Fancy Dress

I have always been less than talented at making costumes! But I managed when my kids were in school. You're lucky the theme is fairy tales! You could make him a prince with cloth pants (temporarily alter your partner's or a brother's?) a long sleeved shirt and a cloak made from a blanket or curtain or sheet. I used a stapler rather than sew! Make a paper crown and he is a prince! Or you could make him an animal--I don't know how many fairy tales you've read but I remember an evil man who was changed into a black spaniel who could only eat hot coals from a tale called The Blue Light. You could attach ears to a headband and make up his face as a dog and dress him in dark jogging clothes. He could be a shepherd, a goatherd, Hansel from Hansel and Gretel with chocolate all over his face form the gingerbread house, a woodman from Red Riding Hood with a fake axe. He could be a genie, a king or other character dressed for the outdoors and stay warm! Remember that old sheets, curtains and clothing plus a stapler (or safety pins) and makeup can make a lot of creative costumes without ruining their primary purpose.

Can he be Peter Pan or Robin Hood? Green sweat suit as the base. For Peter Pan, then cut and tack on big green leaves. For Robin Hood brown shorts and a vest. The same green hat could be used for both costumes. Boots for both too. Heck, a faux bow for both as well if that's allowed. Or, if you can find a used Halloween costume of an animal, he could be a Lost Boy, because they weren't to wear leaves, only Peter.

How about Robin Hood? He can wear something like a cloak , which will keep him warm And he will be manly like a pirate.

Well, if your son was a girl, he could dress up as the Paper Bag Princess...

hi greenmoo I remember being dressed as one of the mice the Pied Piper of Hamlin town was supposed to drive out. My mom dyed this heavy underwear they used to call unionsuits that had a drop seat in back .she made a tail and attached it and some mouse ears out of grey earmuffs then made up my face and I looked like a pretty fair example of a mouse. the one piece underwear is heavy as it was meant for South Dakota winters. I think you could make'something like that without too much trouble.

Strange to sound,It has to be a fancy dress costume and drawing from traditional fairy tales.The school really set difficult question.I guess what upsets you is that some of the parents take it seriously.You are afraid that it will put your son to shame,if you don't do a good job.Over here,children must put on uniform for school parade.

What stories does your son like? A Prince could just wear a really nice shirt, nice pants, nice shoes, and a crown. Crowns can be made of cardboard and covered with alluminum foil. You could make a sash with a long narrow piece of cloth that is tacked together at his side with a couple of stitches if you wanted to. But a sash isn't necessary. Just look at different fairy tales for a really easy costume. Hasel and Grettal that ate the gingerbread house didn't have very fancy costumes. There are nice traditonal fairy tales where people wear fairly normal clothes. For Hansel, you could have him carry some fake candy canes or whatever the house was made of. It's hard to compete with seamstresses. So don't. You're there to enjoy your son and the parade. So do that . Don't keep up with the Jones. I don't have children, but I can see how this could be a problem or a hardhsip. Maybe they'll stop all this when someone shows up naked for the traditional tale of "The Emporor's New Clothes." Now that is the simplest costume possible. I would think it would be more important to remind parents not to do that than to worry about pirate outfits.

Hiya GM, Most of the ideas are much better than mine and I have always dreaded this kind of thing as well as I had always so little money for Costumes and such that it was to say the least something I did not like at all. Like you say the Parents most of them went out their way to make their Children the best Costumes. So if you get really stuck why not try to swap with someone like they are doing here now? As things are so very tight here now People are swappping their Disguises with one another and I think its a much better idea for People like us without Cash and all that. One or two of these Shops as well are willing to bring down the Prices as well at certain times of the year. xxx

I saw one creative kid last Halloween that could be a good idea. He just got a black cloak (could have been his grandmother's shawl), put on an old pair of glasses sans the glass-part, and then draw a lightning bold on his forehead. Unless of course Harry Potter is not traditional enough, then he could just be a wizard.

Schools sometimes make crazy demands. So just use whatever you have at home---curtains, table cloth, whatever to create a fancy look. You could dress him up as the emperor in "The Emperor's New Clothes" so it's going to be sky is the limit when it comes to interpreting his fancy attire.

Go online and search it you can find some cheap but nice costumes. You can search for any ideas that you might like either.