• Welcome
  • Community
  • Blogs
  • Photos
  • Videos
  • Join
  • Log in
Follow MNN    
MNN - Mother Nature Network - Envrionmental News
improve your world

 

Friday, May 25, 2012
  • Earth Matters

    Browse All » Animals Weather Energy Politics Space Translating Uncle Sam Wilderness & Resources

  • Health

    Browse All » Allergies Fitness & Well-Being Healthy Spaces

  • Lifestyle

    Browse All » Arts & Culture Travel Natural Beauty & Fashion Recycling Responsible Living

  • GREEN TECH

    Browse All » Computers Gadgets & Electronics Research & Innovations Transportation

  • Eco-Biz & Money

    Browse All » Green Workplace Personal Finance Sustainable Business Practices

  • Food & Drink

    Browse All » Beverages Healthy Eating Recipes

  • Your Home

    Browse All » At Home Organic Farming & Gardening Remodeling & Design

  • family

    Browse All » Babies & Pregnancy Family Activities Pets Protection & Safety

Tweet
Pin It
Email Bookmark and ShareShare
WorldShares lets you earn donations for your favorite nonprofit. Earn up to 20 points now.
Learn More

Earn Points
What's this?
MNN.COM›

MNN BLOGGERS

Jenn Savedge

Green Halloween costumes

Check out these great ideas for easy eco-costumes to green this year's trick-or-treating.

Mon, Oct 05 2009 at 8:00 AM EST
 3

Photo: schoenhardt11/Flickr
Need some costumes ideas for Halloween? Store shelves are lined with costumes, but why spend your hard earned dollars on a pre-fab costume that your children will wear once and throw away when you can make your own costumes from old clothes and other items you already have around the house? As promised in my Green Halloween primer, here are some great ideas for simple, eco-friendly Halloween costumes for you and/or your kids. Got a few great ideas of your own? Post them here!
 
Black cat: Black sweat suit, black headband (attach two black felt ears), old black scarf or boa to use as tail (attach with a safety pin). Use black eyeliner to draw on cat eyes and whiskers.
 
Cowboy/cowgirl: Jeans, flannel shirt, bandanna, boots, cowboy (cowgirl) hat.
 
Ghost: It doesn’t get any easier than this one. Cut two eye holes in an old sheet (if you don’t have an old one, you can pick one up at your local thrift store.) Jazz it up by using a permanent marker to add spider webs, chains and a face.
 
Mummy: Dress child in an all-white or all-black outfit. Cut an old sheet into long strips. Attach strips with masking tape to child’s clothes and wrap loosely around legs, torso and arms. Use white face paint all over face.
 
Ninja: Black turtleneck, billowy black pants, black belt and a sword
 
Pirate: Red pants, white billowy shirt (open at the collar) balck belt, black boots, black hat, one dangly clip-on earring, one black eye patch.
 
Princess: If you can’t find an old princess dress at your local thrift store, seek out any material that is frilly and/or sparkly that can be pinned around your child’s waist as a skirt. (Try a fancy pillowcase or tablecloth). Make a crown out of aluminum foil. For special effect, add glow in the dark stars all over the costume.
 
Scarecrow: Old jeans, flannel shirt, straw hat, boots. Cut an old newspaper into thin strips. Using duct tape, attach the newspaper strips to the inside cuff of each pant leg and the inside cuff of each shirt at the wrist. Use red face paint and black eyeliner to make red cheeks, and black “stitching” around mouth and eyes.
 
Spider: Black sweat suit, two pairs of black tights. (Cut the legs off of the tights and stuff them with old newspaper (4 legs total). Attach 2 legs to either side of sweatshirt with safety pins. Using black sewing thread or safety pins, attach the lower leg on the left with the lower leg on the right in front of child. Next, attach the middle leg on left to the left sweatshirt arm and the middle right leg to the right sweatshirt arm.)
 
Zorro: Black pants, black shirt, cut mask into strip of black felt, black belt, black shoes or boots, sword.
 
