Costumes fit for Heros

Costumes can be fun.  They can also be super annoying.  Every year I force myself to wander up and down the dreaded costume aisles of Target and Walmart just hoping I'll find an original, not plastic looking costume for me or my kids and every year I leave with nothing.  The idea of making a costume seems time consuming and stressful but my hopes of having something original wins out...at least it did the year I did this:

Our little man was only 2 and my first thought was, "he can be anything I want him to be...he won't even know or care."  That wasn't going to be the case for very long.  I didn't sew much then and I was taking on the challenge of potty training at the time.  The more I thought about it the more I wanted it to have something to do with that time in his life and it needed to be simple.  We took on our roles and with a trip to the thrift store and some minimal sewing I transformed our little family into:

Under Wonder

(Master of Potty Training)

Complete with a cape the had CW on the back, and a headband made out of an old belt that said "Under Wonder" across the top.

Being the supportive and encouraging (full of bribery) mom that I was I became...

Positive Reinforcement Girl

(Under Wonders Side Kick and Encourager Extraordinaire)

What you don't see is my homemade clear plastic utility belt full of things like balloons, candy, stickers, bouncy balls, and rubber sticky frogs. All the kids we were with the night of this Halloween were instantly attracted to me...or to my belt.  I too had a cape that had PR on the back and some cut up socks for gloves.  Plus I got to crimp my hair and were neon blue pants.  When else do you get to do that!

and finally our villain was played by his Daddy...

Diaper Doom

 (Potty Trainings Worst Nightmare!)

 Mark's costume was fun.  He wore a lab coat and some awesome plasticy silver elastic pants, a black cape that had DD on the back and to make the costume complete a homemade diaper mask.  He was a trooper.  I don't think I would have ever worn that.  See why I love this guy?

So if you are annoyed with the whole costume world like me then it's time to get a little bit creative?  Take a deep breath, dream up something crazy and then go scavenge away in your own home.  All you really need is a few good capes and diaper mask and you could be just about anything!

We sure looked silly that year but I'm glad I did it when I could. The years that followed have been fun but nothing as memorable as the year Under Wonder and I we conquered Diaper Doom!!!

 

* This year I need some good ideas for a 5 year old boy pirate costume.  I have the basics but I want to snazzy it up a bit.  Thoughts?  Suggestions?  Links?