10 Tips for Family Halloween Costumes or Cosplay

Want to dress up the whole family in themed costumes? We have the 10 best tips for Family Halloween Costumes or Cosplay that will make your experience successful, fun, and memory making!

Our friend, Angie and her family of six, dresses up together every Halloween. They’ve been everything from Diary of a Wimpy Kid to Toy Story and every year we wait anxiously to see what they will be. We love how the entire family participates and know that this is sure to make for some great memories for their kids.

But getting everyone in the family — or any group of people — to agree and participate might be easier said than done. Whether you are wanting to dress up as a family for Halloween or to cosplay to your next comic book convention, we’ve got you covered. Angie has shared with us her best tips for  Family Halloween Costumes or Cosplay:

#1 Get input from all participants. Let everyone contribute ideas and don’t write anything off immediately. If everyone helps come up with the theme for your costumes, you’re more likely to have willing participation.

#2 Pick a theme that allows for some flexibility in costume choice. If you have a family of 5, try to find a theme with at least 7 or 8 characters to choose from so everyone gets to pick something they really enjoy.

#3 Let the most reluctant participants choose their costume first. 

#4 Don’t feel obligated to buy high-end or mass-produced costumes to create the perfect costume look. You can fashion almost any costume with household supplies, things already in your closet, items gathered from thrift stores, and some fun makeup and accessories.

#5 Likewise, don’t be adamantly opposed to buying pre-fab costumes, either. Sometimes the easiest and best way to get the right look is just to buy that gorgeous plush character costume for your baby, or to splurge on a Disney Store costume that you know your child will want to play dress-up in for months and months after the holiday. Add makeup and accessories to any pre-made costumes you purchase to really make them your own.

#6 Start early. While not all costumes needs weeks of prep (our Diary of a Wimpy Kid costumes were created on Halloween day), creating a timeline and having a minimum of 6 weeks to plan and create your costume is important to avoid feeling rushed.

#7 Create a budget and do your best to stick with it so that the whole experience stays fun and positive.

#8 Know your own limitations and don’t expect to learn how to sew (or paint… or craft…) a few days before the holiday. Ask for help if you need it, or think outside the box and come up with a less stressful way to create your costumes than learning an entirely new skill in a short period of time. It’s truly astonishing what can be done with Sharpies, duct tape, safety pins and staples.

#9 Don’t just dress as a character… get into your character!! The reactions you’ll get are priceless and just make the whole holiday experience as a family that much more memorable.

#10 Have a BLAST!! There’s no point in dressing up if you don’t have fun.

Need family Halloween costume ideas? Be sure to visit our post that shares 5 awesome family costumes from Angie and her family!

Have you ever dressed up in themed Family Halloween Costumes or Cosplay?