Halloween DIY | Paper Doll Costume

The countdown is on. Less than a week until trick-or-treaters will come a'knockin.' If you're still on the prowl for a quick & easy costume for your little goblin, this Paper Doll costume may be for you.

I've made my fair share of costumes, from a replica of the Empire State Building (including King Kong) to this little number, and the Paper Doll is hands down the easiest. An added bonus is that it also proved to be the least expensive- by far. For some reason, homemade costumes ALWAYS wind up costing more than mass produced (although they work out well for my other little pumpkin- she's too young to walk around in a box or contraption at this point) but this gal loves unique, DIY costumes, so here goes...

​This is what you need to make your own Paper Doll costume.

Click 'Read More' to get the full scoop...         ↓↓↓

Ingredients:
Foam Board
Ribbon/String
​Headband
Paint + Paint Brushes
​Thick Black Marker
Mat Cutter
Glue Gun
A Dress that fits your real-life Doll 
An inconspicuous ensemble to wear under the costume

Trace the general shape of the dress onto the foam board. Add details like puffy sleeves and lace trim. Draw a cartoon version of a wig. The flip at the end (see pics) add a whimsical touch. Don't forget to add tabs- that pretty much makes the outfit. 

Cut the board with the mat cutter. Kids can paint the costume with the colors they chose. My daughter selected light blue for the dress, paired with orange for the hair- but any combo will work. I added the thick black lines with a sharpie after the paint dried. 

Next I got out my trusty sidekick- a mini glue gun and went to work. I attached coordinating ribbon onto the back of the foam board, in strategic areas (shoulders/ neck + waist) that could be tied around her body.

The hair took some adjusting to get 'just right' around her face. After we agreed it fit as well as it was ever going to, I affixed a cheap plastic headband that would never last longer that 3 minutes in real life and voila! We had a costume.

The clothing she wore under the costume consisted of white leggings and a white shirt. Simple flats completed the look, but Mary Janes, saddle shoes or t-straps would add a perfect touch.

We attended a ton of events during the Halloween season, including walking around the grounds of a historic estate and Halloween itself, which was windy and rainy. The outfit was a success on many levels. It withstood the elements with flying colors and it was a hit in the neighborhood.

​A word of caution: The only tricky part is navigating the dreaded steps that the ghosts and goblins must climb in order to retrieve the goods, so assistance may be necessary.

I just had to add this addendum as a testament to the durability of this seemingly delicate costume. We made this particular costume in 2013- two Halloweens ago & I totally pulled it outta the closet for this 2015 shoot the other day. How's that for awesome- aside from the fact that it still (somehow) fits!