Homemade or Store bought Halloween costumes?

peachpurple Level 1

October 31, 2017, 12:10 am

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Today is Halloween day. Have you prepare your kids Halloween costumes? Do you prefer to handmade them or buy readymade costumes at the store? Do you rent the costumes?

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overcast

overcast

I think we are going with the ready made costumes on rent. There seems to be a lot of rented companies out there. And they rent for the day. Though rent is kind of expensive and it may cost half the price of the costume. And so on that point I'd say that buying costumes or making it is going to consume the time. So on that level it'd be reasonable to see how the homemade may be different for each one of us. I guess each to their own.

9 years ago

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peachpurple

peachpurple

thanks for your reply. Renting the costumes is an alternative way to reduce the hassle and ever year you could rent different type of costumes for different theme. Good idea.

9 years ago

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overcast

overcast

I think the renting part is lot better. The reason being you have to regularly give it away and earn more from the rented makes. So it can be a good business strategy. I have seen many people doing it and it works for them.

9 years ago

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Martinsx1

Martinsx1

I do agree with renting of Halloween costumes for one single reason which is the existence of various options to choose from. Home making of your Halloween costume will get boring for you and your family over time but with patronizing of the renting companies, you can always be guaranteed of getting new varieties each Halloween season.

9 years ago

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zgecolea1797

zgecolea1797

I also prefer buying ready made costumes. Most of the time, I don't have the time to decorate my own costume. Usually, I just buy costumes to avoid consuming a lot of time. I believe that it is the same thing. You will spend money on both so better to just buy a ready made one.

8 years ago

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anor0428

anor0428

If I have kids and they need to have costume for halloween, I would go for already made ones. It would be less hassle to buy already made costumes. But if one is tight on budget, then they could just use old clothes for the costume of let us say for example is “white lady”. They could have old white dress then be creative with the make up of their kids and they are ready to go. There are also some tutorials on youtube that they can refer to if they dont have any idea for the make up.

9 years ago

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augusta

augusta

We don't celebrate Halloween in my country but if we were,I would prefer home made costume and the whole family will be involved. I believe it will be great fun and everyone will be looking forward to the big day.

I will prefer I make it myself, at least it will afford me the opportunity of showcasing my creativity and making my own style and pattern and making it look just the way I need it.

9 years ago

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anor0428

anor0428

Here in our country, we dont pay much on doing holloween party too. However, in school, sometimes kids are having holloween parades. I have a niece who experienced it, and on her first parade, we just bought her a mask. On her secode parade, we put her a make up looking like a vampire

then we use old black clothes for her costume.

9 years ago

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dzannerz

dzannerz

Well maybe for me,it depends on the situation. I mean depends on where you will gonna use it. If your in hurry and you need a costume right away,then almost all supermarkets ar having those kinds of costume and all yoi have to do is to buy one. Then if the situations is that,you will have more time to prepare for the costume party you will attend to then making on your own will suffice.

9 years ago

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Barida

Barida

I agree that it is all about the time involved in creating those costumes, I mean someone in a hurry should consider getting one from the supermarket nearby.

9 years ago

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Martinsx1

Martinsx1

The only way that I'm going to dispose myself to making my own Halloween costume is if it's on a special request by someone special that I make a particular Halloween costume for him or her, then I would have no option but to dedicate myself and time to crafting the costume for that special person in my life.

9 years ago

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DarthHazard

DarthHazard

Store-bought Halloween costumes for me. There are people out there that are talented and good enough to make their own homemade costumes and look amazing in them. But for me, I just prefer to wear a store-bought Halloween costume because it looks good and you don't have to waste time making one either. Most costumes are pretty cheap as well so it's just better.

9 years ago

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Pixie06

Pixie06

I have made my own costume for Halloween. It took me about three weeks to make this. I looked for various tutorials online to do this. I wanted my costume to my unique. In fact I saw various costumes on Amazon and I was tempted to buy many of them but I didn't. However I bought a costume for my nephew and several decorations online. I love Halloween and this period of the year.

