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Creative costume ideas

Who says dressing up is just for kids? Choose from five grown-up ideas, from simply sexy to frightfully fabulous

Creative costume ideas

Ever wish you were a trick-or-treater again? No, it's not the candy you covet. It's the dressing up! Reveal your wild, winsome or wicked side at a Halloween bash (or just at your door – kids and parents will be impressed) with one of our easy-to-make costume ideas.

Traffic light
Stop traffic with this bright idea. Wear a black shirt, tights and gloves. Buy yellow, green and red felt and cut a circle out of each. Glue or stitch the circles vertically on the shirt. To start a conversation, cover up your red and yellow lights with your gloved hands.
Pippi Longstocking
Be Sweden's favourite feminist – a pirate's daughter with superhuman strength. Colour your hair with red rinse-out dye or wear a costume wig. Make two pigtails and attach a pipe cleaner to each hair elastic. Braid each pigtail, weaving in the pipe cleaners, and bend them up beside your ears. Sew patches on a blue jumper with a red T-shirt underneath. Wear high striped socks with hiking boots. Add red freckles and pin a stuffed monkey to your shoulder.
Queen bee
Honey, this one's sweet but sexy. Start with a black top, leotards, high heels and pearls. With yellow electrical tape, place parallel horizontal stripes down the shirt. For wings, place two wire hangers side by side, hooks facing each other and bottoms facing out. Press the hooks in and duct-tape the hangers together. Cut the legs off white nylon (sandal toe) stockings, and use them to cover both hangers. Tie the stocking legs together in the middle. Attach wings to your shirt with large safety pins. For antennae, wrap two pipe cleaners (topped with balls of crumpled tinfoil) around a golden tiara. Or, if you'd rather be a Knitting bee, carry knitting needles and yarn.
Medusa
Be a moody mythical monster with serpents for hair. Buy six wooden snakes with moveable joints (look for them at dollar stores). Wrap a pipe cleaner around the middle and end section of each snake (in the joints.) Attach each snake to your head by sliding a bobby pin through each pipe cleaner and your hair. Slither into a tattered black dress with a plunging neckline. Paint your face and hands green. Finish the look with black lipstick and nail polish and red-rimmed eyes. Carry a basket with poor souls (figurines from a dollar store) who have turned to stone after gazing at you.
Hippie
Raid your closet or local thrift shop for a tie-dye shirt, bell-bottoms and fringed vest. Add pizzazz with a painted peace symbol or flower on your cheek. Tie on a headband and wear long love beads. Carry a sign saying, "Make love not war." Groovy!

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