How to Make a Ghost Costume

In theory, everyone knows how to make a ghost costume, even little kids. After all, a basic ghost costume can be as simple as a plain white sheet draped over your head. It's one of the oldest and easiest costumes to create. But it's also a costume that's evolved, so if you're feeling inventive, there can be a whole lot more to this look than just a sheet.

How Do I Make a Ghost Costume

The idea of dressing as a ghost is seen in a number of societies with a variety of beliefs and legends. Halloween derives its origins from Celtic legends wherein there were a few days in late October when creatures of the underworld roamed the earth, looking for souls to capture. A person could save themselves by dressing as such a creature and thereby tricking them into thinking he was one of them.

Ghosts, witches and warlocks were some of the most common costumes seen. Although the general belief about ghosts was that they were invisible, or at least transparent, many felt that they could be seen by some sensitive people and recognized among each other, hence the effectivness of the costume.

As Halloween grew and changed over the years and became more about fun than superstition, the ghost costume remained popular because it was easy, inexpensive, covered the whole body and allowed anyone, adult or child, to be anonymous. This could seriously add to the fun!

Throw an old white sheet over your head and cut out eyeholes, right? Trim the sheet as necessary so you won't trip and you're ready to go haunting.

That's the old school style of ghost costuming, and it still works just fine. If you don't have an old white sheet, you can buy a few yards of muslin at the fabric store for little money and the costume works just as well.

The one problem with this costume is that it doesn't stay in place very well. A useful variation is to cut out a hole in the sheet, making a poncho, and use a pillowcase to cover your head. This will be more comfortable.

If the costume is for a child, you should consider making the head out of muslin or any lighter, more open-weave fabric as this will be more breathable and will also stay cooler. Make sure the eyeholes are big enough to allow for full vision.

If you want more detail but still don't want to spend too much time or money on the costume, you can use black felt to create a mouth and make the eyes appear bigger and darker, giving it a spooky look.

The basic ghost costume is easy, but can be a little boring. You can add props like chains to do better haunting, or you can try to make a recognizable ghost. If you want to know how to make a ghost costume for a group, look no further than the Dickens' classic A Christmas Carol. There are four ghosts in this story – the ghosts of Scrooge's former partner Marley and the ghosts of Christmases Past, Present and Future. You can choose one of the ghosts for yourself; if you're enjoying Halloween with friends, each of you can take a different ghost for a fun group costume idea. These costumes can be simple to distinguish just with the use of gifts and labels.

If you want to know how to make a ghost costume with a Shakespearean flavor, that does require a bit more work, but you still don't have to know how to sew. Banquo, the ghost of Macbeth's friend, can wear britches, a waistcoat and ruff – all easily found or contrived from thrift store items, and can then be stained with blood and powdered dead-white. The ghost of Hamlet's father has always had a variety of looks. You can even use the standard sheet, just be sure to add some bits of armor such as a helmet and sword. Both can easily picked up at a costume shop or rented for a nominal fee, and these accessories should be enough to let everyone know who you are. If your head is showing, add to the fun by having blood drip from your ear where the poison was deposited!

No matter what style of ghost costume you choose to make, you're sure to have a great time trick-or-treating or attending a Halloween party when you wear your outfit. Your costume will be fun, comfy, and creative, and you'll be glad to know that you made the costume yourself without having to spend a fortune.

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