9 years ago

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DarthHazard

DarthHazard

That's awesome. I tend to buy Halloween costumes because it just is easier for me but if I was actually able to then I may actually make my own costumes. Do you think you could share a picture with us of the costume that you made? It would be quite cool to see what you did. I love Halloween too although my love for it is because of we can eat a lot of chocolate and sweets without feeling too guilty

9 years ago

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Happyflowerlady

Happyflowerlady

We no longer do any kind of costumes or celebration for halloween, and do not even give candy to kids anymore either. Most children do not go house to house like they used to do, and the parents take them to the homes of people they know, so even when we had candy ready, we only had 3-4 trick-or-treaters coming by. Now, we just turn off the lights and don’t even bother with it, and do not have to spend money buying candy that no one eats.
As far as Halloween costumes go, I always liked making my own costume myself, searching for the the right clothes, and transforming myself into a witch or vampire for the evening .
Even after I was a teenager, and way too old to go out on halloween, I enjoyed dressing up and handing out candy to the young kids that stopped by our house, and back then, we had most of the kids in our small town knocking on every door.
I found a long white ball gown at the thrift store, with a full floor-length skirt, added some lacy curtains draped over my shoulders and down my arms, and some dark eye and lip makeup, and Voila !.......I was a vampire . No store-bought costume could have been anywhere near as much fun as making my own costume was.

9 years ago

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jaymish

jaymish

I love Halloween, it's so much fun. The best thing about it is the creativity. I make my Halloween costumes at home. That's half of the fun. We start making the costumes about 2 months before.We visit craft shops and choose materials like fabric and accessories.

I have a sewing machine at home. We look on Google for costume ideas. Once we have chosen we embark on making the costume. The whole family is involved in this process so it is a lot of fun.

9 years ago

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Barida

Barida

During the Halloween period, I saw lots of beautiful costumes and it's interesting reading about those made at home. It's simply a way to show how creative people are when it comes to making such outfits.

9 years ago

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wiseagent

wiseagent

I think it depends a lot on what you value and what you really want... After all, the two options are totally valid. So, in the end, it wouldn't be a question of money, but rather of what is your preference (because money can have limits, but your imagination - in case you are a creative person - don't).

9 years ago

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JoeMilford

JoeMilford

We tend to do different combinations of this every year, actually. Some years we make them all at home, and some years we purchase all of them--it usually just depends on how busy things are, or other unpredictable circumstances, as to how we go about putting Halloween together. There are times when the kids want to totally make their own costumes, or they have fun making them at school or another event, so they are proud to wear them. This year, I won't be dressing up, but my daughter will, and she is going as a "good witch", a costume she put together herself from various others costumes, like princess outfits, which she had around the house.

9 years ago

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felabruno

felabruno

I don't have kids but when it comes to my Halloween costume I appreciate one I made myself more than a store bought one. Everybody can buy something at a store but when you make something it is unique. You can use your creativity and make something interesting that will be personalized.

9 years ago

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wiseagent

wiseagent

I think the best thing about doing a costume from scratch and on its own is all the fun - and also the flaws, haha - that is involved in the whole process and after that, the feeling of pleasure at seeing the costume ready to be used.

9 years ago

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DarthHazard

DarthHazard

It's great to hear that you still make your own costumes even though you don't have ideas. I think a lot of adults are a bit reluctant to make their own when they don't have kids. What you said is true, it's always better to have something that is unique and shows off your creativity. But I think most people go for a store bought costume because they just don't have the time or skill to make their own costume from scratch.

9 years ago

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vinaya

vinaya

I think home made costumes is better. Here are my reasons.
If you are buying from a store, you will have to spend a lot of money. However, at home, you can easily create amazing costumes (provided you have skills and you are very creative).
There is no point in spending a lot of money when you are wearing it just for a day or two.
Or maybe you buy it from a store and use it every year until it is beyond repair. In this way, you will save money.

