Here’s a tidbit of wisdom I have learned the hardest way: You can be a mom who loves Halloween and also be a mom who is kind of bad at Halloween. It’s totally fair to want to be good at Halloween — the type to decorate your house to the nines like every sitcom family or create the most intricate homemade Halloween costumes for your kids (the kind of costumes that manage to be clever and scary and funny and unique but also look like you threw them together like it was no big deal). I know I’ve always wanted to be this person, but alas, life gets in the way.
And so I embraced being a different kind of Halloween mom: the one who can pull together a solid costume for the kids with just one accessory at the last possible minute. Which is a skill in and of itself, in my opinion. Really anyone can go out and buy a cool costume, but to pull together what you already have in your home, add one little accessory, and be ready for trick-or-treating? That’s some old-school parenting right there.
Here are some ideas to get you started.
Felt Hat = Garden Gnome
What’s cuter than a little cherub of a toddler dressed up as a little cherub of a garden gnome? Nothing whatsoever. All you need to pull off this look is a long turtleneck they can wear over leggings, maybe a black sash as a belt, a red felt hat like this one from Etsy, and their own cute face. If you’re feeling wild, you could always get out some white cotton batting to make a beard, but really, just the hat and a bright-colored ensemble should do the trick. Why not use their natural cherubic talents to your advantage?
Black Robe = Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Dressing up as Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has long been a popular choice for adults, but let’s face it — it’s way cuter to see a little one dressed as the ever-sensible, ever-iconic RBG. Especially if you can get their hair slicked back in a no-nonsense bun and find a pair of glasses lying around the house. All you need to top the whole thing off is a black judge’s robe, which also has the added bonus of allowing kids to wear whatever they want underneath. It’s an ideal set-up.
Costume Makeup Kit = Zombie Everything
If your kid is at the stage where they want to be something a little scary instead of cute, going full zombie is your best friend. First off, zombies are versatile. They’ve generally been bitten when they’re just wearing regular clothing, so all you need is to put some old clothes on your kid, and — voila! — their outfit is done. Extra points if the outfit is a bit dirty. The real beauty of being a zombie for Halloween is the costume makeup kit, though. Some gray shading for their skin, some black around the eyes to signal they’ve become part of the undead, maybe a little red blood spatter here and there, and you’re good to go. There are even plenty of YouTube tutorials to help you get inspired.
Name Tag = Mom or Dad
This is a personal favorite of mine. When my oldest son didn’t know what he wanted to be for Halloween one year, he went as me. He wore my apron, threw some flour on the front of it to signify I was baking because I’m always baking, and messed his hair up to look exhausted. Flattering? Not especially. But once he added the “Mom” name tag and got into character, it was a real hit with the neighbors. It became a hit with me because I spent about $3 on name tags.
Red Cape = Little Red Riding Hood
Personally, I wish wearing capes was actually a thing we could do all the time. They’re universally charming. Sadly, this does not appear to be something you can do on a regular basis, so why not pull out a red cape for Halloween so your little one (or you) can dress as Little Red Riding Hood for trick-or-treating?
Straw Hat = Scarecrow
Does your child own jeans? Some sort of flannel or checked shirt? Perhaps even suspenders or a vest? All you need to add to that list is some straw, which you can probably find for free, and a straw hat, which you can buy here. Presto, you have a cute little scarecrow. Please paint freckles on their face for me.
Red Bandana = Rosie the Riveter
Considering the fact that we could actually elect our first female president in 2024, dressing your little feminist as icon Rosie the Riveter is pretty much a perfect costume for this year. All you need is a red bandana and a denim shirt or jumpsuit, which may very well already be in your kid’s closet. Roll up those sleeves and, for good measure, dress as Rosie the Riveter too for a twinning moment.
Christmas Onesie = Who Down in Whoville
You really have to give it to the Whos from How The Grinch Stole Christmas — they know how to pull together a look. Fortunately for all of us, it’s a look that’s pretty easy to emulate. Buy a holiday onesie and get creative with some hair products to affect a real Cindy-Lou-Who-saving-Christmas vibe. Think hilariously high ponytails and pigtails with some tinsel and leftover ornaments thrown in like these. Bonus: You now have your kids’ holiday onesies all ready to go for Christmas.
Giant Gift Box = Wrapped Christmas Present
In keeping with the Christmas/Halloween crossover theme, why not wrap your child up as the gift they truly are? All you need is a regular big box ready to be decorated with a bow or, if you want to save yourself even more time, a jumbo wrapped gift box already decorated. Cut some holes in that box, maybe put a ribbon on your child’s head for extra fun, and write “Don’t open ‘til Christmas” on a card. Easy peasy: You’ve got a quick, cute Halloween costume.
Picture Frame = Artwork Costume
Everyone thinks of their kid as a real work of art, so why not make it a reality for Halloween this year? All you need is a little imagination, a big picture frame, and a child to hang that frame on. You could get creative with a bit of makeup and turn them into a self-portrait of an artist, like a little Van Gogh or Frida Kahlo. Or you could just dress them up fancy and make them the artwork themselves. Best of all, you can take a photo of them as artwork and then reuse the frame to hang that photo on your wall for the full meta experience.
Whatever you do, have fun with it. Because Halloween is actually just meant to be a good time, right?