See also:
• Halloween music
• Cheap Halloween costume ideas
• Homemade Halloween costumes
Previous Post
Reminding kids: Lávate las manos
   Next Post
Recycle your old T-shirts
You might also like:
Related Topics: Green Kids, Halloween, Holiday

Comments

Follow this conversation
Add your comment
View:
  • All (3)

anonymous
Party store 01/01/2011 08:23 AM

I like your blog,Totally interesting also extraordinary blog.Give more pictures related to this topic.Thanks for sharing this wonderful detail.

  • |
  • Reply
  • report this post 

anonymous
Terri 08/13/2010 19:50 PM

I raised four kids and each year when Halloween would roll around we would go through the storage bin of old costumes and come up with some creative ideas. I had gypsy's and skeletonns'and a grim reaper. My mom was a great one to find clothing from a thrift store that would spike the creativity and we had alot of fun also. I really love your costume blog. I am slowly working on mine and I can't wait to get some of the home made costume pic's up on it. Thanks for such a great site.

  • |
  • Reply
  • report this post 

anonymous
Corey 10/05/2009 23:46 PM

Last year my older daughter was a black cat. My younger one wanted to be her broom, so we dressed her in all brown and used an old hula skirt for the bristles.

It was pretty funny!

On our site, www.GreenHalloween.org, we have more DIY costume ideas. We're also running a giveaway (ends later this week) for a 100% cotton baby costume:

http://greenhalloween.org/blog/?p=314

Thanks for the great ideas, Jen! I'm loving this series

  • |
  • Reply
  • report this post 

Add your comment

Sign in with one of these accounts or just add your comment below.
    Log in or
    create an account
     
    •  
Used only for emailed comments and will not be displayed with your post
Notify me with an email when other people comment on this article.
The posting of advertisement, profanity or personal attacks is prohibited.
Click here to review our Terms of Use

EDITORS' PICKS

tease to asteroids

tease to pet facials

tease to emotional eating

ADVERTISEMENT

NEWSLETTER

Mother Nature. Delivered

CONNECT WITH MNN

Follow @twitterapi
 Tumblr
 Google +

About Jenn Savedge

Green parenting author on raising eco-friendly kids.

RSS feedMore about Jenn

Recent Posts

  • Watch: Tavi Gevinson is a teen just trying to figure it all out
  • Teen invents more accurate test for pancreatic cancer
  • New clue to epilepsy 'miracle diet' may help doctors improve treatment
+ Add this to my site
From our sponsor

Help save a rider: Spread the message of motorcycle safety

Allstate's ONE campaign aims to reduce motorcycle accident rates with the... more >

Allstate Life Tracks: Financial advice for all life stages

Try this new interactive app from Allstate which offers help understanding... more >

Act Out Loud contest drives teens to promote safe driving

The program developed by Allstate and NOYS to raise awareness about stronger teen... more >

Easy tips to drive car thieves away

A car is stolen in the U.S. every 33 seconds. Learn how to make sure your car is... more >

Help protect teen lives and create safer roads for all

Ask Congress to pass national Graduated Driver Licensing provisions from the... more >
Good Hands® Working Together can change the world

Jenn's BLOGROLL

Big Green PurseOrganic Mania
Crunchy ChickenGreen & Clean Mom
Not Quite Crunchy ParentThe Smart Mama
My Plastic Free LifeGreen Phone Booth
Foodie TotsFoodie Tots

ADVERTISEMENT



Quick Links

  • About Us
  • Advisory Board
  • Editors' Blog
  • Press
  • Privacy
  • Sitemap
  • Terms of Service
  • WorldShares

MNN Tools

  • Advice
  • Blogs
  • Day in History
  • Eco-glossary
  • Infographics
  • Lists
  • Photos
  • Videos

Connect

  • Community
  • Contact Us
  • Contests
  • Idea Lab
  • Mixed Greens
  • Newsletters
  • Polls
  • RSS

Channels

  • Earth Matters
  • Health
  • Lifestyle
  • Green Tech
  • Eco-Biz & Money
  • Your Home
  • Family
  • State Reports

Follow MNN

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Tumblr
  • Google+
  • StumbleUpon
 

Copyright © 2012 MNN Holdings, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Website by GLICK INTERACTIVE | Powered by CIRRACORE
 
SPONSORS