9 years ago

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Barida

Barida

Having tj skills is one thing that is needed to make Halloween costumes at home. It is going to take more than just trying it to be able to achieve that. Also, we have to consider time as well when we are talking of homemade Halloween costumes, but the good thing, as you tightly pointed out is that it is going to save money unlike when we spend to buy them at the stores.

9 years ago

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Judas2018

Judas2018

As a child, I preferred store bought. First off, my parents had no idea how to make a home made costume. It's fun to do so I guess as an arts and crafts sort of thing. Building a family bond and all. But people are busy, especially parents. Store bought costumes take a lot of pressure off of mom and dad.

9 years ago

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wiseagent

wiseagent

When you're a kid you get fooled by your eyes and you're always drawn to that dark side of the force, haha (it seems that everything is magic). But as we grow we learn how to appreciate the things in a better way, haha.

9 years ago

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Aree

Aree

I think making Halloween costumes is part of the fun. Just going into a store to buy a costume seems like a shortcut which takes away a lot of the excitement of the festival. Besides, making Halloween costumes is a great opportunity for quality family time together. The way I see it, the family that plays together stays together more closely through thick and thin.

9 years ago

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Judas2018

Judas2018

If the kids demand home made costumes? Then any parent would be kind of foolish not to at least try and oblige. If they can't make one themselves, find a good person in the neighborhood or maybe a freelance tailor who can make one. But if the decision from the children is 'they don't care' or 'it doesn't matter', I think most busy parents opt for store bought. Unless those parents can expertly make costumes. I imagine children who have parents that work on professional Hollywood movie sets or work with musicians and entertainers for a living as professional costume designers, must love Halloween. Their parents could probably produce 3 awesome Halloween costumes easy.

9 years ago

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Blank629

Blank629

For me, in making costumes for halloween, I prepare homemade costumes than store bought costumes. I have some reasons why I choose the homemade costumes. First, it only shows how creative you are. You are the one who will decide on what designs you want to do. Second, it is not expensive. You can use the things inside your house to make one costume for halloween. Third is, I want to put an effort to my own costume. Why? It is because I want to show to people that I am a creative person and confident to my homemade costume. Also I encourage them to try at least one homemade costume. It's fun and amazing!

9 years ago

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DenisP

DenisP

I think this is probably going to depend on your level of skill when it comes to different types of arts and crafts.

If you're handy with different types of materials and are creative, you can make some wonderful costumes. Cosplay has become a really popular phenomenon, and a lot of cosplayers makes their own costumes at home. Some of the stuff they make is of such high quality and realism that it is on par with something you would find on the set of a professional film. Costumes like that often cannot be bought, and if they can, they would cost a small fortune.

The fact is that not a lot of us are actually this handy or creative though, so if you're not one of these people you're probably best off just buying a decent costume.

9 years ago

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AmieBotella

AmieBotella

We just finished halloween here and my son went out and become Team Fortress 2 scout costume. Since it's just a regular clothe, We just matched his clothes and create the character. Cheap and easy for us. When I was accompanying him on his trick or treat, I saw a boy that is wearing an Optimus prime costume made from cardboard box and when he kneels, he will transform into a truck. Such a nice idea and cheap. However the kid seems to be so tired of always showing off the transformer stage. I suppose when you are creative and has materials readily available, creating your own is such a fun way to do.

9 years ago

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wallet

wallet

When my son was smaller until the age of 7-9 years old we have made the Haloween costume at home, my wife is really good at this. But when he made 10 years old he didn't want to wear a costume made by its mother so we have started to buy him Haloween costumes,

9 years ago

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wiseagent

wiseagent

As children grow older, I think their priorities change (sometimes, they changed a lot) and they tend to become more ambitious... Haha. We have to try to control them while we have the strength for it, right? Haha!

