SEVERAL years ago was at my cousins house and my cousin wanted the garden dress from Gone With the Wind. So my mom made it in 3 days. Now my Scarlett has asked for the Curtain dress and NO SUCH LUCK…I am not crafty either. OK I know how I just HATE DOING IT…I would rather pay the money and make somebody else do it.
Now is the time to hit garage sales and buy them that is how I get costumes and 2nd hand stores.
I did consignment sales last year for costumes and scored the most adorable lady bug costume for my youngest. This year I’m at a loss. My oldest wants to be Rapunzel (big eye roll from me).
If you want to be thrifty, haloheaven.com has super cheap fairy wings, wands, tutus, petticoats, tiaras, etc. They have a few pirate hats for boys but the boy stuff is an afterthought.
We have a rule that the kiddos have to wear whatever they have on hand… and they make it work. Last year we had girls from the 80s with mismatched clothing and big hair… until Lucy defected to the late 60s as a hippie.
This year Lucy is excited to be a hobo (go figure) complete with a bandana on a stick.
I know how you feel, the same thing happen to me with the costume express magazine. Try not buying them too early sometimes the stores put them on sale. You can also check thrift stores. I don’t think I ever got costumes, my older sister would put makeup on me & do my hair & that was it. How times change.
I think I kind of got lucky this year. I was afraid I was going to have to get a Rapunzel dress and wig. Grace has discovered the Little Einsteins, and when I showed her a clearance “June” costume, she was thrilled! Pshew!
You could get together with friends and swap costumes or create a FB group and do it virtually. Post a photo of the costume along with the size and let your kids pick one of those. I never buy costumes. I just put my son in jeans and a flannel shirt, let him carry around his stuffed cow and call him a farmer. I put my little one in a khakis and a white collared shirt and put this adorable toddler Starbucks apron on him. He’s my little barista. I bought the apron for $8 on the Starbucks partners website 4 years ago. Alistair wore it for his first two Halloweens and so will Wesley. I guess next year I’ll have to put a little more thought into it or maybe just buy bigger aprons!
You may wanna check at The Christmas Tree Shoppe over by the mall…they have a selection for not a whole lot of money…I know I picked up Josie’s snow white costume last year for less then 10 bucks at Aldi’s food store…
Luckily our boys usually want to be football players or Army men so we already have enough stuff around the house. Andon is talking about being “Big Foot” this year so we may have to buy something.