Community Chat

[Zaimee]

As a teacher, I love Halloween. When I taught Kindergarten, the home made costumes were the best. I always made my own kids their costumes, too.

When I taught 4/5 grade Gifted, the older kids wanted to dress up. I said yes, but they had to make their own costumes from repurposed items. Some parents loved this, some not so much.  I helped those students who did not have support.But, when everyone came dressed that day and presented their costumes, all agreed that it was fun. And, each year new classes would ask to make their costumes, too. 

I, of course, dressed, too. One year I safety pinned kitchen utensils to my shirt and wore a colander on my head....I was "Everything but the kitchen sink" No sew, no cost.

Another year, I made a cape out over a black trash bag, hot glued store names and coupons on it ( Macy's, Steinmart), made a big red Superman S on my shirt, and price tags hanging as earrings. I was Super Shopper! No sew. (Miss Steinmart )

Retired 2019. Miss this as my DIL already bought costumes for the 3 grand girls. Oh, well....

[Kachina624]

Have you seen the TV ads Goodwill has been running encouraging people to shop there and buyed used components to make Halloween costumes?  Sounds like a great idea. 

[Zaimee]

@Kachina624 

Good idea but can...

Shop your closets and garage. 

Always said and  put in my  costume assignment instructions,"One person's junk is someone elses treasure."

[Nataliesgramma]

Pinterest has a ton of ideas for homemade costumes...

[PreKteacher]

Most years, my kids have worn borrowed costumes or costumes we've found at consignment sales. Other years, we've been able to piece together a costume out of real clothes we already had (like once we made a farmer costume from overalls, bandana, and hat we owned). This mom doesn't have time or money for sewing! 

ONCE I did make an adorable puppy costume for my oldest when he was a toddler, but it was a lot of work that I didn't really have time for, and it cost a lot in materials. I never did it again. 

[Mombo1]

---

@Zaimee wrote:

As a teacher, I love Halloween. When I taught Kindergarten, the home made costumes were the best. I always made my own kids their costumes, too.

When I taught 4/5 grade Gifted, the older kids wanted to dress up. I said yes, but they had to make their own costumes from repurposed items. Some parents loved this, some not so much.  I helped those students who did not have support.But, when everyone came dressed that day and presented their costumes, all agreed that it was fun. And, each year new classes would ask to make their costumes, too. 

I, of course, dressed, too. One year I safety pinned kitchen utensils to my shirt and wore a colander on my head....I was "Everything but the kitchen sink" No sew, no cost.

Another year, I made a cape out over a black trash bag, hot glued store names and coupons on it ( Macy's, Steinmart), made a big red Superman S on my shirt, and price tags hanging as earrings. I was Super Shopper! No sew. (Miss Steinmart )

Retired 2019. Miss this as my DIL already bought costumes for the 3 grand girls. Oh, well....

@Zaimee I am a retired teacher as well...I taught in an Elementary school and remember those days.  Lots of fun and laughs for Halloween.   Another day that went over BIG with the kids was pajama day.  All the kids and the teachers wore their favorite jammies and slippers.  When the kindergarten kids had nap time...

it was hard to wake them up since they were extra cozy....🤗

---

[Mistreatedbycs]

My mom dictated what and how we did it.

She specifically said we're not buying a costume, so we hunted the house for fabric and anything else to create something.

We had burlap sacks, crepe paper, glue, scissors, trimmings, some old clothes, a mop, an old broom and anything else that mom said we could put in the pile and from then, we created something.

I remember that, mom said no to a purchased costume, and we adapted.

Actually it's those times that are planted in my head and those memories are there are forever.

[Mominohio]

When my son was young, we had to make so many costumes for various school plays, various presentations, and of course Halloween. 

I don't sew, so that was out. 

I could go to thrift stores and put together some things, like a rough copy of some type of period dressing (I had to make him Ben Franklin one time, and I was able to to a Sherlock Holmes type costume one time as well). I could cut and hot glue cardboard and felt and other things to create certain things ( I remember making a coat of arms/shield type thing for a costume dealing with the middle ages or something). 

I could buy him 'dress up' stuff, like a fireman's set for kids, and let him play with the stuff, then wear as a costume, so it got double duty and used frequently, and I did that.

But even thrift stores are wanting four and five dollars per piece for clothing, so to get things that either resemble what you need or to use to create something adds up. Then there is the cost of fabric of all types, it's just horrible, to try and create something.

And like others have stated, if a kid wants to be a certain character, it's much cheaper and simpler to just buy the costume, even if they only use it once. You can resell it or hand it down to family/friends later.

Some people simply have no skill, I have very little, and the cost and time to make something can really be prohibitive for many. 

Nobody just throws an old sheet over their head and cuts out two eyes anymore!

[mom2four0418]

@Mistreatedbycs 

Just Moms? Dads get a pass? 

[Zaimee]

@Mombo1 

To raise money, our school had 2 weeks of dress up leading up to Halloween ( and again in the Spring). They would pay $10 or $1 for each day they dressed up and didn't wear their uniform. This was a public school. ( PTA had funds for those in need)

 We had Sports Day, Crazy hat and hair day, Super hero day, Western day and Rock star day. But, Pajama day was the best! In fact, my granddaughter is wearing her pajamas tomorrow! Of course, I had my pajamas and matching robe.

At the end of the two weeks, the school had raised a lot of money and the teachers were exhausted!