9 years ago

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jaymish

jaymish

@ Denis P , I would think the more ridiculous and ugly the costume is the better. I don't think witches or a skeleton want to look precise or smart. The best thing about halloween is that you can be as ridiculous as you want. No one judges you for how well sawn your costume is. You can slap on a beard and a hat, put some shoe polish on your teeth and your good to go. I'm afraid to say the more grotesque and horrible your costume is the better it will suit the occasion.

The thing with buying your costume is you limit yourself. The probability that someone else will be wearing the same costume is also quite high. I don't know about you guys, but I pride myself on my uniqueness.

9 years ago

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DenisP

DenisP

You know, I actually saw pictures of this guy on the internet who took the concept of "ridiculous and ugly" costumes to the extreme! I wish I could find him because I think you'd love his ideas. He basically took famous characters in pop culture such as comic book, video game, and film characters and basically made costumes for them out of normal junk that you would find around the house.

They were so awful and on the extreme end of the "terrible" spectrum that they actually looked amazing.

9 years ago

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jaymish

jaymish

I agree Denis P. I would probably have loved this. The more ridiculous and outrageous the better! Halloween is about being creative and having fun. I like the fact that he used junk to make the costumes. That's very creative and environmentally friendly. I prefer this to store bought costumes.

Especially if you create costumes with your kids, I think this is the best way, as you establish traditions and get to be with your family. You also teach your kids to learn to use what they have around them, instead of running to the shops. We need to learn to stop wasting resources so that we can preserve the environment for our children and their children's children.

9 years ago

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saygorem

saygorem

We have to be practical in everything that we do. Making your own Halloween costume can be a cheap way to spend a whole day celebration. You can DIY your costume to your liking.

9 years ago

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gelotologist

gelotologist

Homemade would probably the best option for me if I've would only want to join the contest on a nearby neighborhood and if I'm gonna go to a party or a club which a costume is needed then I would totally buy something more scarier or decent. And also, I think it probably depends on the taste of the person if he/she likes homemade or bought.

9 years ago

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ColdFlameChris

ColdFlameChris

I go for a store-bought Halloween costumes and then I'm going to customize it to make it more natural and scarier. I can't make a homemade Halloween costumes as I don't have all the equipment and materials to do everything at my house. It's much better to buy one so you don't need to come up with an idea on what kind of Halloween costumes are you about to wear and it also gives you a lot of ideas on what you should add to make it more lively and scary.

9 years ago

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tiffiecute

tiffiecute

I am a very preoccupied person which I bet you already know my answer. And to add it up, I am the worst person to rely on sewing clothes. I am an artist but that's not my expertise. Spending a few dollars for my kids' happiness is one of the best showcases of love. You support them in celebrating the spirit of Halloween. And I think the best prep for Haloween is to have time for them on that very day.

9 years ago

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Tronia

Tronia

I agree even though that I make the costumes myself. I think that it's perfectly normal and equally as good if you simply buy them for one of the stores. The most important thing about Halloween is that the kids enjoy it and have fun! The rest is irrelevant.

9 years ago

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jemuelterrado

jemuelterrado

I prefer to buy a costume for my kids because i do not know anything about making a costume especially for Halloween themes. The reason also why is that, my child is very picky and choosy on things she wants so i preferably buy than to pretend that i know everything. I know the feeling of creating your own for your child cause this proves and makes you proud of being a mom and in addition you can customize what your child exactly wants to look like with the costume. Everything has disadvantages and advantages in the decisions. I think for sale costumes are for mom's who do not know everything in sewing or had no time to create because of hectic schedules on their jobs.

9 years ago

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Tronia

Tronia

The majority people in my country actually buy the costumes from different shops. I don't think that we have any proper rental services though perhaps because Halloween isn't nearly as big as in the United States. But still, I think that it's much nicer if you make the costume yourself and that's what I've been doing for the last few years. I always choose what I'll make a few months ahead so I can get everything needed and so that I have enough time. I hate to rush the costume!

