Pros and Cons of a Homemade Halloween Costume Vs. Store Bought Costume

Those that have grown up with very little money know the meaning of homemade. If you want something, you better make it yourself or go without it. Some people might think that this is unfair, but there are also a lot of priceless lessons you learn from making things from scratch. One of these things is Halloween costumes. What are the pros and cons of making homemade Halloween costumes vs. store-bought costumes?

Pros of Store Bought Halloween Costume 

1. It will look just like the character you are aiming for. No one will wonder if you are a skeleton or not with a perfectly designed skeleton costume. 
2. It saves you a bunch of time. Time is money! Who really has enough time to make a homemade costume for each member of a large family. 
3.  Costumes that are bought are usually compact. A small bag can hold a hat, dress, and glasses. You don't have to worry about bits and pieces of your costume all over the place. 
4. It can be fun to go costume hunting! You know what you are getting, and you can look at as many stores as you want to find the perfect one. This can also be another fun family tradition to look forward to.

Pros of Homemade Halloween Costume

1. There is a world of possibilities. With a little bit of time and imagination, you can create something that has never been created before!
2. You get a lot of compliments. I have had hundreds of homemade costumes I have worn for parties and dress-up days. 99% of the time friends, would compliment me a bunch because my costume was so creative.
3. Most things you use to make a costume would have been thrown away or aren't used anymore. Thinking about being a robot? You have some cardboard boxes and milk cartons that would work great! You just saved the world some junk.
4. You spend a lot less. This year as I went shopping for our costumes. I was able to buy supplies for four costumes for less than $30. $$Ching ching$$!
5. You never have to worry about someone having the same costume as you. How many people do you know of that will come to your Halloween party dressed as a roll of duct tape? Not very many, I can imagine.
6. Since of achievement. It feels so good when you are all done creating the perfect look! It feels even better when everyone says that your costume is the best!

Cons of a Store-Bought Halloween Costume

1. There are only so many costumes that you can buy at the store. If you want to be a vacuum cleaner for Halloween. You might have a hard time finding an outfit like that at the store. 
2. Not a lot of imagination is involved when you buy a costume. It is not hard to go to the store or only find something you like and buy it. The only thing you have left today is maybe your hair and make-up. Slightly boring!
3. Costumes can cost a lot of money. It is one thing if you are only paying for your costume, but when you have three kids, plan on budgeting $100 or more. Don't forget the cost of Halloween Candy!

Cons of a Homemade Halloween Costume 

1. Sometimes your costume doesn't turn out how you thought it would. It is super frustrating when you go to all of the time in making a costume that flops. When I was dressed up as a KFC bucket of chicken, I had lots of questions about what the heck I was!
2. There is a ton of prep. After gathering all of the supplies to make your costume, you still have hours of work to prepare for Halloween. Scissors, tape, glue, finished... 
3. Homemade costumes can be a lot heavier. I don't know why but when something is homemade, it seems to weigh a lot more. This year I am putting together a Tangled dress for my daughter. Something that should; weigh a pound weighs at least three. Haha, it might be just me, but it always happens.

"Our goal is to help the world make decisions with a list of Pros and Cons. We invite all to add to our lists to help others make the most educated decisions possible. We are all in this world together to help each other and learn from what others have learned from their lives journey." - Pros and Cons Team.

Written By: Sarah