Using bedding as a Halloween costume gets a bad rap. There are so many creative options that you can make out of leftover bedding – more than just a ghost. And by leftover bedding, we mean all of those sheets taking up valuable closet space from before you switched to Parachute. So we outlined some fun ways to make use of your old sheets for a delightfully DIY Halloween, perfect for you or your little.
Mummy
If you’ve never been wrapped head to toe like a mummy, you’re really missing out. It’s the Halloween equivalent of being buried in a huge hole at the beach with just your head poking out – the height of summer fun.
It doesn’t get more self-explanatory: Cut your old sheet into long strips, grab some old long underwear and sew or safety pin the strips all over it. The thicker you cut your strips, the easier it will be to cover yourself completely. If you want to show a little skin, leave your abs or cleavage exposed. Or to truly freak out your friends, leave just your eyes exposed, and see if anyone can figure out who you are. This costume works well for kids trick-or-treating in cool temps as you can dress them in long johns or leggings and a turtle neck beneath their mummy strips. This wikiHow article contains great tips for making your mummy costume more authentic, like dying the sheets with teabags.
Superhero Cape
Use your superhero cape to complete a standard Superman costume or make up your very own superhero. Remember Howard Stern as Fartman? The world is your superhero-oyster. You’d be surprised at the original superhero ideas children come up with!
For an easy cape that doesn’t even require you to dust off that sewing machine, follow this tutorial from Andrea’s Notebook. (An old sheet replaces the red knit fabric in the tutorial).
Toga
A Greek goddess, Socrates, John Belushi in “Animal House”…The possibilities are endless. Just follow this easy, breezy toga tutorial from Her Campus and then accessorize according to your specific toga needs. That means gold jewelry for the Greek Goddess, a rolled up scroll for Socrates or a laurel crown and a bottle of Jack for Belushi. This look adapts well for littles wanting a unique look like King Triton (add a “trident” and crown), the Statue of Liberty (add a “torch” and head piece) or earth goddess (add a floral crown).
Angel
To become a Halloween angel, it requires an old sheet, some fabric glue, a pair of scissors and this Susan Evans tutorial. Cut the dress as short as you want, depending on how angelic you are or aren’t. A pair of wings and a halo complete the look. You can get those at any costume shop or make them with one of the many online tutorials. If your little one wants to be an angel, indulge in glitter and feathers to amp up the cute factor.
Chef
If you or your child dream of being the next Nancy Silverton, make an easy chef costume out of a leftover sheet. Just dress in all white, cut an old sheet into an apron and buy a chef hat to complete the look. Bonus: If your kid winds up covered in food – say, melted Halloween candy smeared by tiny fingers – it will only make the look more authentic. If you’re willing to put in a little time with the sewing machine, follow this Instructables tutorial.
One more upcycling tip: don’t forget that your old pillowcases or shams make great trick-or-treating bags. Plenty of depth to collect more candy.