Making your own is more time consuming but also more satisfying.

9 years ago

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ryyde

ryyde

I prefer to use homemade costumes for Halloween. Let the kids make their own costumes. One of the advantages of making homemade costumes is that you can design and organize your own suit and do what ever you want to make it good. Most of the people nowadays use to buy on market.

9 years ago

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tenthztar

tenthztar

I prefer handmade, since i can put whatever i want on it and i can change it whenever i feel like it. If you are in a rush then buying is your only option.

9 years ago

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mildredtabitha

mildredtabitha

Though we never celebrate Halloween at my home, I think homemade costumes are nice only if the person making them is good at it and enjoys making them. But nothing feels good like getting yourself a new costume for a special day. So purchased ones are nice too.

9 years ago

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Neutron04

Neutron04

Home made Halloween costumes can really be cool. You can customize the outfit and put some additional stuffs to make it look different and realistic. I often make my son costumes that are home made and which he loves it too more than the store bought costumes but sometimes it takes some time and cost much. So we decided to just store the old home made costumes and re use it next time. My second kid never had any home made costumes because we just don't have the time and you can see the difference. People get so amazed with what we made last time than the one we just recently bought. So I would go for a home made costume.

9 years ago

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ballyhara

ballyhara

I don't have any kids either, but my little cousins and God-son/daughter, will do perfectly. They always take me into the mess of Halloween, Xmas, Easter, Carnival, and whatever the holiday is. So far, when they like an specific character, usually the outfit needs to be bought, but if it's something common like a policeman, doctor, cowboy, then I help them to get the pieces they need. That's when you thank God, for all the old clothes you didn't know what to do with them. I've done Pocahontas, Minions, Cowboys, ballerinas, doctors, safari/zoo keepers, cats, bunnies and sheep.

9 years ago

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vhinz

vhinz

Here in our country, people are just starting to adapt halloween celebrations. I don't actually celebrate halloween even it is becoming a part of the culture of our country. But when it comes to costumes, I would prefer to buy whatever my kids likes as long as it fits to the budget and not too expensive.

9 years ago

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manmad

manmad

There is a certain vibe about something that's been made by the owner, it shows their dedication to the whole celebration. There is nothing wrong with buying your costume, however creating something on your own and showing it in your neighborhood is going to show people that you are creative and can be dedicated to something as well. Also, a lot of people will enjoy something that's unique and not something that literally everyone can buy online, I am not saying that you can't buy unique costumes online, however they won't be original to you, because you didn't make them yourself.

9 years ago

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PedroP

PedroP

It all depends. I have always been a fan of doing it yourself costumes because I think they add a hint of originality to the everything. Still, I would definitely buy a costume if I found it was cool or very unique

9 years ago

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overcast

overcast

I am also DIY Fan. It can be fun to make something on our own skills. And it can be some of the time it can improve the existing skills. So it depends on how the difference can be made there. Another thing is that halloween is fun to try most of the DIY stuff. It just makes things lot better.

8 years ago

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Krisleen

Krisleen

I would prefer to buy a Halloween costume. But before buying, I will try to look at my closet first. I might see clothes that I can mix and match. If not, then I can just buy then modify it if needed. I take it as a base costume that can be decorated or customized to allow flexibility. I love arts and I love applying such creativity in that costume. I prefer that set up so I can save time as well, rather than doing everything from scratch. I don't even know how to sew in the first place. Another thing I can do to make the costume look more attractive is by adding props and good make up. The whole package should be considered, not just the costume in order to create an overall attractive look.

9 years ago

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Rmarsh1984

Rmarsh1984

I have thought, for the past couple years, how great it would be to make my kids' costumes, but I've never done it.

