One of the coolest aspects of the Park Slope Halloween Parade is the impressive array of people who turn out in homemade costumes: robots fashioned from cardboard boxes and HVAC ducts, alligators made of felt, superheroes stitched out of old spandex tights. You don’t need a degree from RISD to come up with a great homemade costume. All you need is a little imagination and some preparation. But first you’ve got to get inspired. Here are some things that can help you get your creative juices flowing.
Thrift shops: Pay a visit to a local thrift shop. There are a slew of them on 5th Avenue in the Slope: Beacon’s Closet, Yona Lee Vintage, Guvner’s Vintage Thrift—or hit the Salvation Army or a Goodwill store. Disco Diva, Bloodthirsty Nurse and Zombie Bus Driver are just a rummage rack away!
Troll the Internet: The web is full of great costume ideas to steal or pay homage to:
- The website www.coolest-homemade-costumes.com has a full index of homemade costumes to peruse.
- Disney’s FamilyFun site has a great gallery of homemade costumes from the last-minute to the laborious.
- Parents magazine offers a treasure trove of costume-making ideas—including those for the craft-impaired.
