Growing up, toddler Halloween costumes included a plastic mask and vinyl smock, which looked much like a colorful garbage bag. Remember those? I don’t remember many of my costumes as a kid, but I have vivid memories of a Barbie costume.
Halloween costumes have come a long way since then.
As a teenager and throughout college, I was never one that enjoyed dressing up for Halloween. However, becoming a mom changed everything…including my thoughts on toddler Halloween costumes!
Cabbage Patch Kid Costume
As I was preparing for Aubrey’s first Halloween costume, I looked at all of the traditional first Halloween costumes…a pumpkin, witch, lion, the list goes on and on.
Growing up I loved playing with dolls, especially my Cabbage Patch babies. With a 6-month-old, and the most round cheeks and chunky thighs, I couldn’t pass up this opportunity. I got to work planning out every detail of her costume.
Wig: There are many Cabbage Patch wigs available on Etsy. The wigs have the most extended lead-time, so order early! I found Emily Crochet Creations and the shop was great to work with and arrived exactly as I imagined.
Outfit: I definitely could have gone with any shirt out of her closet; however, I envisioned a plaid shirt and overalls.
On my lunch break I found a pink seersucker shirt for $2.50 at the local Once Upon a Child; I knew this was perfect! My hunt for overalls at the store was not as successful. When discussing my costume idea and my search for overalls with a co-worker, she had a pair her son had outgrown!
Armed with a “costume,” it was time to add the Cabbage Patch logo to the front of the overalls.
Cabbage Patch logo/patch: I thought I would use a print and iron transfer but with the thickness of the denim and the pockets this was not going to work. On to plan B (only 2 or 3 days before day care’s fall fest, none the less), I had purchased an embroidery machine a few months prior but had not used it much and was still learning. After picking up some supplies, watching some YouTube videos, and purchasing an Etsy file, it was successful– well maybe not up-close but definitely from far away!
Aubrey’s first Halloween costume, Fall Fest and Trick or Treating experience was a success…and she even won 1st place in a local costume contest!
80s Working Out as Jane Fonda Costume
After our first Halloween costume, how was I going to top this! I wanted another unique toddler Halloween costume and this one may be my favorite yet!
After finding a multi-colored bathing suit as the base and then a quick trip to Walmart to finish it off. I picked up a bright-colored gloves, winter beanie, and adult socks — I cut the cuff of the gloves for the arm warmers, the top of the hat to make a head warmer and the toes of the socks to make them into leg warmers. After looking at quite a few tops for the sweatshirt, I found a bright-colored sweatshirt. I turned the sweatshirt inside out to give it a throwback 80s look and cut a large neck hole and the bottom band.
The last step for the costume was to add the retro boombox lunchbox! One of the best parts is she wore this costume the following year to her Halloween party at dancing! Look at how much she had grown from 2017 to 2018!
I Love Lucy Costume
After two successful years of Halloween costumes, I realized I had set the bar high —friends and family began asking in August what Aubrey would be for Halloween. The problem, I had no idea what the costume would be, but I did know I wanted to keep up with the throwback costumes and that I only had a few more years before she began telling me what she wanted to be for Halloween.
After hours on Pinterest — it was decided – Lucille Ball. I went on the hunt for a perfect blue and white polka dot dress and found one online. I ordered an apron on Etsy and used my cricut to add the logo. A quick trip to pick up lace and HeatnBond and the costume was almost complete!
I knew a few more items would be needed to pull off the costume: Aubrey’s dance stockings, shoes and pearl necklaces remaining from her Breakfast at Tiffany’s first birthday party.
The last thing two things that were needed were red hair and a headband.
I was able to find a pack of two headbands. I looked at a few wigs and didn’t find any I loved for the price and settled on red hair dye instead.
All in all the costume came together and Aubrey was “Princess Lucille” (as she called it) for Halloween!
Rockford Peach and A League of Their Own Costume
Until this year, I have “made” some part of Aubrey’s costume, and I was determined to do it again…however, having never sewed in my life, this was a little (or maybe a lot) ambitious! I found the perfect fabric at Hobby Lobby, purchased a pattern online, printed it out, and began to assemble…
As I continued the sewing process, I realized learning to sew on such a tight timeline and not starting with a beginner piece; it was time to turn to my best friend —Amazon Prime. I ordered a League of our Own costume on Amazon, added a Baseball Trick or Treat basket and red socks.
When it arrived, I knew the costume was coming together how I envisioned it…the only thing, more and more friends were going in family costumes this year, and we were all planning to Trick or Treat together!
I went back to the drawing board, with little to no extra money, my husband could dress as a concession stand worker —from his closet, I gathered his black dress pants, white dress shirt and a black bow tie. To add to the look, I got a free paper Café Du Monde hat, painted it white, and bought a Pepsi crate from Facebook Marketplace for $10 (which I sold for $10 the week after Halloween). At the Dollar Tree, I picked up 6 boxes of Cracker Jacks for $2.00 and popcorn containers 2/$1.00.
Halloween night, I stuffed tissue paper in the bottom of the popcorn containers and added popcorn to the top. If I did it again, I would probably glue to popcorn to the tissue paper on the top to avoid spilling!
Now, it was my turn, I thought about dressing up as Rockford Peach with Aubrey, but didn’t want to take away from her costume and again I don’t love dressing up for Halloween…I settled on being a spectator. I ordered a City of Rockford Peaches t-shirt and wore it with jeans and a red ribbon in my hair.
In the end, we kept up with our tradition of throwback costumes, had a lot of fun making it a family costume, and are looking forward to finalizing our costume for 2020!
Let me know in the comments, do you do family costumes? Or does everyone individually dress up? What has been your favorite toddler Halloween costume that you have seen?
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These are such cute outfits. Love your ideas!
Thanks, I have definitely enjoyed putting these together!