My son was not interested at all in wearing ANY costume at all for his second halloween (his first was just before he turned 2 months old, and I wasn't going to dress him up). This past year, he wore the costume I picked up for him at the thrift store the year before with hopes he would be interested. It was perfect because it kept him warm and it was only $4. My daughter on the other hand seems to have to have store bought costumes. The only part of that I really dislike is the cost.

I never end end up getting around to trying to make anything for the kids for Halloween while there is time. Then as the day gets closer, I think to myself, "Man, do I wish I had actually made something this year. I had a great idea for this year!".

Everything if if the store is the same as what everyone else is going to be dressed as. Maybe if my oldest showed an interest in creating something individual and creative with me for her to wear, I'd be more prone to following through with my ideas.

9 years ago

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Rumu

Rumu

We don't celebrate halloween in my country, but if we did I'll prefer to buy already made costume from stores. Imagine the stress of having to sew up a costume dress from the scratch.

On a second thought I think I might buy the already made dress then adjust it by making some few custom sewings to it. That way i can have something a little more different than the usual or normal. I like being different all the time.

9 years ago

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Destiny00

Destiny00

I think the homemade costumes are the best. As a kid, I always looked forward to gathering the pieces to make my costume. This way allows you to be really creative and know that no one else will look like you. If you like to stand out and be unique, a homemade costume is the way to go. On the other hand, store bought costumes come in handy for last minute nuts costume parties!

9 years ago

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Vinsanity

Vinsanity

If you have much time in your hands why not go make your own Halloween costumes. Make them with the kids and your family. It is a great time for you all to have a quality time with each other. It is a good means for you to talk to each other for stronger bonds between you and the kids. Through homemade Halloween costumes, you will be able to customize the costumes based on the likes of the ones who are about to wear them.

On the other hand, if you need to rush and you don't have much time. This is the time when you really need to buy costumes.

9 years ago

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jusumortal

jusumortal

Homemade because I love making DIYs. I always go for an anime character during Halloween so I really love planning and designing my costumes. Well, my wigs are store bought but only that. Also, store-bought overall costumes are more expensive so I prefer homemade costumes.

9 years ago

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mdayrit

mdayrit

I always prefer homemade costumes since it is cheaper. You also have the freedom to alter and do designs according to your creativity. You can also find materials already inside your home so you no longer need to spend.

However, not all people enjoy and have time to do these stuff that is why store bought costumes are more advisable for them. They are already made and ready to use. You just have to have a ready budget to spend because these costumes can sometimes be expensive.

8 years ago

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mark8625

mark8625

I would choose homemade. I can easily design based on what kind of costumes I would make. I can be a creative and less expensive also compare those in the store.

8 years ago

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cmoneyspinner

cmoneyspinner

When you ask about costumes I assume you're talking about for kids. As an adult, I've never worn a costume or gone to a costume party. In America, some of the Halloween costumes in the stores can be expensive. You can shop online and may find a bargain. But you can also go to a Goodwill store or a thrift shop and get a good deal. But to be honest, I had a lot of kids. Buying costumes for that many kids would have been very expensive. So I copied after my mom who also had a lot of kids and went the homemade route. I just found something in the house that I could dress my kids up as. My kids didn't care about the costumes. They just wanted the candy! LOL. Homemade or Store bought Halloween costumes?

Homemade or Store bought Halloween costumes?

8 years ago

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sonnyisabeast

sonnyisabeast

Homemade for me. I always find buying costumes to be a waste of money, they're too expensive. I have the whole year to prepare for my costume and that has always been what I've been doing. There's also a sense of accomplishment whenever people tell me how great my costume was and where I bought it.

8 years ago

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edencaga

edencaga

If I have a child, as an artist I would love to create a costume for my child. I want to share and use my talent in making this costumes and props. It's only once a year so as much as I can , I will find time to prepare costume to my beloved child/children to showcase also my skills.

8 years ago

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