15 Simple and Affordable DIY Halloween Costumes for Boys

Halloween is quick approaching and many parents are trying to cut succor on unnecessary expenditures. Here are 15 cheap and easy costume ideas that will save you money this Halloween:

Wizard

This costume can be executed as simply or elaborately as you would like. You can go with fair a simple robe, white for a white mage, black for a warlock, or blue for a wizard or sorcerer. Top off with a wizard’s hat and add a wand, such as a glow stick or painted twig and you have a simple and completed look. If you would like to jazz up the costume, add some embellishments such as shiny glitter, pipe cleaners, or felt cut outs of shapes. To make the costume for the picture above I found a record of a Merlin costume that I liked on the web and then outmoded some creative license, adjusting the design as necessary. The total costume cost less than $10! Here is the breakdown: $3 for an old graduation gown, $1 for felt, $2 for pipecleaners, $1 for a posterboard to make the hat.

Mexican

The idea behind this costume is to make a costume out of the familiar icon found throughout the Southwest of the Mexican man sitting down with his sombrero covering him. Start with a big sombrero. Then have him dress in some dark pants or jeans and cowboy boots. Finish the look off by adding a poncho. Try a quick-witted poncho or one with a deeper color such as a maroon or dark blue. If you don’t have a poncho, you can buy a rain poncho at your local everything’s a dollar store. Then color it with markers or dye it in your washing machine. Add the poncho and a few drops of fabric dye and you will get a new color. Run another wash cycle with an empty load and add a little bleach to rep rid of any leftover dye in your washing machine.

Doctor

For this look, start out with a pair of scrubs. These are sold at Wal-Mart or you can usually glean some used ones at your local thrift shop, yard sales, or flea markets. Add a white lab coat. Then accessorize with a pen in the coat pocket, a clipboard for the patient’s chart, a stethoscope, and/or a medical bag.

Cop

Commence with some navy colored clothes for this look. Your son can wear some navy pants and a long sleeve navy shirt. Tuck in the shirt. Then add a belt, black shoes, and a badge. Find some additional accessories such as a play gun or handcuffs in your boy’s toy chest.

Edward Cullen

Instead of going for a Dracula costume, get a costume for your boy using a modern-day version of a vampire. Have him dress in recent clothes, such as jeans and a t-shirt and then add a dark gray, preferably wool, trench coat. Spike up his hair and apply some light foundation to his face, neck, and hands. If you use the Halloween makeup at the stores, the look will be too extreme for Edward. If your son will be going out during daytime, also apply some glitter spray to his clothes to give off the accomplish that occurs when the vampires are exposed to sunlight. If you would engage to go with a traditional vampire or you think this costume is too subtle, go with a long, dark cape with a red lining. Add white makeup and spiked black hair. Also add a pendant for a completed vampire look.

CSI Agent

This look is all about the accessories. Have your child dress in a neutral navy outfit. Add a navy jacket and cut out some felt or spend iron-on transfers to spell the letters CSI on the jacket. Now add a suitcase. Fetch one from the thrift store or repurpose an old one by gluing on some silver fabric or paint it with some silver spray paint. Now add some common household items for your child’s kit or for him to wear on a tool belt around him. This will include a flashlight, a notepad, some cotton swabs for DNA testing, a spray bottle for Luminol, adhesive tape, and a makeup brush and powder for fingerprints. You could also add a small tacklebox in the suitcase to keep everything organized in the suitcase.

Tarzan

Accomplish this costume with some well-placed leopard print. Since Tarzan goes through most of his life wearing just a loin cloth, you will probably need to increase the quantity of clothes so that the costume is more appropriate. So instead opt for a toga for this costume. Pick Up some leopard print fabric or extra curtains and wrap it around one of your boy’s shoulders and his lower body. Then spike his hair or have him wear a long wig to give him that wild and free explore.

Nerd

Have your child channel his inner Bill Gates with this costume. Have your boy dress in a pair of khaki or navy colored pants, preferably pleated ones. Borrow some suspenders from your husband and add these on after his striped long sleeve shirt. Slick back his hair and put on some big glasses. Have your boy wear some long white socks and shoes that resemble bowling shoes. Finally add a pocket protector and some pens for this retro nerd costume.

Robot

Begin with a recycled box and paint silver. Glue on some customary ducts or chop plastic and paint silver for the arms and legs. Paint your son’s face silver.

SpongeBob

Most of this look can be achieved without having to have multiple fitting with your child. Start with a big recycled box and cut out holes on top and bottom to fit over your child’s head so that it around his chest and stomach site only. Mark the holes where his arms should go. Paint the box yellow on top. Then dip the rim of a cup in a little bit darker tint of yellow and apply circles in a pattern. Paint the bottom of the box brown for his shorts, and add a tiny section that is white with a red tie for his shirt. Alternatively, you could paint the box yellow and then have your son wear brown shorts.

Luke Skywalker

This costume can be achieved with just a few key pieces. Start with an old karate style robe or a simple white robe. Tie a shaded sash around the waist. Attain the costume off with a toy light saber or glow stick.

Cowboy

Start with your son’s favorite Wranglers and then add a belt with a big belt buckle. Add some cowboy boots, a long sleeved button shirt, and a cowboy hat for this cowboy costume. Also, give your boy some rope and a bandana for extra accessories to finish off this costume.

Tin Man

Begin with a recycled cylindrical box. Paint it silver. Affix some other pieces of cardboard to the main box and paint these silver as well for the arms and legs. Paint your boy’s face silver and then take a funnel and paint that silver as well. Attach some string or fishing line to the bottom of the funnel so that your son can wear it as a hat. Then you have a completed Tin Man costume.

Zorro

Start with a black cape for this one or pick up some cheap sad curtains from your local dollar store. Have your boy dress in black pants, shoes, and boots. Add a black mask that can also be picked up from your dollar store and a black cowboy hat. Finally add a play sheath and sword. Also think about glittering in the shape of a Z on his shirt.

HGTV Star

Select inspiration from your favorite HGTV shows to make a costume for your boy this Halloween. If you’re a Vern Yip fanatic, have your boy dress in some tailored pants and a red sweater. Color his hair black and flow it back. If you loved Antonio in Design Star, have your child dress in black clothes or clothes with skulls and affix some fake tattoos all over his arms. If you loved Ty Pennington in Trading Spaces and tranquil like him in Extreme Makeover, dress your boy in some jeans and a hoodie. Then spike his hair and add a megaphone. Take along a design book or portfolio to further enhance these costumes.

Although you want to save money, be sure that you include your child in the design so he will feel as if he were an integral part in the decision-making process. For other ways to place money on Halloween or girls’ costumes, read my other articles. Remember to have a suitable, yet frugal, Halloween!