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Newsies Halloween Costume Ideas

 

Tonight I watched the Disney movie musical, “Newsies” with my girls.  Not sure why I had not seen it until now.

It was made in 1992! 1992 people!!

I have no idea why we didn’t go see it when we were in NYC a few years ago. It was all the rage. Maybe it was sold out, although I didn’t even try to get tickets.  I guess a bunch of boys in a show didn’t seem appealing.

I was wrong.

I liked Newsies for 3 reasons.

1. The songs are memorable, even the beautiful ballad, Santa Fe.

2. My theater-performer-teen mentioned

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Halloween Costume Idea: DIY LEGO Costume

Everything is Awesome, Everything is Cool When You Are Part of a Team! –Lego Movie

The LEGO head or mask for a LEGO costume does not seem to be readily available from retailers, so you are in for a few hours of DIY if you want a Lego costume.

The couple from their tutorial here said they spent over 12 hours on their Lego costumes, so be prepared for a trip to Home Depot, cutting, gluing, painting, and drying time. It is worth it because their Lego heads turned out very authentic!

Photo courtesy of warfieldfamily.com
Photo courtesy of warfieldfamily.com

They said they got their instructions from this tutorial here from Instructables.com which has a ton of helpful tips in the comments.

If you allow enough prep time or have lots of help, this is a super family or group costume!

For more ideas, tips, and photos, follow The Costume Resource on Facebook.

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ebook General Halloween Costumes Halloween Costumes for Kids

Top 5 Reasons Why I Don’t Like Costumes From Mass Retailers

I am not generally a food snob, but I am kind of a costume snob.  I do not like costumes that come in a bag.

Every year as my family plans for Halloween, we do not shop the costume aisles of the local discount store. Maybe for a few years when my kids were little, but the costume bug bit me bad about 6 years ago and I’ve never looked back.  Sure I would hit the after-Halloween sales looking for some bargains for the dress- up bin, but even then I realized I didn’t like those cheap costumes in a bag.

Disclaimer:

I provide plenty of costume ideas on my blog that are from mass retailers.  They can be used for inspiration or for those who need it NOW. For sure we all go through crazy times in our lives when costumes need to be quick and we don’t have time to go all out.  And occasionally you might even find some decent costumes in a bag.  I won’t judge.

Here are the top 5 reasons I don’t like costumes from mass retailers:

1.  They are cheaply made.  The fabric is cheap and doesn’t last long before you have shredding and tears in the seams.  They don’t have finished hems.  They are typically wrinkled and impossible to iron without damaging the paper thin fabric.  They don’t often last longer than Halloween night after being worn for a party or two and then all day at school, and then finally the big kahuna of trick-or-treating.  You  may be able to get some wear out of these costumes for pretend play, but they usually turn limp and wilty.

2.  It is likely that someone else will show up in the exact same costume.  Costume manufactures  often sell the same costume to multiple different retailers including online costume suppliers.  I don’t mind showing up as the same character as someone else, but it’s not so fun to find an exact twin.

3.  They can be relatively expensive for what they are: Something that your child or you may not wear again.  See reason #1.  They don’t typically come with a wig, accessories, or shoes.  So after you’ve spent $20-$30 on the costume only, you still have some more items to purchase, including a trick-or-treat bag.

4.  If you wait until the last minute, the pickins’ are slim.  You are limited to what the store has in stock and that’s no fun to be disappointed when you finally get your kids to the store with you and they can’t find a costume in the right size.

5. It’s boring.  Unoriginal.  You don’t get to experience the creative process! I believe that everyone has creativity inside of them waiting to be unlocked.  It is so fun to hit the thrift store to find that perfect denim jumper which could be the beginning of a minion costume.  That black and white striped skirt that would be perfect for a pirate, or that donated dance costume that glitters like a fairy costume.  Put the magic 5 ingredients together, and you have an amazing, original costume that you created yourself!

My ebook, “How to Design and Create a Halloween Costume” describes the magic 5 ingredients in greater detail and will inspire you to put together your own costume this year.  If you get stuck in the creative process, contact me on The Costume Resource Facebook page and I can send you some resources and ideas–I’d love to help you create your own costume!

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Sully Halloween Costume Idea: Monsters University

I just had lunch with a friend who said her son wanted to be Sully, but she was having trouble finding the costume in his size, so she was going to make one. Here are some other options for Sully that are simple and no-sew. Top it off with the Sully hat or mask shown.

Easy Sully for a boy or girl:

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Cosplay General Girl costumes Group costume Halloween Costumes Halloween Costumes for Kids Monster High

Monster High Frankie Stein Halloween Costume Idea and Makeup Tutorial

Frankiestein-e1381901924780 (2)

This morning my daughter showed me a favorite channel on YouTube called KittiesMama where an adorable 8 year old girl does Monster High Dolls makeup tutorials (see below),  so I was inspired to post pics from the year we did a Monster High Group costume for our family.

I prefer to use regular clothing that will get used again, where possible, as part of costumes and I like them to be one-of-a-kind, so I generally do not buy the “costume-in-a-bag” available at the retailers during the Halloween season. However, I do like to purchase accessories that really define the character and that are worth the splurge.

For more info and step-by-step instructions on my proven process used to create a Halloween costume, check out my eBook on Amazon, “How to Create & Design a Halloween Costume.”

Frankie Stein is a school-girl look.  So think of plaids,

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Boy Costumes General Girl costumes Halloween Halloween Costumes Halloween Costumes for Kids Halloween Costumes for Men Halloween Costumes for Women Theater

Shrek or Fiona Homemade Halloween Costume

Shrek the Musical DVDWendy's Shrek ears

 

Wendy’s fast food chain is offering Shrek toys in their kids meals. If you ask for the ears, you have a great start to a Halloween costume for Shrek OR Princess Fiona.

For Shrek: add a muslin shirt or white sweatshirt that you distress and age a bit,