We love All Saints Day and happily anticipate the costume creating around here. You might think it is a wee bit early to start thinking about All Hallows Eve but really it is just a little more than a couple months away! I have sewn some costumes in the past but most often I don't have time to sew a complete outfit and my guess is that average busy moms don't either.
Plan ahead by choosing the saints and study them. You can study their lives learning about the period they lived and some of their virtues and qualities. This will be helpful when it comes time to put together a costume and enrich little ones faith. Here are seven tips that I think super helpful which don't require you to be a seamstress!
1. Visit yard and rummage sales now! Even though summer is over people are still having sales in nice weather and is the perfect opportunity to find great deals.
2. Head to the dollar or thrift store for accessories like glasses, hats & jewelry.
3. Think 70's & 80's there are many antique fashions revived in those decades and you can find some costumes that require only some slight alteration for height and width!
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| Here is a great example. We found this awesome vintage dress at our parish rummage sale undoubtedly from the 70's with lace all over it. The perfect St. Zelie costume and all I had to do was bunch up the sides and safety pin it: instant alteration plus bonus faux bustle. |
4. Handy instant alteration tools: safety pins, stitch witchery, and a glue gun. Most one day use costumes won't require you to dig out a sewing machine! You can add trim with a glue gun and quickly take in an outfit with safety pins or hem a garment with a fuse tape like stich witchery.
5. Repurpose old store bought costumes or even nightgowns (like the Disney princess kind) many female saints were royalty. For boys think about how to tweak pirate, king, star wars, or knight costumes.
6. Shop Etsy and Amazon for ready made costumes!
7. Forget about trying to sew and attach hot facial hair. You can use your makeup as face paint and a little coconut oil rubbed in followed with soap to take it off at the end of the day. Eye liner in black or brown can help to make great beards/ moustaches and lightly applied you can draw on wrinkles cause some saints were old people!
I pray you have fun planning your costumes and that this post may be of help.
If you plan a party check out the links below for great ideas and also explore the awesome All Saint printables that will make planning a breeze!
Shower of Roses -
Training Happy Hearts-
A Slice of Smith Life-
Pinot Noir and Prayers -
Sweeping up Joy -
The Kennedy Adventures -
Under Thy Roof -
