by Shruthi Srinivas
Costume Woes to Wins
Halloween is almost here and everyone wants to be part of the spooky fun. But the toughest part is finding the perfect costume for a reasonable price. As a person with a disability, this can be doubly difficult as some of the cheaper costumes on the market may not be the best for your body type or may end up causing sensory distress. So how do you get around the costs this Halloween? Make your own costume!
The first step to picking a Halloween costume is finding out what you or your loved one is comfortable wearing. Ask questions such as: Is this cloth scratchy? Are the colors too bright? Is the build too tight/loose? The most important thing is to make sure your loved one isn’t allergic to any of the materials the costume would require, and if they are, work around it by using other materials such as cotton. While keeping in mind the age and interests of the participant, discuss the theme or topic for the costume. What do they like? Animals? Movies or other activities? Do they have any hobbies?
Halloween Fun While Saving Money
The more expensive costumes may look great, but if you’re on a budget, they probably aren’t the best option. Lucky enough, a Do-It-Yourself (DIY) costume is not only a cheaper alternative, but it’s a fun activity that you and your family can do together. To help inspire your DIY project for this Halloween, below are a few costume ideas:(Links out to A.C.Moore Materials)
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Halloween Skeleton
- Mask
- iron on stickers or regular stickers
- black long-sleeve shirt
- black pants
2. House from Up
- Cardboard (Note: Cardboard can be salvaged from boxes or bought from any storage facility.)
- paints
- paintbrushes
- string/rope
- helium balloons
- sandbags (Note: You can use small burlap bags filled with cotton to give the same effect.)
3. Wonderwoman
- Theme related crown
- Wonderwoman shirt
- red cape
- black pants
Use any of these suggestions or feel free to let your creativity flow! Take a walk around your local craft store or search online stores for inspiration. While saving money, you will be able to enjoy the Halloween spirit along with the rest of the community. Not only is it a great time to have fun dressing up but going trick or treating is also a fun way for people with disabilities to integrate themselves into the community. You can also rework the above examples of costumes to best fit your loved one’s taste and comfort.
Don’t forget the most important rule though… Be safe and have fun!
