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10 easy DIY Halloween costumes

baby sitting wearing homemade gum ball machine costume

Dressing up for Halloween can be super fun—but it can also be expensive and time consuming to find a great costume. That is, unless you use one of the following DIY costume ideas—perfect for trick-or-treating, going to Halloween parties and showing off your creative side. Pick your favorite: 

1. Jelly beans 
Place multicolored balloons in a large clear plastic bag that is big enough for you to wear as a poncho. Staple the sides together and tie the bottom around your legs to avoid having the balloons float away. Make a label with your “brand” of jellybeans and tie a ribbon around your neck for a finishing touch. 

2. Rosie the Riveter 
Yes, you can do it! Dressing up like this famous female icon is as easy as wearing a denim shirt, your hair tied back and a red bandana around your head. 

3. Care Bears
If you’d rather not be scary, why not be a Care Bear? Grab some brightly colored t-shirts, hair bands to attach ears to, felt and a hot glue gun. Google pictures of your favorite Care Bears to see the various decals for their tummies. Use felt to create the decals and then glue them to your t-shirt. 

4. Day of the Dead skeleton
Wear a regular skeleton mask (or paint your own face) and t-shirt printed with skeleton bones. Then, transform both with colorful silk flowers, markers and fabric paint. 

5. Emojis
All you need are yellow t-shirts and some bright fabric markers to make your favorite emojis come to life. Make emoji costumes for a group or the whole family. 

6. Flight Attendant
While a witch on a broomstick taking to the skies is classic, dressing up like a flight attendant is another way to add some levity to the occasion. All you need is a silk scarf or tie, a white shirt and dark skirt or pants, an airline pin (or make your own wings), and a piece of luggage. 

7. Silent film actors
Be a silent scene stealer in this costume. Grab a vintage style dress or suit, a headband or a bolero, some pearls (for actress costume) or a boutonniere (for actor costume). Then make a dialogue card. Put it all together for a simple and unique costume. 

8. Magician
Conjure up a black cape, white shirt, black pants, a wand and a top hat for one of the best DIY costumes around! Add a deck of cards and a magic bunny, and you’ll be adding some serious tricks to Halloween night. 

9. Where's Waldo?
Rocking the look of the classic kids icon on Halloween couldn’t be easier! A red striped shirt, blue jeans, a red and white hat, and some black-rimmed glasses is all you need to truly stand out. 

10. Flower power
Treat everyone to that peaceful 70s vibe with some vintage bell bottoms, a fringed vest, a peace sign t-shirt and platform shoes. Extra bonus: This is one comfy costume!

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