Easy No-Sew Halloween Costumes: Jobs

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Need a cheap and easy Halloween costume?  The following ideas require no sewing and can be made from things around your house. 

• Animal Trainer  This is a great costume if your child has a favorite stuffed animal.  For a girl, start with a plain onesie or leotard and a tiered skirt.  Decorate the leotard with glitter and sequins.  Add sparkly shoes, tights and/or make-up.  Place her hair up in a bun (decorate with glitter hair gel if desired).  For a boy, wear plain black pants with a decorated dress shirt (use removable rhinestones if you want to use the shirt again).  Comb hair with glittery hair gel. Next, have the child hold a hula hoop or other large ring (again, feel free to decorate) and a stuffed animal (a lion or tiger works best).
• Shepherd  For a Biblical shepherd, use a striped or plain old bathrobe.  Drape a dishcloth or small bath towel over the child’s head and secure with rope around the crown.  If possible, use the same rope to tie the robe shut.  For shoes, wear flat leather sandals.  For a crook (the candy-cane shaped pole that shepherd’s carry to rescue sheep) use a hockey stick or a broom handle with a sickle shape attached to the end (make the shape from cardboard).  Shorter children can use an old wrapping paper tube and/or carry a stuffed sheep.   
• Chef  Wear plain pants (any color will do), and an adult-sized plain white button down shirt.  This should give the necessary length to make a chef’s coat.  For a hat, cut an oatmeal cylinder in half, and attach a white elastic shower cap to the top.  Older children may need to attach the hat to their hair with bobby pins.  Carry a rolling pin, or a spoon and bowl.  Use the bowl to collect candy while trick-or-treating.
• Weatherman  This is one of my favorite costumes for young children.  Over plain pants or skirt and shirt, wear a raincoat.  With fishing wire, attach cutouts of raindrops to the ends of an open umbrella (the raindrops should hang around the child when the umbrella is opened.  Wear rain boots for shoes.  If desired, the child can also carry a toy microphone, but usually this becomes too many things to balance with the umbrella and the treat bag. 

This article is the second part of a series of articles on no-sew Halloween costumes.  If you’re stil looking for ideas, read about how to make a Lego, Christmas present, crayon, pencil, and tree costume.  Please add your comments or suggestions for future articles below.